Rapper Naezy, whose life influenced the 2019 Bollywood film Gully Boy, has clarified that much of the film’s portrayal of his story is fictional. Directed by Zoya Akhtar, the film follows the journey of a young rapper from Mumbai’s Dharavi slums, drawing heavy inspiration from the lives of real artists like Naezy and Divine. While the movie was widely praised for spotlighting Mumbai’s underground rap culture, Naezy has expressed his dissatisfaction with the significant creative liberties taken in its narrative.
In an interview, Naezy emphasized that the events depicted in the film, such as the protagonist's interaction with fellow rappers, did not happen in real life. “Gully Boy is pure fiction. There’s no truth in it,” he said. He pointed out that the film’s depiction of the rapper meeting others in the music scene was entirely fabricated, adding that it was far removed from the actual sequence of events in his life.
One of the more prominent inaccuracies in the film was the portrayal of Naezy’s father. The movie inaccurately depicts Naezy’s father as having two marriages, which Naezy confirmed was not true. "My father didn’t have two marriages, as shown in the film," he said. This portrayal led to confusion and misrepresentation of his family life. Naezy noted that while he understood the artistic license taken for the sake of storytelling, the fictional elements could mislead audiences into believing these fabrications were part of his real-life narrative.
Naezy also discussed the impact these fictionalized aspects had on his personal life. He acknowledged that Gully Boy was a work of fiction but voiced his frustration with how the film’s narrative blurred the line between fact and fiction for the audience. "We know what fiction is, but the audience will think this is my real life," he remarked, illustrating his concern that the public might misinterpret the film as a factual representation of his life and career.
Despite his objections, Naezy recognized the positive aspects of the film. Gully Boy played a crucial role in bringing the underground rap culture of Mumbai into the mainstream, exposing the struggles and aspirations of street rappers to a wider audience. The movie’s success contributed significantly to the visibility of the Indian hip-hop scene, which had previously been limited to niche circles. Both Naezy and Divine’s music played a key role in inspiring the storyline, and Gully Boy helped establish them as key figures in Indian hip-hop.
The film, which featured Ranveer Singh as the lead rapper Murad, also introduced Siddhant Chaturvedi as the character of MC Sher, inspired by Divine. It received widespread acclaim, both in India and internationally, for its gritty portrayal of the rap scene. Gully Boy went on to become a commercial success, receiving numerous awards and nominations, and significantly influencing the Indian music industry. While Naezy’s personal frustrations with the fictionalized portrayal of his life are clear, the film undeniably elevated the visibility of Mumbai’s underground music culture on a global scale.