In The Shadows Of The Mind With Gali Guleiyan...

mind. 

A Beautiful Servant. 

A Dangerous Master. 

With this premise in mind, an international feature film and psychological thriller has been crafted on the Indian forefront by debutant writer/director Dipesh Jain helmed by the critically acclaimed actor who needs no introduction, Manoj Bajpayee. 

Set in the walled city of old Delhi, Gali Guleiyan is better known globally as 'In The Shadows' for it has been premiered and praised at a total of 23 film festivals including the ones at Busan, Los Angeles, Melbourne, and back home at MAMI, before being released in India today (7 September 2018). 

A league apart from the rest, Gali Guleiyan is a classic piece of parallel cinema exploring dark themes of psychological isolation and parent-child disconnect, that form for an introspective outlook. 

Backed by an ensemble cast of power-house performers Ranvir Shorey, Neeraj Kabi, Shahana Goswami, Ashwath Bhatt, Arbaaz Khan, and of course, Manoj Bajpayee who is the protagonist Khuddoos, Gali Guleiyan also features debutant Om Singh, as Idris, a child who comes from a broken home. 

Touted by Manoj himself to be his career's toughest portrayal, Bajpayee believes that skill and mastery of the toughest craft i.e. acting is what sailed him through. 

Set in the dark alleys of Old Delhi, the setting of the film is predominantly claustrophobic with a dilapidated house complete with dusty corners and cobwebs all around forming for a dark premise on the outset and setting the tone for visual appeal. 

The ambiance on the outside resonates with the makeup of the psyche as Khuddoos and Idris are pawns for lost-and-found. 

With a gripping narrative, the trailer too compels to witness the film on the 70mm screen as it is rare that we get to witness the theatrical brilliance of such prominence exploring realistic themes. 

Ahead of its release, Manoj Bajpayee and Dipesh Jain paid a visit to Cinepolis at The Janak, Delhi for a rendezvous about everything Gali Guleiyan. 

The team at Cinepolis prepped for the occasion by keeping a wall of fan mail ready for Manoj to browse through and appreciate the gesture. 

During a concise and brief interaction with Stir Your Souls, Manoj Bajpayee believed Gali Guleiyan to be such a dramatic narrative that won't leave the audience even after the screening ends and they head home. 

In fact, Dipesh also commented on Manoj Bajpayee being an institution, commending his professionalism, commitment, and humility, all at the same time. 

Would you like to know the first thought that came to Manoj Bajpayee's mind after being narrated the script of Gali Guleiyan - In The Shadows? Also, the makeover that he underwent, both on a physical and psychological scale for becoming Khuddoos... 

Here's what Manoj had to say about working with debutant Dipesh Jain, praising his creativity... 

A tete-a-tete with Manoj Bajpayee was a string of analogies, comparing acting to mathematics - both being complex yet beautiful frontiers. 

Another analogy stemmed from Manoj quoting the showman of Bollywood, legendary Raj Kapoor, on being asked to choose a favorite among all portrayals spanning his illustrious career. 

On a lighter note, Manoj also shared his camaraderie with Gali Guleiyan co-star Ranvir Shorey. 

As a conclusion, Manoj Bajpayee commented on the way his personality has developed over the years, being in the Indian film industry. 

As a matter of fact, and in concurring with Manoj, I believe that Gali Guleiyan has proved its mettle on foreign lands, earning accolades and appreciation all the same. Hence, the Indian audience should also see for themselves and appreciate the effort put in by the cast and crew, all the same. 

Having seen this piece of cinematic merit, I would encourage my readers to go on a movie date with #ManojBajpayeeAtCinepolis at the Janak which offers an evolved entertainment experience thanks to its four screens and a seating capacity of 740, Real D 3D technology in two and 100 percent digital projection in all its screens. :)