The cry of the city: poverty, power, and the monkeys of Lutyens' New Delhi in ‘‘Eeb Allay Ooo’’ directed by Prateek Vats !!!!

The cry of the city: poverty, power, and the monkeys of Lutyens'  New Delhi in ‘‘Eeb Allay Ooo’’ directed by Prateek Vats © by film critic Lalit Rao (FIPRESCI)

 

 

Director Prateek Vats’ ‘‘Eeb Allay Ooo’’ (2019) is one of the most strikingly original Indian films of recent years — a daring blend of absurdist satire, social realism, and political commentary. It takes an idea so improbable that it seems almost comic: a young man is hired by the government contractor on a contractual basis to repel monkeys from the monumental buildings of New Delhi. Yet, beneath this apparently whimsical premise lies one of the most haunting portraits of urban poverty and bureaucratic cruelty ever captured on Indian screen.

With its minimalistic dialogue, naturalistic performances, and documentary-like visuals, Eeb Allay Ooo exposes a reality many would rather ignore — that of the working poor, whose lives are consumed by jobs that rob them of dignity and purpose.

 

                                           A concept that promises much but delivers little

 

The film’s title — ‘‘Eeb Allay Ooo’’— derives from the peculiar sounds used by “monkey repellers” to imitate langur calls. Since the Delhi High Court banned the use of real langurs around 2014, a new class of workers has emerged whose task is to mimic these animals vocally, scaring away marauding monkeys from government offices and ministries. This absurd reality forms the conceptual heart of Vats’ film. At one level, the premise is funny. The idea of someone earning a living by shouting strange noises in front of Parliament or a ministry building borders on farce. But Vats refuses to treat it as mere comedy. Instead, he transforms it into a metaphor for the senseless labor imposed upon India’s urban poor — labor that sustains the city but brings no recognition, no growth, and no escape. The concept of the film is undeniably powerful, but its execution is uneven. Vats’ choice to adopt an observational, near-documentary tone gives the film a raw authenticity, though at times the narrative drags. Even so, the film’s intent and integrity shine through, making it a rare and courageous work.

 

                                              Anjani represents the face of Invisible India

 

 

At the centre of ‘‘Eeb Allay Ooo’’ stands Anjani, played with quiet brilliance by Shardul Bharadwaj. A migrant from Bihar, Anjani finds himself employed as a monkey repeller in the corridors of Lutyens’ New Delhi — that manicured zone of power, privilege, and political authority. His job is neither stable nor respected; he is a daily-wage laborer at the mercy of contractors and clerks. Anjani’s personal life mirrors his professional despair. He lives with his pregnant sister and brother-in-law in a crumbling house near railway tracks in one of Delhi’s poorer neighborhoods. His sister, despite her condition, continues to manage the household, while her husband, a private security guard, struggles to make ends meet. The couple’s strained existence is emblematic of India’s working-class reality: precarious, fatigued, and constantly threatened by the spectre of unemployment. The introduction of a rifle in their home — brought by the brother-in-law under the pretext of protection — adds a note of foreboding. It becomes a symbol of latent violence, frustration, and the illusion of control in a world where ordinary people have none.

 

                                               Between man and monkey in ‘‘Eeb Allay Ooo’’

 

The recurring motif of the monkey is both literal and metaphorical. The monkeys that Anjani must scare away are portrayed with astonishing realism — thanks to cinematography that captures their agility, mischief, and menace with documentary precision. The sequences showing them invading offices, snatching food, or perching on government emblems are among the most memorable in the film.But more importantly, these monkeys become reflections of the human condition. They are chaotic, free, ungovernable — the very opposite of the bureaucratic order that employs Anjani. Ironically, the monkeys seem more liberated than the humans trying to control them. Anjani’s failure to shoo them away is not just professional incompetence; it’s symbolic. It represents the futility of fighting against a system that dehumanizes those at the bottom. In one of the film’s most poignant scenes, Anjani resorts to pasting large photographs of monkeys on placards, hoping that their images will scare real monkeys. It’s a tragically comic gesture, exposing his helplessness and the absurdity of his world.

 

                                               When hope collapses in ‘‘Eeb Allay Ooo’’

 

Anjani’s dismissal comes swiftly and brutally. His contractor, who had given him the job, is reprimanded by a senior government official, and the easiest way to appease authority is to fire the powerless. Anjani is cast out without ceremony — another disposable worker in a city that runs on invisible labor. At home, things deteriorate further. His sister’s stress grows, her husband’s temper worsens, and their fragile domestic balance begins to collapse. The film’s atmosphere becomes increasingly suffocating, mirroring the sense of entrapment that defines Anjani’s life. The viewer feels his exhaustion — not through dramatic outbursts, but through silence, repetition, and despair. ‘‘Eeb Allay Ooo’’ is thus less a story about monkeys and more a story about hopelessness — the quiet, relentless hopelessness of the working poor in modern India.

 

                                        Lutyens' New Delhi is a silent character in ‘‘Eeb Allay Ooo’’

 

Few Indian films have captured Delhi as incisively as ‘‘Eeb Allay Ooo’’. The contrast between Lutyens Delhi, with its colonial-era architecture and manicured lawns, and the chaotic, cramped outskirts where Anjani lives, becomes the visual and moral core of the film. The camera moves fluidly between the two worlds, never allowing the viewer to forget how drastically different they are — and how they depend on each other. The grand government buildings, symbols of national pride and power, appear cold and absurd when guarded by men who can barely feed their families. The irony is sharp: the same institutions that talk of national development rely on a class of laborers trapped in perpetual insecurity.

Delhi, in this sense, becomes a living metaphor. Its geography mirrors its inequalities — the centre shining, the periphery decaying. The monkeys, freely traversing these boundaries, embody a chaotic kind of freedom denied to human beings.

 

                                          ‘‘Eeb Allay Ooo’’ is a film between fiction and documentary

 

 

Stylistically, ‘‘Eeb Allay Ooo’’ oscillates between fiction and documentary. The camera observes rather than dramatizes; scenes unfold with a natural rhythm, free of cinematic manipulation. The editing is slow, the framing intimate, and the use of sound — ambient noises, street chatter, railway horns, monkey shrieks — evokes the sensory overload of Delhi’s daily life. This choice gives the film a documentary-like authenticity, but also contributes to its uneven rhythm. Some viewers may find the pacing sluggish, especially in the second half. Yet, this deliberate slowness is part of the film’s design. It mirrors the monotony of survival, the long stretches of boredom and anxiety that define Anjani’s existence.

Cinematographer Saumyananda Sahi deserves special credit for the film’s visual honesty. There are no glamourized images of poverty, no stylized compositions. The film’s beauty lies in its truth — in its refusal to embellish despair.

Labour, dignity, and the Indian dream in ‘‘Eeb Allay Ooo’’

 

At its heart, ‘‘Eeb Allay Ooo’’ is a film about work without dignity. Anjani’s job, absurd as it seems, becomes a lens through which we see the precariousness of modern employment. Contractual labour, lack of benefits, and absence of security have become the norm in India’s urban economy. Workers like Anjani form the invisible backbone of the city, yet remain expendable. The film’s treatment of this theme is unsentimental. It does not indulge in moralizing or political sloganeering. Instead, it captures the absurdity of survival in a system that simultaneously exploits and mocks its workers. The government officials, the contractors, the guards — all exist within a chain of vulnerability, each passing their frustration downward. This layered understanding of labor makes Eeb Allay Ooo a deeply political film — not through speeches, but through observation.

 

                                                         Moments of tenderness in ‘‘Eeb Allay Ooo’’

 

Amidst the bleakness, Vats inserts brief moments of tenderness. Anjani shares a bond with a neighborhood girl, a friendship that offers him fleeting respite from his oppressive world. Their interactions are shy, understated, and genuine. There are no declarations of love — just small exchanges that hint at mutual understanding.

These scenes provide emotional oxygen to a film otherwise suffused with fatigue. They remind us that even in despair, the human instinct for connection survives.

 

                                          Good performances and amazing technical excellence in Eeb Allay Ooo

 

Shardul Bharadwaj’s performance is extraordinary in its restraint. He embodies Anjani not as a victim but as an ordinary man doing an absurd job with quiet perseverance. His expressions — weary eyes, tentative smiles, and silent anger — communicate more than words ever could. The supporting cast, particularly Naina Sareen as the sister and Mahender Nath as the brother-in-law, deliver equally convincing performances. Their domestic scenes feel spontaneous, often blurring the line between acting and reality. Technically, the film is solid. The use of real locations lends authenticity, while the sound design — capturing Delhi’s cacophony — creates an immersive environment. The scenes involving monkeys are handled masterfully, avoiding CGI in favor of real footage that enhances the film’s credibility.

 

                                            ‘‘Eeb Allay Ooo’’ is flawed but fearless.

 

Despite its many strengths, Eeb Allay Ooo is not without flaws. The pacing occasionally wavers, the narrative arc feels underdeveloped, and the ending arrives abruptly. The film’s insistence on realism sometimes works against dramatic coherence. But these shortcomings do not diminish its importance. What matters is its courage — its willingness to depict a subject most filmmakers would consider unmarketable. In a cinematic landscape dominated by escapist narratives, Eeb Allay Ooo stands out for its fearless honesty. It refuses to compromise or entertain; instead, it confronts and questions.

 

For Whom ‘‘Eeb Allay Ooo’’ Speaks

 

Eeb Allay Ooo will undoubtedly appeal to cinéphiles and students of political cinema. Its tone recalls the neorealism of Vittorio De Sica, the social satire of Luis Buñuel, and the quiet observation of Bimal Roy. Yet, it remains unmistakably Indian in its texture — rooted in the specificities of Delhi, bureaucracy, and poverty. It is a film for those who believe cinema should engage with society, not escape from it. It may frustrate mainstream viewers, but for those open to its rhythm, it offers a profound experience — both intellectual and emotional.

 

 

                                                   ‘‘Eeb Allay Ooo’’ is a cry against indifference

 

 

In the end, ‘‘Eeb Allay Ooo’’ is a cry — not a shout, but a low, persistent cry — against a society that has normalized exploitation. It is a film about the invisible labourers who keep the city clean, safe, and functional, yet live in its shadows. Its brilliance lies in its simplicity. It does not moralize; it observes. It does not weep; it endures. Through Anjani, it gives voice to millions whose work is simultaneously indispensable and meaningless. Director Prateek Vats’ film may not be perfect, but it is essential. It is a reminder that the absurdity of life is not confined to fiction — it thrives in the everyday reality of people forced to make sense of an indifferent world.

Eeb Allay Ooo (India, 2019)

Director: Prateek Vats

Cast: Shardul Bharadwaj, Naina Sareen, Mahender Nath

Genre: Social Satire / Political Drama

Running Time: 98 minutes

Verdict: ★★★★☆

A deeply human and sharply observed satire on poverty, bureaucracy, and dignity of labor. Despite uneven execution, it remains one of the most daring depictions of urban India in recent cinema.