Shesh's (Atul Kulkarni) past is haunted by the fragmented memories of his near ones. He is a man who dwells almost entirely in an imaginary world, and he dramatizes that inwardness as if nobody is watching. His journey of recovery begins with his struggle to get out of the mental condition, the struggle of the people around him and his only hope, his sister Seena (Sonali Kulkarni), who tries to bring new meaning into his life.

As a child, Shesh was short-tempered and reserved. He lost out academically. He grew up with Seena and cousin Kalyani (Devika Daftardar). He became romantically attached to Kalyani and as a result, his mother sent her away to her father's house. All these incidents add to his mental pressures and he becomes even more withdrawn and unsociable. Seena's marriage to Sudesh (Tushar Dalvi) and the death of his mother result in Shesh withdrawing completely into his world. He becomes increasingly paranoid. He starts to link the incidences with the sacred grove in the forest. It becomes increasingly difficult for him to separate reality and imagination. He combines both, and gives it a human character called 'Devrai', and gets lost in it. Finally, brought to the city after a sudden violent attack, he is diagnosed as suffering from Schizophrenia.

The highlight of the movie is Atul Kulkarni. He immerses himself as a schizophrenic so well you actually start believing in his character. Devrai consolidates Atul's status as an exceptional actor.

Devika Daftardar holds her own as Shesh's lover Kalyani. She plays an important role in Shesh's life as a cousin, friend and lover.

Sonali Kulkarni, as Seena, plays the under-written role of a sister who becomes the hope of her disturbed, difficult and helpless brother.

The rest of the supporting cast -- including Tushar Dalvi, Amruta Subhash, Rajesh More, Mohan Agashe and child actor Ashwin Chitale (of Shwaas fame) -- do well.

Debu Deodhar's characteristically elegant camerawork gives the film a dreamlike look, perfect for delving into such a complicated topic as the human mind. Shreerang Umrani's music provides the right combination of the wonder of discovery and the hint of something sinister.

Writer and director Sumitra Bhave and co-director Sunil Sukhtankar (of Dahavi F and Vastupurush fame) do well.

Another interesting aspect of the film is the poetry used in the movie, written by Atul! While shooting, the actor wrote a poem that was so beautiful the directors incorporated it in the film.

The film swept popular awards for best film, director, actor and actress at the Star Screen Awards in the Marathi films category. The movie also won the technical excellence award at the International Film Festival in Kerala and the special jury award at the Mumbai International Film Festival for Atul's outstanding performance. The film has won over 16 awards to date including the National Award.

With Bollywood melodramas like 'Kyon Ki' offering a completely wrong picture of mental illness and schizophrenia, it is heartening to see Marathi cinema combining entertainment with social responsibility in the magnificent 'Devrai'.