What Is the Story About?
The story is nearly the same. Gullak Season 5 returns to the familiar world of the Mishra family and once again finds drama and emotion in the everyday realities of middle-class life. Set in the modest Mishra Niwas, the new season explores how a family rooted in tradition attempts to adapt to a rapidly changing world without losing its identity.
The season begins with the Mishras giving their house a fresh coat of paint, a seemingly ordinary event that quietly reflects the larger changes taking place in their lives. Santosh Mishra dreams of securing a better future for his family and begins exploring the possibility of purchasing a new home through a government housing scheme. However, financial limitations and practical concerns soon turn that dream into a complicated challenge.
At the same time, both his sons find themselves navigating important transitions. Anand, the elder son, struggles with dissatisfaction at work and begins questioning whether stability is worth sacrificing his ambitions. His growing feelings for Dr. Priti add another layer to his journey as he tries to balance career aspirations with personal hopes. Aman, meanwhile, looks for quicker ways to earn money and starts offering consultations through an astrology app, leading to several amusing and unexpected situations.
Shanti Mishra faces her own challenges as she grapples with questions of identity and self-worth beyond her role within the family. Her interactions with the outspoken and ever-present Bittu Ki Mummy become one of the season’s key subplots, highlighting friendship, rivalry, and the changing dynamics of neighbourhood life.
The arrival of Pinky Mama, Shanti’s brother, further disrupts the household and brings a fresh source of comedy and conflict.
Like previous seasons, Gullak avoids grand twists and high-stakes drama. Instead, it focuses on small moments, family conversations, financial worries, personal aspirations, and everyday struggles. Through these seemingly ordinary experiences, the season explores what it means to grow, change, and move forward while still holding on to the people and values that make a family feel like home.
Performances?
The greatest strength of Gullak Season 5 remains its ensemble cast, which has now reached a point where the performances feel less like acting and more like spending time with a real family. The actors understand these characters so thoroughly that even the smallest interactions feel natural.
Jameel Khan once again anchors the season beautifully as Santosh Mishra. He continues to excel at portraying the anxieties of a middle-class father who carries the burden of responsibility without openly expressing it. Whether he is worrying about finances, contemplating a new home, or dealing with workplace pressures, Khan brings remarkable authenticity to every scene. He never resorts to melodrama, making Santosh’s struggles feel deeply relatable.
Geetanjali Kulkarni is arguably the standout performer this season. Shanti’s arc allows her to explore emotions beyond her usual role as the family’s stabilising force. Kulkarni captures her insecurities, frustrations, and moments of self-reflection with tremendous subtlety. Some of the season’s most affecting moments belong entirely to her.
Analysis
Five seasons in, Gullak faces a challenge that every long-running series eventually encounters: how do you remain true to your identity without becoming repetitive? The answer offered by Season 5 is both its biggest strength and its biggest weakness. Rather than reinventing itself, the show doubles down on what it has always done best. Whether that feels comforting or limiting will largely depend on what viewers expect from the Mishras after all these years.
What immediately stands out is the show’s remarkable understanding of middle-class life. While many family dramas chase larger conflicts, Gullak continues to find meaning in everyday concerns. A fresh coat of paint, a housing loan, a new Wi-Fi connection, workplace frustrations, neighbourhood gossip, and family expectations become the foundation of the season. The writers understand that for most people, life is rarely defined by extraordinary events. It is shaped by small decisions, financial calculations, and conversations around the dining table.
The writing remains the show’s strongest asset. Vidit Tripathi’s screenplay is filled with observations that feel pulled directly from lived experience. The humour emerges naturally from situations and personalities rather than from punchlines. The Mishras still speak like ordinary people rather than characters delivering carefully constructed dialogue. This authenticity remains Gullak’s greatest achievement.
The season also deserves credit for acknowledging change. The Mishra household is no longer frozen in time. Technology has entered their lives. Career aspirations have evolved. Social media influences behaviour. Younger characters are navigating a world very different from the one their parents grew up in. Yet the series never treats modernity as a threat. Instead, it explores how families gradually adapt while trying to preserve the values that define them.
Shanti’s storyline is among the season’s strongest elements. For years, she has largely existed as the emotional backbone of the family. Here, the show allows her to confront questions about identity and self-worth. Geetanjali Kulkarni elevates every scene, making Shanti’s journey surprisingly moving. Similarly, Santosh’s struggles with financial responsibilities and future planning continue to reflect the anxieties of countless middle-class fathers.
The recasting of Annu was always going to be risky. Vaibhav Raj Gupta had become deeply associated with the character. To the show’s credit, Anant V Joshi does not attempt imitation. He gradually establishes his own version of Anand. Now that is a problem in the first two episodes because we are too used to seeing the original Annu. But still Joshi is a delight.
However, Season 5 is not without shortcomings.
The biggest issue is that the narrative occasionally feels too comfortable. Several storylines unfold exactly as long-time viewers might expect. The emotional beats, misunderstandings, and resolutions often follow familiar patterns. While the warmth remains intact, the element of surprise has disappeared. Earlier seasons frequently found fresh perspectives within ordinary situations. This season occasionally relies on the audience’s affection for the characters to carry moments that might otherwise feel routine.
The handling of certain supporting characters is also uneven. Bittu Ki Mummy remains entertaining, but her arc sometimes feels stretched beyond what the narrative requires. At times, she appears to exist primarily to create conflict rather than emerging organically from the story. Similarly, some supporting subplots receive attention without adding significant depth to the overall season.
The finale is another area where the series slightly stumbles. After spending several episodes building conflicts through small, realistic struggles, the resolutions arrive a little too neatly. Part of Gullak’s appeal has always been its honesty. The ending occasionally feels more convenient than truthful.
Yet even when the season falls short, it never loses sight of what makes the show special. The Mishras continue to feel like people viewers know rather than characters they watch. And the show continues to be a delight. Hardly any Indian series has maintained this level of consistency across five seasons.
Season 5 proves that while Gullak may not always surprise anymore, it still understands its characters better than most shows ever do.
Other Artists?
Harsh Mayar continues to be immensely likeable as Aman. The character’s attempts to earn money through unconventional means could have easily become repetitive, but Mayar’s effortless charm keeps the storyline engaging. He captures both Aman’s immaturity and growing sense of responsibility with equal conviction.
The biggest challenge this season was undoubtedly replacing Vaibhav Raj Gupta as Annu. Anant V Joshi steps into a beloved role and deserves credit for not trying to imitate his predecessor. It takes time to adjust to the new face, but Joshi gradually finds his rhythm and brings a slightly different energy to Anand’s personal and professional struggles.
Sunita Rajwar remains a scene-stealer as Bittu Ki Mummy. Whether viewers enjoy her storyline or not, Rajwar ensures the character remains memorable. Gopal Dutt is a delightful addition as Pinky Mama, bringing humour and unpredictability without feeling intrusive.
Together, the cast continues to make Gullak feel authentic, which remains the show’s greatest achievement five seasons later.
Music and Other Departments?
The technical aspects of Gullak continue to serve the story without drawing unnecessary attention to themselves. The background score remains gentle and effective. Much like previous seasons, the music understands when to step back and let conversations do the heavy lifting. The cinematography captures the warmth and familiarity of Mishra Niwas with understated elegance, making the house feel like a character in itself. The production design deserves credit for preserving the lived-in authenticity that defines the series. The editing is smooth and unintrusive, allowing scenes to breathe naturally. Shivankit Singh Parihar’s narration once again adds charm, nostalgia, and emotional depth, remaining one of the show’s most distinctive storytelling devices. Together, these elements maintain the comforting atmosphere that has become Gullak’s signature over the years.
Highlights?
Story
Performances
Consistency
Drawbacks?
Gets too comfortable and predictable
Did I Enjoy It?
Yes
Will You Recommend It?
Yes
Gullak Season 5 Review by Binged Bureau
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