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Aulad (1987) movie poster

Characters & Themes

Aulad (1987) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

Release, runtime and language
1987 · 180 mins · Hindi
Directed by
Vijay Sadanah
Starring
Saeed Jaffrey, Dina Pathak, Jaya Prada, Govardhan Asrani, Sridevi, Jeetendra

Convinced his wife perished, he entrusts his newborn to a grieving mother who has recently lost her own child, hoping she will give him the love and care he cannot provide. When the presumed‑dead wife returns, she is determined to reclaim the baby, sparking a desperate struggle for the child's future.

On this page (8)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Characters explained (9)
  3. 3 Where & when it takes place
  4. 4 Themes & meaning (3)
  5. 5 Character & meaning questions
  6. 6 Movie threads
  7. 7 Movies like Aulad
  8. 8 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch Aulad (1987)

Where can you watch Aulad? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Fawesome, Plex and Tubi TV: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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9 main characters · contains spoilers

Aulad Characters Explained: Who Is Who

The main characters of Aulad (1987), heroes and villains: what drives them, how they change over the course of the story and what each of them reveals about the film's bigger ideas.

  • Anand (Jeetendra)

    Anand is a shrewd businessman whose charm masks a willingness to bend the truth. He fabricates that he is already married to avoid his uncle's pressure, and later marries Devki to please him. Torn between love and duty, he drifts between two households as events spiral out of control. His choices drive the central conflict and test loyalties.

    • 💼 Ambition
    • 💔 Deception
    • 👨‍👩‍👦 Family ties
  • Devki (Sridevi)

    Devki is a street dancer who enters Anand's life and becomes his wife to placate family expectations. She endures deception, complex family dynamics, and the burden of a child who binds two households. Her resilience and care shape the emotional core of the story. A devastating turn tests her endurance, and the ending hints at renewed motherhood.

    • 💃 Dance
    • 💪 Resilience
    • 🍼 Motherhood
  • Yashoda (Jaya Prada)

    Yashoda is a newly connected member of the extended family whose life is upended by tragedy and a child-swapping scheme. She experiences profound heartbreak and seeks security and love for the child she believes is hers. Her presence anchors the emotional conflict between competing maternal claims.

    • 👩‍👧‍👦 Motherhood
    • ❤️ Sacrifice
    • ⚖️ Custody
  • Vicky (Vinod Mehra)

    Vicky is Yashoda's husband, whose life becomes intertwined in the wake of the train accident and the ensuing family turmoil. He carries the weight of loss and the responsibility born from the complicated relationships around the child. His role highlights the fragility of newly formed family bonds.

    • 💔 Loss
    • 👨‍👩👶 Family
  • Kishan (Baby Guddu)

    Kishan is the child at the center of the custody dispute. His fate is shaped by the actions of adults who fight over who should raise him. His innocence and attachment to both mothers propel the drama toward a resolution that prioritizes belonging over possession.

    • 👶 Child
    • ❤️ Innocence
  • Anand's chacha (Saeed Jaffrey)

    Anand's chacha is the senior relative who triggers events by discussing marriage arrangements with Anand. He becomes entangled in the family drama as loyalties are tested and the truth about the child's custody emerges. His role pushes the story toward legal and moral confrontation.

    • 🧓 Family elder
    • 🗣️ Guidance
  • Savithri (Dina Pathak)

    Savithri appears as a family elder whose presence influences the household dynamics. Her stance on marriage, reputation, and duty shapes the choices of the other characters as the plot unfolds. She embodies traditional perspectives within the family drama.

    • 👵 Family elder
    • 📝 Tradition
  • Raja (Govardhan Asrani)

    Raja is a supporting figure within the family network who observes the unfolding events. He contributes to the social texture of the drama with his reactions and interactions with the central characters. His role reinforces the film's exploration of community judgment.

    • 🎭 Observer
    • 🧭 Social circle
  • Devki's stepmother (Lalita Kumari)

    Devki's stepmother appears as a challenging presence within the household. Her attitudes add tension to Devki's position and the evolving family dynamics. Her perspective helps shape the pressures around motherhood and legitimacy.

    • 👩 Stepfamily
    • 🌀 Tension

Last updated: October 04, 2025 at 13:58

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Setting

Where and When Does Aulad Take Place?

The setting of Aulad (1987): the year and time period, the places and locations, and how they shape the characters, the mood and the tension of the story.

Time period

Location

India, Abroad

Set primarily in India, the story traverses busy city life and intimate family homes. Train stations and domestic interiors anchor the drama as marriages and social expectations are negotiated. The narrative also takes the characters abroad, highlighting a cross-border element that intensifies the choices they face.

  • 🏙️ Urban India
  • 🚆 Train journeys
  • ✈️ Abroad

Last updated: October 04, 2025 at 13:58

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3 major themes

Aulad Meaning: Themes & Message Explained

What is Aulad (1987) really about? The emotional, social and philosophical themes the film keeps returning to, its symbolism and the message beneath the surface.

  • Love vs Duty

    Anand's actions are driven by a desire to protect his social standing, even if it means fabricating a marriage. The film examines how love can collide with obligation and reputation, forcing characters to navigate deception for the sake of family. As the truth surfaces, loyalties are divided between two mothers and the child, revealing the cost of illusion.

  • Motherhood & Fertility

    Devki's motherhood becomes a central battleground, shaping her identity and choices. The film shows her resilience in the face of abandonment, vulnerability, and the possibility of infertility after childbirth. The ending hints at a renewed possibility of motherhood, underscoring hope amid hardship.

  • Custody & Justice

    Courtroom pressures and social norms drive the custody struggle, forcing characters to confront what constitutes rightful parenthood. The order to return the child to Devki tests competing maternal claims and the cost of competing loyalties. In the end, the characters choose a path that prioritizes happiness and belonging over legal victory.

Last updated: October 04, 2025 at 13:58

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Character & theme questions

Aulad Characters & Meaning: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask about Aulad (1987): who the characters really are, their relationships, what the symbols mean, where it takes place and what the movie is really about. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Where does this story take place?

The movie is set primarily in India, featuring busy city life and intimate family homes. Key locations include train stations and domestic interiors where marriages and social expectations are negotiated. The narrative also takes characters abroad, adding a cross-border element that intensifies the choices they face.

  • india
  • setting
  • locations
  • train stations
  • abroad
Q2

What are the main themes of this movie?

The film explores three major themes: Love vs Duty, where characters navigate deception for the sake of family reputation; Motherhood & Fertility, focusing on resilience and hope amid hardship; and Custody & Justice, examining what constitutes rightful parenthood and the cost of competing maternal claims.

  • themes
  • love
  • duty
  • motherhood
  • custody
  • justice
Q3

What does the Love vs Duty theme mean in this story?

Anand's actions are driven by a desire to protect his social standing, even if it means fabricating a marriage. The film shows how love collides with obligation and reputation, forcing characters to navigate deception for family sake. As truth emerges, loyalties divide between two mothers and the child, revealing the cost of illusion.

  • love
  • duty
  • deception
  • reputation
  • family
Q4

How does the movie portray motherhood?

Devki's motherhood becomes a central battleground that shapes her identity and choices. The film shows her resilience through abandonment, vulnerability, and the possibility of infertility after childbirth. The ending hints at a renewed possibility of motherhood, underscoring hope amid hardship.

  • motherhood
  • devki
  • fertility
  • resilience
  • hope
Q5

What is the custody conflict about?

Courtroom pressures and social norms drive the custody struggle, forcing characters to confront what constitutes rightful parenthood. A court order to return the child to Devki tests competing maternal claims and the cost of competing loyalties. In the end, the characters choose a path that prioritizes happiness and belonging over legal victory.

  • custody
  • court
  • justice
  • motherhood
  • legal battle
Q6

Who is Anand and what drives him?

Anand is a shrewd businessman whose charm masks a willingness to bend the truth. He fabricates that he is already married to avoid his uncle's pressure, then marries Devki to please him. Torn between love and duty, he drifts between two households as events spiral out of control, and his choices drive the central conflict.

  • anand
  • character
  • businessman
  • deception
  • love
  • duty
Q7

Who is Devki and what is her journey?

Devki is a street dancer who becomes Anand's wife to placate family expectations. She endures deception, complex family dynamics, and the burden of a child who binds two households. Her resilience and care shape the emotional core of the story, and a devastating turn tests her endurance.

  • devki
  • street dancer
  • wife
  • resilience
  • motherhood
Q8

Who is Yashoda and why is she important?

Yashoda is a newly connected member of the extended family whose life is upended by tragedy and a child-swapping scheme. She experiences profound heartbreak and seeks security and love for the child she believes is hers. Her presence anchors the emotional conflict between competing maternal claims.

  • yashoda
  • mother
  • tragedy
  • child swap
  • emotional conflict
Q9

What is the emotional tone of this movie?

The tone is consistently bittersweet, balancing tragic events like fatal train wrecks and child death with moments of compassion and a surprising hopeful ending. The narrative moves from initial deception to genuine love, through devastating separation and grief, culminating in a resolution through self-sacrifice that ends on a note of unexpected, fragile renewal.

  • emotional tone
  • bittersweet
  • tragedy
  • hope
  • renewal
Q10

How do social expectations shape the story?

The film examines how traditional family expectations and reputation pressure drive characters toward deception. Marriage arrangements, custody battles, and community judgment all play significant roles. Family elders and relatives influence choices, showing how social norms collide with personal desires and truth.

  • social expectations
  • family pressure
  • marriage
  • reputation
  • community

Movie threads

More Movies Like Aulad, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Aulad tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Movies with devastating custody battles like Aulad

Stories where desperate acts create fierce legal and emotional fights for a child. This collection features movies like Aulad, where a secret or a tragic mistake spirals into a painful courtroom drama and emotional conflict over a child's future. If you were captivated by the desperate struggle between two mothers, you'll find similar stories of love, sacrifice, and moral complexity here.

  • desperate
  • painful
  • compassionate
  • moral dilemma
  • courtroom drama
  • tragic
  • Tone: bittersweet, tragic
  • Pacing: steady, dramatic
Why these movies?

The story pattern: This thread follows narratives that begin with a pivotal deception or tragic accident, often involving a child swap or a hidden parentage. The story then builds towards an inevitable, emotionally charged legal conflict that forces characters to confront their past choices and redefines the meaning of family through sacrifice.

Why they belong together: These movies are grouped together because they share a core narrative of a child being fought over by multiple parties, creating a high-intensity, emotionally heavy experience centered on moral dilemmas, profound love, and the painful cost of second chances.

Emotional family sagas with heavy themes like Aulad

Epic stories where families endure profound loss to find a fragile new beginning. Discover movies similar to Aulad that deliver a powerful, heartfelt journey through family trauma and recovery. These films explore deep themes of grief, loss, and sacrifice over a steady, multi-year narrative, perfect for viewers who appreciate heavy, character-driven stories with a bittersweet resolution.

  • tragic
  • melancholic
  • hopeful
  • grief and loss
  • compassionate
  • family obligation
  • Tone: bittersweet, melancholic
  • Pacing: steady, character-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Stories in this thread often span years, beginning with a catastrophic event like a death or separation that redefines the family unit. The plot follows characters as they grapple with obligation, love, and sacrifice, weaving together their individual arcs into a central moral conflict that ultimately leads to a fragile but meaningful resolution.

Why they belong together: These films are united by their heavy emotional weight, focus on grief and familial duty, and a bittersweet tone that balances tragic events with compassionate acts. They provide a steady, intense viewing experience centered on the resilience of the human spirit in the face of overwhelming loss.

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Movies Like Aulad

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Every angle

Aulad (1987) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Aulad in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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