Manoj Bajpayee starred in the latest film, Gali Guleiyan. This film was screened as a part of the 19th edition of the Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival.
Gali Guleiyan is writer-director, Dipesh Jain’s debut feature film. The movie is set in the winding and interconnected maze-like alleyways of the Old Delhi.
Now, let us come to the plot of the movie. In one of the many run-down houses, lives an old man who can be called a derelict at first glance. But wait, there’s something more to him. There is always something more.
The man spends all his time observing and keeping an eye on his neighbourhood through a network of spy cameras that provide a live feed to a set of TVs in his home. Besides his friend Ganeshi, a character played by Ranvir Shorey, that is his only link to the outside world.
One night, the character of Khadoos, played by Manoj Bajpayee, hears sounds of a child being beaten up. He becomes obsessed with the boy and dedicates himself to rescue him. The boy’s name is Idu. We continuously move back and forth from Khadoos and Idu through the many cameras. Idu is the son of Laikat, who is a butcher. He has been cast as an archetype.
Although the twist is not deeply hidden, it is also not glaringly obvious. There are quite a few loose ends that force you to think. Gali Guleiyan is presented to the viewer as a psychological drama that peers straight into the abuse and tragedy that unfortunately, is deeply rooted within the veins of the country.
Of all the cast members, Manoj Bajpayee shines in his role. He is completely isolated, physically, psychologically and emotionally. He truly brings across the soul of the film even when he has so little to say.
