Gali Guleiyan

The film is a psychological drama about a man who is trapped within the city walls and in his own mind. He attempts to break free to find a human connection.

A movie with great depth, with great visual and experiential story telling. As the character goes through a maze of madness, you as an audience are pulled into it, while coming across a really important message. It was a thoroughly immersive experience.

Manoj Bajpayee Delivers Outstanding Performance.

The best of cinema, the best of acting, the best of storyline, this movie offers the best of everything! I am not a critic, only an art lover. But while watching this film, I couldn't set my eyes off it even for a second. Great performances by all the actors, especially Manoj Vajpayee. And the issue raised is the important of all!

Watched GaliGuleiyan absolutely by accident because saw Manoj Bajpayee poster - star power working here! I had no idea what I was getting into.

Soon I realised that I was in for a treat and this was not some ordinary bollywood flick. It compelled me to pause and search for the credentials. It seems young turk Dipesh Jain (seems to be an American Indian with promising work he has already churned out) is director/producer. And what a star-cast that greeted me - Ranvir Shorey, Neeraj Kabi, Shahana Goswami to name a few. There are foreign contributions in the other departments of the film too - Music, Editing and Cinematography to name a few.

It is a story of a loner, disturbed and s suffering individual who is clearly disoriented and lives in a dingy solitude. Throughout the movie the Lighting, Cinematography and Direction creates cringeworthy atmosphere making you feel as if you should just get-up and clean Khuddoos (Manoj) and his place - power of creativity and conveying exactly what is intended. Movie slows down to a halt - resonating with life that Khuddoos lives. At time you want to hit the FF button but, the detailing stops you. You are sure to miss out on the detail because the Direction and the whole package is so brilliant.

And of course the wait pays. The flip in the last five minutes is so unexpected, unassuming and deeply moving. Then you recollect the whole movie backwards and the things fit so well, so flawless and so seamless that it keeps you in awe and wonder.

Not the for the people with short attention-span and habituated of the usual masala - this ones for the patient ones who love the blandness to enjoy the last morsel!

Thanks for the treat Gali Guleiyan team.

Cast-Manoj Bajpayee,Ranvir Shorey,Neeraj Kabi,Shahana Goswami,Om Singh.

Khadoos(Bajpayee) lives in the shabby,claustrophobic lanes of Old Delhi.The ugly,dull lanes reflect his activities,he doesn't follow any calendars,hardly comes out of his home,and watch his neighbors via some CCTVs he attached unknowingly to them.One day he overhears some little boy getting abused by his father ,(that family shares the same wall with Khadoos) and this turns out to be a regular phenomenon. Khadoos decides to save the boy from the clutches of his father and thus reuniting the human connection he lost somewhere in the past.All the above traits give Khadoos a creepy,peculiar look in your mind ,doesn't it?then just see in the poster or in the trailer look at Manoj Bajpayee,his insomniac eyes,his torn dress,his gibberish way of talking,you will be stunned by his physical transformation for this Indie film.A true artist,Manoj Bajpayee delivers another performance which is enough to make anyone spellbound.If i say more about him,I will involuntarily give spoilers.

Neeraj Kabi is rough as an abusive father and a unfaithful husband .He makes his character the most hated one by his vigilant acting.

Shahana Goswami is the most sympathetic character playing the role of the wife of Neeraj Kabi,gentle and kind to her children and always in fear that her husband might lose his cool and beat her and their children.Every frame she is in you can feel her pain,her fear,her unconditional love to her family.

Ranvir Shorey plays the role of the only friend of Khadoos ,which he has ,as always, done with perfection.The child artists are spontaneous and quite good in their roles.

The photography is top notch,the way old Delhi is captured-lifeless alleys,the worn out houses are vividly haunting and you will never even want any day to pay a visit there. The shadow of hopelessness is disturbing in those ghostly existence.

The sound design fits perfectly and increases the discomfort of watching this film.The movie is difficult to bear with for popcorn movie lovers.Dipesh Jain in his debut has shown his caliber of film making.

8.5/10

Gali Guleiyan (In the Shadows) is quite a smart and well made film. It attacks a poignant topic prevalent in the society and portrays it in a way that's both intense and emphathetic. A tad bit slow, but that slowness is a driving and important factor of the movie as a whole. The movie leaves you spellbound and asking questions. Manoj Bajpayee is so great when it comes to the smaller nuances and as useal delivers an over the top perfomance. Neeraj Kabi and Shahana Goswami add to the film the many undertones required. Beautifully made, psychologically perplexing, it is Dipesh Jain's perfect masterpiece.