Gullak – Yaadon ki.. A must watch Gem

Gullak from TVF, Season 2 of Gullak which streamed in 2019 is a very welcome change in the era of dark, violent and eroticas on OTT and stands out for its endearing, simple and relatable storytelling. Streaming on Sony Liv, Gullak is the best way to start the new year.

Plot 

Narrated from the point of view of a piggy bank, Gullak is a 5 episode story of a middle class Mishra household with father Santosh (Jameel Khan), mother Shanti (Geetanjali Kulkarni) and siblings Annu and Aman (Vaibhav Raj Gupta and Harsh Mayar). 

To add to the fun element is Sunita Rajwar as Bittu ki Mummy as Mishra family’s talkative neighbour.

Each episode of Gullak comes with new challenges for Mishra family, be it a kitty party with mother unwell, or be it Aman’s board exams the audience always feels like they are in it with the family. The season focuses mainly on Annu trying to get a gas agency contract and Aman is preparing for his board exams. 

Gullak relies on the honesty of its plot, situations and the performances of its cast, in which it succeeds fully. Every scene, every moment is relatable and almost everyone can feel living that moment sometime in his life. 

The relationships have been explored and presented beautifully, be it romantic banters of Santosh with Shanti, the outbursts of Shanti on her husband and kids, or be it the father-son dynamics and the relation between the siblings, with elder one bossing younger around and younger brother revolting occasionally as he has grown up now. 

Hits

Almost everything works for Gullak. The fact that it is written with all honesty and never tries to achieve what it is not supposed to is it’s biggest plus. 

The situations are created and presented as naturally as they can be. The nuances which have been kept in mind in the screenplay are excellent and one can notice enough detailing in each shot which is presented in as subtle a way as it can be.

The Performances from all the characters are excellent and it’s because of that though nothing big is happening but still we are emotionally invested in their day to day lives. Though there are no laugh out loud moments, it ensures a smile is there throughout the season.

A few scenes are very heartwarming and the finale might even get many viewers to shed a tear or two. The season ends on a happy though emotional note, just as Season 1 ended.

Special shout out to the scenes in the last episode, the interaction between Annu and Aman, the scene where the family is getting a group photograph done and the scene where Annu breaks down are a treat to watch.

Misses

None. 

Performances

Gullak rides on splendid performances from all its lead actors. Geetanjali as a mother is terrific and everyone must have got an earful like that from their mothers at some point of time in their lives.

Jameel Khan as Santosh Mishra the father is exactly how most of the middle class father’s are. He is excellent and is fully in his elements.

The siblings Harsh and Vaibhav are also very good and the love affection and fights between them are all too real.

Special mention to sarcastic Bittu ki Mummy played by Sunita Rajwar, who everyone manages to make you smile whenever she is on screen.

FFC Take

Gullak, though a low budget 5 episode short series, is definitely a  must watch just for the sheer honesty, warmth and feel good factor it generates. Great direction, superb writing and  excellent performances push that case even further. 

It also underlines the fact that you don’t need big budgets and huge starcast to make good movies or series. Recommended.