Dhurala (2020) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

Monica is perceptive about the family's power dynamics and actively shapes the political play. She persuades Hanumantha to join the elections, presenting a pragmatic, strategic mind behind the scenes. Her influence shows how a partner can steer political choices while maintaining a domestic anchor.

• 🎭 Drama
• 👩‍💼 Women in politics
• 🧭 Strategy

Navnath is the elder Ubhe who runs the family business and considers himself the heir to the sarpanch throne. He is ambitious, confident, and ready to wheel the family into electoral contention. His sense of entitlement drives the early conflict with Jyoti Tai and Harish Gadhwe.

• 🏛️ Politics
• 👨‍👦 Family business
• 🗝️ Heir apparent

Hanumantha is tied to the cement business, offering a practical, money-minded angle to the campaign. He is persuaded by Monica and others to contest the elections, bringing economic leverage into the political arena. His decision marks the shift from family enterprise to public leadership.

• ⚒️ Cement business
• 🏛️ Politics
• 👨‍👩‍👦 Family ties

Harshada is Navnath's wife, who is included in the new party to give a female face to the campaign. She represents the rising role of women in village politics and the pressures that come with public visibility. Her presence adds a personal dimension to the electoral strategy.

• 👩‍💼 Women in politics
• 👪 Family dynamics
• 🗳️ Election

Jyothi Tai is the step-mother of Dada who is coaxed into the race by political maneuvering. Her entry introduces a tactical, sometimes aloof, approach to leadership within the family. She complicates alliances and tests loyalties on the ground.

• 👩 Women in politics
• 🧭 Strategy
• 👨‍👩‍👧 Family dynamics

Prithviraj Shinde is the MLA who fuels Jyoti Tai's candidacy by stressing grassroot empowerment. His influence shows how outside support can catalyze local shifts and legitimise new candidates. He acts as a catalyst in the electoral plan.

• 🏛️ Politics
• 🗳️ Grassroots
• 🧭 Strategy

Harish Gadhwe is the political figure in the Gadhwe camp, a driving force behind the party's messaging. His presence frames the external political pressure on the Ubhe family. He interacts with family members, intensifying the power struggle.

• 🏛️ Politics
• 🧭 Strategy
• 🤝 Rivalry

Tally is a loyal operative who handles logistics and sharpens campaign operations. He witnesses the shifting alliances and keeps the machine running. His role highlights the behind-the-scenes effort required to sustain a political campaign.

• 🧭 Strategy
• 🗳️ Election logistics
• 🤝 Loyalty

Baharmal Kaka is a veteran figure in the village landscape, whose experience provides context to the politics of Ambegaon. He observes the rising tides of ambition and weighs in with cautionary wisdom. His presence grounds the drama in rural reality.

• 👴 Village elder
• 🗳️ Election
• 🪵 Wisdom

Divya Babar represents another layer of the family network, offering perspectives from the campaign's dynamics. She participates in the political discourse and reflects evolving attitudes toward leadership. Her role adds nuance to the intersection of family and power.

• 👨‍👩‍👧 Family dynamics
• 🗳️ Politics
• 💬 Dialogue

Sunaina Babar interacts with the political web from the outside, providing additional social context and public perception. Her stance can influence the village's support or opposition to the Ubhe faction. She embodies community voices within the campaign.

• 🗳️ Public opinion
• 👩 Women in politics
• 🕊️ Influence

Nilesh, nicknamed Bhaujya, is a bold member of the Ubhe circle who adds energy to the political theatre. He participates in the family business and campaign dynamics with a candid, sometimes impulsive, attitude. His presence spices up personal and political tensions.

• 💪 Energy
• 🗳️ Politics
• 🧩 Family dynamics

The film centers on the lead-up to a sarpanch election, showing how family ties, business interests, and party alliances collide in a rural power struggle. Old rivals, new entrants, and gender-driven strategies clash as each side vies for control of the local council. The narrative uses the election as a lens on authority, legitimacy, and community influence.

Jyoti Tai Ubhe and Harshada join the ballot, highlighting grassroots gender empowerment in a traditionally male-dominated arena. The story explores how a female face can redefine political legitimacy and mobilize support at the village level. It also examines the tensions that arise within families when women take on public leadership roles.

The Ubhe clan's aspirations pull at personal loyalties, threatening to fracture long-standing relationships. As siblings, in-laws, and spouses align with different factions, trust erodes and conflict leaks into everyday life. The film foregrounds how political ambition can override affection and tradition within a rural family.