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Cast: Jameel Khan, Geetanjali Kulkarni, Harsh Mayar, Anant V Joshi, Shivankit Singh Parihar, Sunita Rajwar
Creator: Shreyansh Pandey
Director: Abhay Raut, Shreyansh Pandey
Streaming On: Sony Liv
Language: Hindi
Runtime: 7 episodes of 30 minutes each
It was almost 7 years ago that my family bonded on our first show together. In fact, my father and I enjoyed watching it together. We were introduced to the Mishras, but they felt so much like us – our family of four! Gullak became an identical twin, we never knew we had! When TVF first introduced us to Mishra Niwas, it felt like someone had placed a mirror in our middle-class living rooms. The bickering over electricity bills, the clinking of steel containers, and that mud piggy bank – the Gullak narrating our collective struggles with a comforting, nostalgic warmth. All felt so familiar. But does that familiarity exist in Gullak S5? I doubt!
The formula is visibly running out. What used to be an organic slice-of-life masterpiece has now changed into a desperate attempt to keep a franchise running! A forced extension of the franchise that finished almost two seasons ago! Watching this season brought a lot of questions to my mind – where is the family that felt like our dopplegangers? Why is Bittu Ki Mummy not doing what she does best – extend support rather than eyeing the limelight!
Gullak Season 5 Review: What’s It About:
The Gullak has been completely sidelined by heavy subplots – from Annu’s generic romance with Dr. Priti (Helly Shah) to Aman’s hostel secrets. The show has evolved into Santosh-Shanti & Sons or Bitto Ki Mummy Aur Aapko Nahi Pata, losing the very identity that set it apart from standard television soap operas.
The story in season 5 is the same. Santosh Mishra is still navigating life’s small battles. Shanti Mishra is still balancing emotions, expectations, and household politics. Annu and Aman continue dealing with adulthood and responsibilities. Bitto Ki Mummy remains committed to ensuring nobody in the neighborhood enjoys peace. Everything is familiar. But still, you do not feel the connection. The story of season 5 begins with Vaibhav Raj Gupta getting replaced by Anant V Joshi as Anand Mishra, and then the bickering of the Mishras follows through seven episodes that involve Shanti Mishra’s ancestral home, Santosh Mishra’s home loan, Annu Mishra’s separate flat, and Aman Mishra’s new profession!
Gullak Season 5 Review: What Works:
Gullak still works for those who have been ardent fans of the Mishra Family! The stories are still there! It starts on a brilliant hook as the Gullak narrates, “Aaj is ghar ne ek nahi, do dushman kamaaye hain. Ek WiFi wala Ravi aur doosra Ravi wala WiFi. 12 singha jaise dikhne wala plastic ka ye dabba, aapko agar apne singhasan se utaar de, to ego to hurt hogi naa. Dekhiye kaise itraa raha hai. Har saal main boodha aur purana hota rahunga aur ye router mazboot aur jawaan. Khair koi bhi daur ho, is aangan mein baaton ki kami nahi hogi. Aur bhi kai cheezein hain jo kam nahi hogi – jaise ummeed – CTC badh jaane ki. Kisi ki nazron mein chadh jaane ki. Jaise maayusi – putaai pe kiye kharch ki ROI na paane ki. Aur jaise chhole poori, jo sabse acche aapke ghar mein hi bante hain.” You put your hopes on another set of intriguing and emotional tales!
Gullak Season 5 Review: Star Performance:
Jameel Khan (Santosh Mishra) and Geetanjali Kulkarni (Shanti Mishra) remain the saving graces of this deteriorating household. Jameel Khan remains the show’s greatest strength. At this point, Santosh Mishra has become one of the most authentic fathers in Indian streaming history. There is never a false note in his performance. Geetanjali Kulkarni continues to be the emotional backbone of the family. Her portrayal of Shanti Mishra remains layered, nuanced, and deeply recognizable.
Replacing Vaibhav Raj Gupta’s Annu Bhaiya is a shock to the system that the franchise never recovers from. Vaibhav was the raw, frustrated emotional anchor of the youth in this show. While Anant V Joshi puts in a sincere, calculated effort, the organic sibling chemistry with Harsh Mayar’s Aman feels completely manufactured.
Sunita Rajwar’s character, Bittu Ki Mummy, now demanding to be called by her actual name, Shalini, gets a meaty, thought-provoking arc. Watching her dive into modern vlogging and a twisted, toxic brand of internet-fed feminism is entertaining. Rajwar once again steals scenes with alarming ease. Bitto Ki Mummy remains one of the greatest neighborhood characters Indian OTT has ever produced. But honestly, I would have appreciated this subplot as a separate spinoff rather than hogging and meddling with the main plot!
Helly Shah enters the plot as Anand Mishra’s love interest, but her character arc looks very unnecessary! Though she looks fresh and confident as Dr. Preeti!
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Gullak Season 5 Review: What Doesn’t Work:
The story by Shreyansh Pandey and Vidit Tripathi tries too hard to mimic the brilliance of the earlier seasons. Directed by Abhay Raut and Shreyansh Pandey, the episodic conflicts do not feel emotional. The pacing drags over the seven episodes. The most heartbreaking aspect of Season 5 is that Gullak is no longer a character. In the initial seasons, the voiceover (voiced by Shivankit Singh Parihar) wasn’t just a gimmick; it was the philosopher of the lower-middle-class struggle. It held a mirror to why we accumulate small savings and sacrifice major dreams. This season, the voiceover feels like an obligation!
The biggest problem with Gullak Season 5 is not that it is bad. The biggest problem is that it reminds you how great Gullak once was. The first two seasons weren’t merely family dramas. They were almost every single Indian middle-class household! Most importantly, you found yourself somewhere in the Mishras. Season 5 once again explores middle-class family dynamics through small incidents and everyday struggles. The problem is that Gullak has already done all of this. And it has done it better.
Gullak Season 5 Review: Last Words:
The genius of Gullak was never the Mishra family. It was the Gullak itself. The piggy bank wasn’t merely a title. It was the philosophy of the show. Every story represented small deposits of life. Tiny memories. Minor victories. Petty disappointments. Moments that eventually became priceless. The Gullak represented a collection of emotions, experiences, and a middle-class existence! Gullak S5 abandons that metaphor. The stories no longer feel like coins slowly dropping into a piggy bank. And once that disappears, you’re left with a pleasant family drama, but not Gullak.
Season 5 still has the Mishras. It still has warmth. It still has affection. But somewhere along the way, it misplaced its Gullak. And without that Gullak, these are merely stories about a family. Not the priceless collection of memories they once were.
Heartbreaking to lose a franchise to the technical and commercialized entertainment process! For old times’ sake, you’ll smile, but you will miss Gullak!
2.5 stars!
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