Adarsh Gourav, the BAFTA-nominated actor, immersed himself in Mumbai's underground hip-hop scene to prepare for his role as Maruti in the upcoming film Tu Yaa Main. Gourav plays a local rapper from Nalasopara in the film, and he believed that understanding the world behind the music was essential to bringing the character to life. Tu Yaa Main, directed by Bejoy Nambiar, is set to release on February 13, 2026.

Gourav didn't want to rely solely on the script, so he chose to step into the spaces where the city’s independent rap movement was born. He spent months engaging with Mumbai's underground hip-hop scene. He visited areas like Govandi, Nalasopara, Kurla, Dharavi, and Andheri, observing and jamming with artists who have built the city's independent rap movement from the ground up. "Very early on, I realised that Maruti couldn't be built in isolation," Gourav said. "His voice, his body language, even his silences come from a place that's deeply tied to where he grew up".

During his preparation, Gourav interacted with Vijay Dada in Govandi, Gravity and Shakespeare in Nalasopara, Neazy in Kurla, and Akku and 7 Bantai in Dharavi. He also spent time with Ace, Kinga, Ninja, Yeda Anna, and Loca in Andheri, among others. These weren't just meet-and-greet interactions; they jammed and spoke about life, music, struggle, and ambition. "Being around them helped me understand where the hunger comes from and how their sound is," Gourav added.

According to Gourav, it was important to step into that world before attempting to portray it on screen. He shared that he spoke about ambition, about being unheard, and about using music as a way to claim space. To physically ground the role, Gourav also got an eyebrow piercing.

Gourav said that when he came aboard Tu Yaa Main and started developing Maruti, he knew early on that he couldn't approach the character only through the script. He felt that to do justice to Maruti, he needed to understand the world that shapes his voice, rhythm, and attitude because he comes from a very specific socio-cultural space.

The film is a survival thriller inspired by the 2018 Thai film The Pool. It follows two content creators, played by Gourav and Shanaya Kapoor, whose romantic trip turns terrifying when they're trapped with a crocodile. The film has been shot in Bangkok.

Adding to the film's authentic feel, the soundtrack of Tu Yaa Main features independent, underground hip-hop voices. The recently released track "Fame Us" by 7Bantai'Z, a multilingual hip-hop collective from Mumbai, alongside composer-singer Rai Harrie, brings a distinctly urban energy to the soundtrack, aligning closely with the film's youthful tone and contemporary narrative. Gourav himself has also explored rap with the song "Naam Karu Bada".