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Ekkees Tareekh Shubh Muhurat (2018) movie poster

Plot Summary

Ekkees Tareekh Shubh Muhurat (2018) Plot Summary Explained

Release, runtime and language
2018 · 94 mins · Hindi
Directed by
Pavan Kumar
Starring
Brijendra Kala, Sanjay Mishra, Kamalika Banerjee, Harshit, Ria Chanda, Bhawna Chaudhary

Pandit Girdhari Laal Sharma, a 55-year-old man, yearns to escape his family's tradition of priesthood and pursue his dream of becoming a storyteller. However, he's preoccupied with finding a suitable date for his daughter's wedding. A series of mishaps lead to his imprisonment, but unexpectedly, his storytelling finds a captivated audience among the prisoners, offering a surprising path toward fulfilling his aspirations.

On this page (5)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 What happens: full plot
  3. 3 Plot questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch Ekkees Tareekh Shubh Muhurat (2018)

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

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Full plot summary · contains spoilers

What Happens in Ekkees Tareekh Shubh Muhurat: Full Plot Summary

The whole story of Ekkees Tareekh Shubh Muhurat (2018) explained, from the opening scene to the final frame: every key event, every twist and what it all adds up to. Read it as a quick recap before the sequel, to check a scene you missed, or to finally understand what really happened.

Girdhari Lal Sharma, Sanjay Mishra, is the son of a priest living in Mathura who dreams of becoming a storyteller of mythological epics, but his craft struggles to find an audience. He has a daughter, Radha, and a son, Banwari, both at marriageable ages. Radha works as a schoolteacher and is in a relationship with Gopal, a young man from a well‑to‑do family. The one major hurdle standing in the way of their happiness is money, because Radha’s marriage date is fixed for the 21st of the month, giving them little time to secure the funds.

As the clock ticks, Girdhari scrambles to piece together the dowry, visiting relatives and friends who offer little help. A friend named Bulaki suggests a drastic, if morally murky, solution: use Banwari’s prospects to ease the financial burden. Banwari, who recently completed his exams for the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), agrees to the risky plan if it can bring his sister’s happiness closer to reality. The stage is set for a double matchmaking scheme that could bend the rules of fate.

The search for brides leads them to Indrani, the mother of a young woman named Pankhuri who lives in Kolkata. Indrani arrives in Mathura with her daughter, and Banwari’s heart seems to respond to Pankhuri’s charms. Yet the bombshell comes when Indrani reveals a troubling truth: Pankhuri is a widow, and she demands a substantial dowry—25 Lakhs—to seal the union. Girdhari is taken aback by the revelation, but the mounting pressure to secure Radha’s marriage forces him to accept a deal he would otherwise reject. It is decided that both weddings would take place simultaneously, with the families moving forward under the same deadline.

The day of the weddings arrives, and Banwari’s IAS results are announced—he has cleared the exam, a twist that fills Girdhari with a renewed sense of possibility, albeit overshadowed by greed. To safeguard his plan, he enlists a local muscleman named Robdar [Brijendra Kala] to abduct his own son for a few hours around the wedding. The notion is that a brief disappearance might derail one ceremony and smooth the path for the other. But the plan goes awry when Robdar ends up abducting Gopal, Radha’s fiancé, who resists the kidnapping.

The attempt draws the attention of the town’s authorities in a slow, reluctant fashion. A police officer dismisses the early reports, suggesting the men have merely run off with someone else. Girdhari’s in‑law—Radha’s father‑in‑law—returns home, trying to calm the household while the abduction investigation crawls forward. Meanwhile, Robdar resists letting Gopal go, and he presses Radha’s father’s in‑laws to persuade Banwari’s new bride to become his, pushing a conflict that expands beyond two families.

As tensions rise, a local politician’s secretary visits Girdhari to express congratulations on Banwari’s success, and the politician himself soon intervenes. He commands action against the kidnapping and leverages political muscle to threaten Girdhari, urging him to secure a marriage between Banwari and a niece of the politician. The other side of the pressure comes from the politician’s associate, who hints that power can bend to the wedding clock if Girdhari can deliver the right vision for his children’s futures. Each threat tightens the noose around Girdhari’s conscience, and he hatches a daring, if ethically dubious, plan to keep both ceremonies intact.

To outmaneuver both the police and the politicians, Girdhari claims that Banwari has agreed to marry the politician’s own niece. He orchestrates a setup where Pankhuri becomes the face of the bride, the identity masked behind bridal attire. Robdar agrees to the swap and, with his crew, frees the other players by creating a scenario in which multiple marriages could be arranged to satisfy every power broker. The infiltration hinges on a careful deception: Radha’s room becomes a dressing chamber where several prospective brides are quietly restrained, with Pankhuri’s help to keep things under wraps as long as possible.

The ruse falters only when the truth surfaces. A police officer finally confronts the tangled web and reads a letter that Girdhari had prepared as part of his broader plan—an open confession of the scheme and the crimes committed in pursuit of the weddings. The letter exposes the truth behind the abductions, the disguises, and the manipulations that tied the entire town into a knot. Girdhari and Robdar are arrested, and the immediate crisis over the weddings dissolves into legal consequences.

Before leaving, Girdhari offers a blessing to Banwari and Pankhuri, a small act of grace amid the chaos he helped unleash. In a final twist of fate, the story shifts from a tale of coercive marriages and bargaining to a glimpse of fulfillment: inside a prison cell, Girdhari finally realizes his long‑held dream of storytelling, as prisoners gather and listen to his words with ardent attention, treating his narratives as a form of escape and meaning—even behind bars.

The film weighs the pull of tradition against personal ambition, the moral cost of desperation, and the redemptive spark that can appear in unlikely places. It remains a portrait of a man who pursues a dream through a maze of pressure, pride, and precarious alliances, ultimately discovering that storytelling has a power all its own to connect, comfort, and transform—even when the world around him is unraveling.

Last updated: October 01, 2025 at 13:05

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Plot questions answered

Ekkees Tareekh Shubh Muhurat Plot Explained: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask most about Ekkees Tareekh Shubh Muhurat (2018): what happens in the confusing scenes, why the characters do what they do, the twists, hidden details and what the ending means. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Why does Girdhari agree to marry his son to a widow despite the social stigma?

Girdhari agrees to the marriage because he is desperate to secure funds for his daughter Radha's wedding, which is fixed for the 21st of the month. When Indrani reveals that her daughter Pankhuri is a widow but offers a substantial dowry of 25 Lakhs, Girdhari feels he has no choice but to accept despite his initial hesitation about the social implications.

Foreshadowing: Earlier, Bulaki suggests using Banwari's IAS prospects to ease the financial burden, planting the idea of trading the son's marriage for money.

  • dowry
  • widow marriage
  • financial pressure
  • Girdhari
  • Pankhuri
Q2

Why does Girdhari orchestrate his own son's abduction on the wedding day?

When Banwari clears his IAS exam on the wedding day, Girdhari's greed intensifies. He wants to ensure Banwari marries the wealthy widow Pankhuri to secure a better dowry, so he enlists Robdar to abduct Banwari for a few hours. The plan is to derail Pankhuri's wedding to another groom and force the marriage to happen with Banwari.

Foreshadowing: The timeline shows Girdhari's greed increases after the IAS results are announced, driving him to desperate measures.

  • abduction
  • kidnapping
  • Girdhari
  • Banwari
  • wedding day
Q3

Why does Banwari agree to participate in the risky marriage scheme?

Banwari agrees to the plan because he wants to help his sister Radha get married. With the wedding date fixed and insufficient funds for dowry, he agrees to marry a stranger with a hefty dowry, knowing the plan involves deception and risk. His love for his sister motivates him to sacrifice his own comfort.

Foreshadowing: The timeline establishes that Banwari agrees to help if it can bring his sister's happiness closer to reality.

  • Banwari
  • sister
  • sacrifice
  • IAS
  • marriage scheme
Q4

What is the purpose of the double wedding plan in the story?

The double wedding is designed to solve both problems simultaneously: Radha's marriage to Gopal and Banwari's marriage to Pankhuri. By holding both weddings on the same day, Girdhari hopes to secure the 25 Lakhs dowry from Pankhuri's family to fund Radha's wedding expenses, while also improving his family's social standing through Banwari's IAS success.

Foreshadowing: The film's title Ekkees Tareekh (21st Date) centers on this tight deadline that forces the simultaneous wedding arrangement.

  • double wedding
  • dowry
  • 21st date
  • Radha
  • Pankhuri
Q5

Why does Girdhari use Pankhuri as a bride for someone else?

When the local politician pressures Girdhari to marry Banwari to his niece, Girdhari creates a deception. He announces that Banwari will marry the politician's niece while secretly arranging for Pankhuri to take the bride's place in bridal attire. This allows Girdhari to satisfy the politician's demand while actually marrying Banwari to Pankhuri, whom he prefers for the dowry.

Foreshadowing: The timeline shows Girdhari announcing Banwari's agreement to marry the politician's niece as a cover for the real plan.

  • Pankhuri
  • bride swap
  • politician
  • deception
  • Girdhari
Q6

What leads to Girdhari's arrest at the end?

Girdhari's arrest happens when a police officer reads a confession letter that Girdhari had prepared as part of his broader scheme. The letter exposes the entire web of abductions, disguises, and manipulations. The truth surfaces when the police confront the tangled situation, leading to Girdhari and Robdar being arrested for kidnapping and fraud.

Foreshadowing: The bridal room ruse where prospective brides are tied up creates the moment when the truth begins to surface.

  • arrest
  • confession letter
  • police
  • kidnapping
  • fraud
Q7

How does Girdhari end up telling stories in prison?

After being arrested, Girdhari finds himself in prison where he finally achieves his lifelong dream of becoming a storyteller. The prisoners gather around him with ardent attention, treating his mythological tales as a form of escape and meaning. This unexpected setting allows him to finally find an audience for his storytelling, turning his imprisonment into a strange fulfillment of his aspirations.

Foreshadowing: The opening establishes Girdhari's struggle to find an audience for his tales, setting up the ironic fulfillment in prison.

  • prison
  • storytelling
  • dream
  • inmates
  • Girdhari
Q8

Why does the local politician intervene in the wedding matters?

The local politician becomes involved when his secretary visits to congratulate Girdhari on Banwari's IAS success. Upon learning about the abduction and the complicated marriage situation, the politician intervenes to force Girdhari to marry Banwari to his niece. Using political pressure and threats, he attempts to leverage the situation for his own family's benefit, adding another layer of coercion to Girdhari's dilemmas.

Foreshadowing: The timeline shows the politician using his influence after learning about the kidnapping situation.

  • politician
  • pressure
  • threats
  • marriage
  • Banwari
Q9

Why does Girdhari write a confession letter to the police?

Girdhari writes the confession letter as part of his elaborate scheme to manage the multiple marriage arrangements. The letter serves as both a backup plan and a way to control the narrative when the truth inevitably surfaces. It contains details of the entire scheme, including the abductions and manipulations, which he hopes will explain his actions when discovered.

Foreshadowing: The timeline indicates Girdhari sends the letter to the police officer as part of orchestrating the deception.

  • confession letter
  • police
  • scheme
  • Girdhari
  • reveal
Q10

Why does Radha help tie up the prospective brides in the dressing room?

Radha participates in the scheme by escorting each prospective bride to the dressing room and tying them up, acting on her father's instructions. She does this to help execute the deception that allows the complex double wedding to proceed while keeping the bride substitutions hidden. Her involvement reflects her complicity in the family scheme to secure her own marriage to Gopal.

Foreshadowing: Pankhuri's help in the bridal room indicates the scheme requires cooperation from multiple people.

  • Radha
  • brides
  • dressing room
  • tied up
  • deception

Movie threads

More Movies Like Ekkees Tareekh Shubh Muhurat, by Mood & Story

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

Movies about desperate family schemes like Ekkees Tareekh Shubh Muhurat

Ordinary families pushed to extreme measures by societal pressure in a steady, character-driven drama. Discover movies like Ekkees Tareekh Shubh Muhurat where family pressure leads to morally complex decisions. If you enjoyed the story of a father's frantic efforts to arrange a wedding, you'll find similar dramas about families pushed to their limits by tradition and circumstance.

  • desperate
  • family-focused
  • anxious
  • redemptive
  • morally-complex
  • hopeful
  • Tone: bittersweet, anxious
  • Pacing: steady, deliberate
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Stories typically follow a protagonist whose primary goal is to solve a pressing family problem, such as a wedding, debt, or social standing. Their conventional methods fail, leading them down a path of increasing risk and ethical compromise. The plot is driven by a series of escalating complications, culminating in a crisis that forces a reevaluation of what truly matters, often resulting in an unconventional but personally meaningful resolution.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped by their shared focus on domestic desperation, the grey areas of morality, and a narrative structure that balances anxiety with eventual, if bittersweet, personal redemption. The emotional journey from frantic scheming to quiet acceptance is a common thread.

Movies about unexpected redemption like in Ekkees Tareekh Shubh Muhurat

Characters find purpose and personal victory in the most unlikely of places, like prison. Find movies similar to Ekkees Tareekh Shubh Muhurat where characters achieve personal redemption in surprising settings. If you liked the protagonist finding his storytelling voice in prison, you'll appreciate these stories of unexpected fulfillment arising from apparent failure.

  • redemptive
  • hopeful
  • reflective
  • unexpected-joy
  • second-chances
  • bittersweet
  • Tone: bittersweet, hopeful
  • Pacing: steady
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative follows a protagonist whose lifelong dream is stifled by circumstance. A major setback, often a literal or figurative imprisonment, seems to be the final defeat. However, within this constrained new world, the protagonist's unique talent or passion finds a receptive audience, leading to a profound sense of accomplishment and self-worth that was unattainable in their previous life.

Why they belong together: This thread unites films through a specific emotional arc: the blend of disappointment and hope, where a bleak turn of events paradoxically creates the conditions for a character's greatest personal triumph. The core similarity is the bittersweet victory found within limitation.

Every angle

Ekkees Tareekh Shubh Muhurat (2018) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Ekkees Tareekh Shubh Muhurat 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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