# Gulaal (गुलाल) (film)
**Gulaal** (गुलाल) is a 2009 Hindi-language political drama directed by [Anurag Kashyap](https://www.edgepedia.org/anurag-kashyap), set in the fictional Rajasthani town of Rajpur, where a law student is drawn into campus politics that feeds a covert secessionist movement seeking a separate [Rajputana](https://www.edgepedia.org/rajputana) state for the Rajputs.[1](https://boxofficeindia.com/cast_crew.php?movieid=787) • [2](https://www.kviff.com/en/programme/film/31/8237-gulaal?lng=1) It was released in India on 13 March 2009 under the Zee Limelight banner, produced by Deepak Sharma.[1](https://boxofficeindia.com/cast_crew.php?movieid=787)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Release | 13 March 2009 (India), Hindi language, thriller/political drama[1](https://boxofficeindia.com/cast_crew.php?movieid=787) |
| Director and writers | Anurag Kashyap directed, wrote the story, screenplay, and dialogue; story credits shared with Raj Singh Chaudhary, Aparnaa Malhotra, and Sanjay Maurya[1](https://boxofficeindia.com/cast_crew.php?movieid=787) • [3](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1261047/fullcredits/) |
| Setting | Rajpur, a fictional town in Rajasthan; a university campus entangled with a Rajput separatist movement[4](https://www.sensesofcinema.com/2022/bollywood/an-ominous-shade-of-crimson-anurag-kashyaps-gulaal/) |
| Lead cast | Kay Kay Menon (Dukey Bana), Raj Singh Chaudhary (Dilip Kumar Singh), Abhimanyu Singh (Ransa), Aditya Srivastava (Karan)[1](https://boxofficeindia.com/cast_crew.php?movieid=787) |
| Music | Piyush Mishra composed the music and wrote the lyrics, and plays Prithvi Bana; Hitesh Sonik handled background score[1](https://boxofficeindia.com/cast_crew.php?movieid=787) |
| Festival exposure | Screened at the Venice film festival[2](https://www.kviff.com/en/programme/film/31/8237-gulaal?lng=1) |
| Commercial result | Good reviews but a poor box-office verdict in its opening week[5](https://www.rediff.com/movies/2009/mar/16box.htm) |
## Spoilers
### Plot and setting
Dilip Kumar Singh (Raj Singh Chaudhary), a 28-year-old law student from Bikaner, arrives at a college in Rajpur, Rajasthan.[6](https://d1f72a6kha0tf8.cloudfront.net/gulaal) Soon after admission he is assaulted during ragging: stripped, locked in a dark room with a naked and abused female lecturer, Anuja (Jesse Randhawa).[2](https://www.kviff.com/en/programme/film/31/8237-gulaal?lng=1) After his roommate Rananjay Singh, known as Ransa ([Abhimanyu Singh](https://www.edgepedia.org/abhimanyu-singh)), the son of a respected Rajasthani family, is murdered, Dilip is pressed into standing for college elections by Dukey Bana ([Kay Kay Menon](https://www.edgepedia.org/kay-kay-menon)), a local feudal leader.[2](https://www.kviff.com/en/programme/film/31/8237-gulaal?lng=1) • [7](https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/media/entertainment/gulaal-movie-review/articleshow/4249207.cms)
**The Rajputana movement.** Dukey Bana is the leader of a covert separatist movement that accuses independent India of betraying the Rajputs and calls for a free Rajputana, a state of, for, and by the Rajputs, to be carved out by seceding from the Indian Union.[4](https://www.sensesofcinema.com/2022/bollywood/an-ominous-shade-of-crimson-anurag-kashyaps-gulaal/) He has the support of other Rajput princes and a private militia.[4](https://www.sensesofcinema.com/2022/bollywood/an-ominous-shade-of-crimson-anurag-kashyaps-gulaal/) His rival is Karan ([Aditya Srivastava](https://www.edgepedia.org/aditya-srivastava)), the illegitimate son of the local king, referred to as "Highness", who wants legitimacy and acceptance in Rajput circles.[4](https://www.sensesofcinema.com/2022/bollywood/an-ominous-shade-of-crimson-anurag-kashyaps-gulaal/) When Dilip realizes he is a pawn in this game, he rebels.[2](https://www.kviff.com/en/programme/film/31/8237-gulaal?lng=1) The film ends with Dukey killed by his own protégé, through a series of misunderstandings of Dukey's own making, and the Rajputana movement passing to Karan's leadership.[4](https://www.sensesofcinema.com/2022/bollywood/an-ominous-shade-of-crimson-anurag-kashyaps-gulaal/)
The title refers to gulaal, the red powder thrown during the [Holi](https://www.edgepedia.org/holi) spring festival. In the climax Dilip's face is smothered in it; the film uses the powder, normally a symbol of celebration, also as an instrument of humiliation, and reviewers noted that the film's brightness comes largely from its red imagery.[2](https://www.kviff.com/en/programme/film/31/8237-gulaal?lng=1) • [8](https://www.rediff.com/movies/review/review-gulaal/20090313.htm)
## Production
The film took roughly seven years to reach cinemas. Kashyap said he could not find a producer for a long time, which delayed the release.[8](https://www.rediff.com/movies/review/review-gulaal/20090313.htm) • [9](https://glamsham.com/bollywood/interview/interview-anurag-kashyap/) In the Glamsham interview he stressed that the delay came from financing rather than controversy: "GULAAL though didn't have anything controversial. It was just that wasn't getting producers and so it got delayed."[9](https://glamsham.com/bollywood/interview/interview-anurag-kashyap/) The completed film was produced by Deepak Sharma under the Zee Limelight banner.[1](https://boxofficeindia.com/cast_crew.php?movieid=787)
Reported running times differ by source: 143 minutes per Box Office India, 140 minutes in the [Karlovy Vary](https://www.edgepedia.org/karlovy-vary) festival archive, 2 hours 20 minutes on Rotten Tomatoes, and 2 hours 27 minutes on streaming listings.[1](https://boxofficeindia.com/cast_crew.php?movieid=787) • [2](https://www.kviff.com/en/programme/film/31/8237-gulaal?lng=1) • [10](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/gulaal) • [11](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/gulaal) The Indian censor board certified it "A" (adults only).[6](https://d1f72a6kha0tf8.cloudfront.net/gulaal)
## Music
[Piyush Mishra](https://www.edgepedia.org/piyush-mishra), an actor, lyricist, and composer, wrote the songs, composed the music, sang, and acted in the film as the deranged poet-figure Prithvi Bana.[1](https://boxofficeindia.com/cast_crew.php?movieid=787) • [12](https://pulseofcinema.com/en/film/gulaal/) Critics treated the soundtrack as central to the film: the [Hindustan Times](https://www.edgepedia.org/hindustan-times) review called Mishra's work the film's breath-taking center, singling out "Duniya", an homage to "Yeh duniya agar mil bhi jaaye" from [Guru Dutt](https://www.edgepedia.org/guru-dutt)'s *Pyaasa* (1957).[13](https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/review-gulaal/story-mAkQpSoHyejgHMx8UgP6SM.html) The Outlook review highlighted the "political mujra" number "Ranaji", with references to 9/11, Afghanistan, and the US occupation of Iraq.[14](https://satyamshot.wordpress.com/2009/03/14/outlook-gulaal-review/) The opening credits dedicate the film to "all those poets of pre-independent India who wrote songs of freedom and had a vision of free India, which we could not put together".[4](https://www.sensesofcinema.com/2022/bollywood/an-ominous-shade-of-crimson-anurag-kashyaps-gulaal/)
## Themes and political reading
Kashyap described the film as the result of his anger at the deterioration of the democratic process in India.[15](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/entertainment-others/gulaal-stirs-politics-ahead-of-general-polls/) Released just before the April 2009 general elections, it was read as an acerbic comment on caste- and region-based politics that promote parochial interests, with the princely rebellion standing as a metaphor for the growing voice of regional parties and their aspirations.[15](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/entertainment-others/gulaal-stirs-politics-ahead-of-general-polls/) The Karlovy Vary synopsis lists its subjects as campus bullying, caste issues, violent politics, patriarchy, and the quest for legitimacy.[2](https://www.kviff.com/en/programme/film/31/8237-gulaal?lng=1) Reviewers also noted the film's treatment of gender: the Rediff review criticized the script for brushing aside each of its women characters after giving them compelling setups.[8](https://www.rediff.com/movies/review/review-gulaal/20090313.htm)
## Reception
Critical response at release was strongly positive even as the film failed commercially. In its opening week, trade coverage recorded a poor box-office verdict despite good reviews, noting the film "loses steam in the second half" and uses very abusive language.[5](https://www.rediff.com/movies/2009/mar/16box.htm) Shubhra Gupta of The Indian Express called it Kashyap's angriest and most ambitious film, praising its characters, set-pieces, lyrics, and acting while faulting the director for juggling too many issues and people.[16](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/entertainment-others/movie-review-gulal/) Raja Sen of Rediff called it a compelling watch with superlative performances but judged the second half underwhelming.[8](https://www.rediff.com/movies/review/review-gulaal/20090313.htm) The Hindustan Times gave it four stars, praising Kay Kay Menon, Aditya Srivastava, Abhimanyu Singh, Deepak Dobriyal, and above all Piyush Mishra.[13](https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/review-gulaal/story-mAkQpSoHyejgHMx8UgP6SM.html) On Rotten Tomatoes the film holds an 81% Tomatometer score from two collected critic reviews.[10](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/gulaal)
Over time the film has drawn a sustained following among viewers of Kashyap's work; festival retrospectives, including a tribute to Kashyap at Karlovy Vary in 2014, have kept it in circulation, and commentary has repeatedly paired its commercial failure with its later reputation.[2](https://www.kviff.com/en/programme/film/31/8237-gulaal?lng=1) • [12](https://pulseofcinema.com/en/film/gulaal/)
## References
1. [Gulaal, Cast & Crew, Box Office India](https://boxofficeindia.com/cast_crew.php?movieid=787)
2. [Gulaal, Karlovy Vary International Film Festival archive](https://www.kviff.com/en/programme/film/31/8237-gulaal?lng=1)
3. [Gulaal (2009) Full cast & crew, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1261047/fullcredits/)
4. [An Ominous Shade of Crimson: Anurag Kashyap's Gulaal, Senses of Cinema (2022)](https://www.sensesofcinema.com/2022/bollywood/an-ominous-shade-of-crimson-anurag-kashyaps-gulaal/)
5. [Gulaal, Little Zizou flop, Rediff.com Movies (16 March 2009)](https://www.rediff.com/movies/2009/mar/16box.htm)
6. [Gulaal on Moviebuff.com](https://d1f72a6kha0tf8.cloudfront.net/gulaal)
7. [Gulaal: Movie Review, The Economic Times (2009)](https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/media/entertainment/gulaal-movie-review/articleshow/4249207.cms)
8. [Review: Gulaal is a compelling watch, Rediff.com Movies (13 March 2009)](https://www.rediff.com/movies/review/review-gulaal/20090313.htm)
9. [Interview: Anurag Kashyap, Glamsham](https://glamsham.com/bollywood/interview/interview-anurag-kashyap/)
10. [Gulaal, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/gulaal)
11. [Gulaal streaming: where to watch online?, JustWatch](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/gulaal)
12. [Gulaal (2009): Plot, Cast & Rating, Pulse of Cinema](https://pulseofcinema.com/en/film/gulaal/)
13. [Review: Gulaal, Hindustan Times (April 2009)](https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/review-gulaal/story-mAkQpSoHyejgHMx8UgP6SM.html)
14. [Outlook Gulaal Review, Satyamshot (14 March 2009)](https://satyamshot.wordpress.com/2009/03/14/outlook-gulaal-review/)
15. ['Gulaal' stirs politics ahead of general polls, The Indian Express (20 March 2009)](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/entertainment-others/gulaal-stirs-politics-ahead-of-general-polls/)
16. [Movie Review: Gulal, The Indian Express (13 March 2009)](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/entertainment-others/movie-review-gulal/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Indian films (individual works) › Hindi films of the 2000s › Drama films*
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