Bahurani

Bahurani

Year: 1989

Runtime: 147 mins

Language: Hindi

Director: Manik Chatterjee

DramaFamily

Amit wants a modern wife, but his parents marry him to the village girl Madhuri. He rejects her, so Madhuri adopts the persona of the urbane Malathi and returns to his life, forcing Amit to confront his biases as tradition meets modernity in a tale of love and identity.

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Timeline & Setting – Bahurani (1989)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Bahurani (1989). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Contemporary India (late 20th to early 21st century)

The story unfolds in a modern Indian context where education and career matter, yet traditional arranged marriages and dowry practices persist. The urban-rural divide is set against a backdrop of family duty and social status. The timeline centers on a period when young adults negotiate independence within a conservative family structure.

Location

Mumbai (Bombay), India; Madhuri's Village

Bahurani is set across two India: the bustling city of Bombay (Mumbai) and the close-knit rural village where Madhuri grows up. The city scenes reflect Amit's educated, modern lifestyle, while the village sequences highlight old-world values and family pressure. The film uses this contrast to explore how place shapes relationships, expectations, and opportunities.

🏙️ Urban 🌾 Rural 🎭 Cultural

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 14:01

Main Characters – Bahurani (1989)

Meet the key characters of Bahurani (1989), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Amit Chaudhary (Rakesh Roshan)

A modern, urban-educated man raised in Bombay and educated in the USA. He seeks an educated, compatible partner, but his parents push him toward a traditional union with Madhuri. His journey centers on balancing personal desire with family duty, and eventually choosing forgiveness and a path toward reconciliation.

💼 Modern 🏙️ Urban 🎓 Educated

Madhuri / Malti (Rekha)

A beautiful, intelligent village girl living with her widowed mother and brother. She initially accepts the arranged marriage but then pursues a career in Bombay under an assumed name after realizing Amit's distance. Her love grows with Amit, prompting a complex game of identity and truth.

🎀 Traditional 💪 Independent

Shrikant (Rakesh Bedi)

Madhuri's brother, who embodies a protective yet pragmatic stance within the family. He participates in the wedding dynamics, and his actions reflect the pressures of tradition and the push-pull between loyalty to family and personal integrity.

👨‍👦 Protective 🤝 Family-bound

Sadanand Chaudhary (Utpal Dutt)

A firm, patriarchal figure whose demands shape the marriage plot. He uses tradition and social expectations to maneuver the couple toward an arrangement that suits the family’s pride and status.

🎭 Patriarch 💰 Dowry-minded

Madhuri's Mother (Urmila Bhatt)

Madhuri's supportive mother who embodies resilience and concern for her daughter's future. She plays a key role in guiding the plot and ultimately helps reveal Malathi's true identity to Amit.

👩‍👧 Caring 🧭 Practical

Laxmi Chaudhary (Usha Kiran)

Amit's mother, who shares the family's expectations and participates in the mounting tension around the marriage. She represents tradition, care for family reputation, and the dynamics of parental involvement in matches.

🛡️ Protective 🧭 Traditional

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 14:01

Major Themes – Bahurani (1989)

Explore the central themes of Bahurani (1989), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

💍 Tradition vs Modernity

Amit's educated, cosmopolitan background clashes with his parents' insistence on an arranged marriage to Madhuri, a traditional village girl. Madhuri represents conventional values and family loyalty, while Amit's ambitions push him toward personal choice and happiness. The tension drives the plot as love and duty collide.

🎭 Identity & Deception

To win over Amit without exposing her true identity, Madhuri reinvents herself as Malathi Choudhury, and Amit falls for the persona rather than the wife. The disguise creates emotional ambiguity and a dramatic reveal later in the story. The eventual truth forces forgiveness and a second chance at reconciliation.

💎 Dowry & Patriarchy

The dowry demand and the performance of wedding rituals expose the economic and gender biases at play in the families. Shrikant's fake jewellery and the forced arrangements satirize a system that values gold over genuine affection. The turning point occurs when truth disrupts the manipulation and the couple seeks a rightful union.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 14:01

Unlock the Full Story of Bahurani

Don't stop at just watching — explore Bahurani in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what Bahurani is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

Bahurani Summary

Read a complete plot summary of Bahurani, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

Bahurani Summary

Bahurani Timeline

Track the full timeline of Bahurani with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.

Bahurani Timeline

More About Bahurani

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