Gandu is full of scenes with shock value for an audience that still likes its movies on the conservative side. But apart from its infamous sex scene — yes, that exact one — there is a lot to unpack in this film that has achieved cult status in the past decade. So, let’s not beat around the bush.
Consider yourself warned: Spoilers ahead!
Gandu Plot Overview
Gandu is the film’s protagonist, and we don’t know much about him apart from his traumatic environment and love for rap.
The lead character, whose mother is the mistress of a local business owner (which is how she pays her bills), is pretty frustrated, both sexually and in life. Everyone regards him as a “gandu,” and the fact that his name is never revealed is also a testament to his apparently worthless existence.
One day, he meets a rickshaw puller, aptly named Ricksha, and they form an unlikely friendship before they consume dhatura seeds and experience a trip that changes Gandu forever.
Gandu Ending
What Happens to Gandu?
After Gandu and Ricksha’s trip on dhatura seeds, almost everything changes for the protagonist. He has sex with a hooker, ends up winning Rs. 50,000 in the lottery, and even barges in on his mother and her lover to laugh at them. He also gets to perform with the band Asian Dub Foundation at a local concert, living his dream life.
In the end, everything seems to have turned out well for Gandu.
Gandu, the boy with no identity for the majority of the film, has effectively turned his “gandupana” into his strength.
Whereas before he was admonished and bullied for his anti-social tendencies and general personality, towards the end, a representative for ADF literally chases Gandu on the street for a demo of his music.
So it’s not wrong to say that the tables have clearly turned for the rap-obsessed protagonist.
However, when all is said and done, at its core, Gandu is a film about the fluid nature of identity, youth, and (perhaps) life itself. The focal point of the story is not Gandu’s success; that is simply a byproduct of his existence. What really stands out about Gandu is the many ways in which the character tries to understand himself, for better or for worse.
It is a film that tries to understand and decode the nature of existence, all without being too serious in its introspection.
Ostensibly, Gandu doesn’t really do much to change his condition, apart from doing a shit-load of drugs, stealing from his mother or Dasbabu, and hanging out with Ricksha.
But, at the same time, he is questioning, challenging, and processing everything through his rap, dedicating himself to his passion, even when others cannot understand it. Of course, he sticks to the usual motifs and raps about women, money, success, and yadda yadda yadda. But Gandu has a unique voice nonetheless, one that makes the same argument in a different manner.
And the Bengali rap in the film is actually one of a kind; we need more such regional art.
Besides, Ricksha is the safe space the protagonist never gest at his house, so throughout the course of the film, it seems like Gandu is finally starting to come to terms with his traumatic upbringing and what his youth has meant for him with a missing father and an overburdened mother. Nothing is right or wrong in Gandu’s self-exploration… it simply is.
Is Gandu Gay?
When Gandu first meets Ricksha, he dreams about nakedly embracing his new friend. It’s a scene that is as innocent as it is telling.
After all, things only start changing for Gandu when he meets the eclectic and no-fucks-given rickshaw puller who has his own wacky ideas and notions about life.
For example, when Gandu and Ricksha first meet, the latter slaps the protagonist for running into his cart. Later, we even see Ricksha do things like eat noodles with two forks and use martial arts stances when Gandu seems to want to confront him.
For a very, very traumatised and lonely Gandu, Ricksha seems to be a breath of fresh air.
Gandu even makes a song inspired by the “road king” himself, in which the protagonist is paying tribute to arguably the only character in Gandu who has it worse than him.
The two friends spend a lot of time together, consuming various drugs and contemplating existence and death, among other things. If Gandu is the angsty rebel, then Ricksha is the one who tells him the harsh truth about things in a way that resonates with the rapper.
Hence, it isn’t easy to determine what Gandu’s sexuality actually is, but one could assume him to be bi-curious (if not bi-sexual) given how the climax plays out.
Sexuality, however, can be fluid, so one should make such assumptions with utmost caution.
Besides, with the meta scene in Gandu, which very naturally pokes fun at its own narrative while also blurring the lines between reality and fiction, it becomes evident that this film simply isn’t meant to be taken very seriously.
Change is, after all, central to life and, by extension, to Gandu. Even the sex worker appearing as Kali Maa after the pair have sex seems to be a testament to this idea. So even if Gandu fantasises about his friend, does it necessarily require us, the audience, to categorise his sexuality neatly into a package?
Gandu is a young boy, yet to experience various things in life. He also only manages to lose his virginity thanks to Ricksha’s coaxing.
So, does one dream about hugging his confidant even hold that much weight?
