Gol Maal

Gol Maal

Year: 1979

Runtime: 144 mins

Language: Hindi

Director: Hrishikesh Mukherjee

Comedy

A man’s simple lie to secure his job escalates into more complex lies when his orthodox boss becomes suspicious.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – Gol Maal (1979)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Gol Maal (1979). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Set in a contemporary urban milieu where traditional values clash with modern ambitions. The plot moves through offices, homes, social functions, and public gatherings, highlighting a tension between appearance and truth.

Location

The film unfolds across urban India, centering on a family business, a home, and social scenes. Key locations include Bhavani Shankar's office, Sharma's house, Urmila's circle, a hockey match venue, and party venues. The setting shifts between work, music lessons, and public events, showing how appearances influence relationships.

🗺️ Urban India 🏙️ City life 🏛️ Domestic spaces

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 17:03

Main Characters – Gol Maal (1979)

Meet the key characters of Gol Maal (1979), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Ramprasad Dashrathprasad Sharma / Lakshmanprasad 'Lucky' Sharma (Amol Palekar)

A chartered accountant and aspiring singer who leads a double life to earn Shankar's favor. He uses a fake twin to juggle responsibilities and social expectations, showing wit but courting risk as his lies accumulate. His flexibility and charm drive the comedy, even as his deception threatens the very relationships he values.

🎭 Deception 🧩 Dual identity 🎶 Music

Bhavani Shankar

A man of rigid traditional values who hates modern attire and even moustaches in men. He values propriety and order, pushing for a stable match for Urmila. His stern demeanor and stubborn adherence to norms create the pressure cooker for the plot’s misunderstandings.

🎭 Tradition 🧭 Authority 💼 Boss

Urmila

Daughter of Bhavani Shankar who is drawn to Lucky's modern, carefree persona. She sees him as a path to romance and possibility, testing her own loyalties and expectations about marriage. Her attraction to the alter ego complicates family plans.

💘 Romance 🎭 Identity 🧭 Modernity

Kamala Srivastava

A socialite who pretends to be Ramprasad's mother to satisfy Shankar's demand to meet his parent. She becomes part of the deception, then also faces the risk of exposure. Her involvement reveals how appearances shape social interactions.

🎭 Imagination 🕵️ Deception 💃 Socialite

Ratna Sharma

Ramprasad's sister, loyal and supportive as family ties are tested by the double life. She navigates the quirks of the family dynamic and offers a grounding presence amid the chaos. Her role helps anchor the domestic sphere in the comedy.

👪 Family 🕊️ Loyalty 🧭 Support

Deven Verma

Sharma's friend who assists in maintaining the Lucky illusion, providing practical help and comic support. His involvement highlights a loyal, if imperfect, friendship that sustains the ruse. He participates in the schemes with an easygoing, collaborative vibe.

🤝 Friendship 🧰 Helper 😂 Comedy

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 17:03

Major Themes – Gol Maal (1979)

Explore the central themes of Gol Maal (1979), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🎭 Deception

A core thread follows Ramprasad's double life as Lucky, a lie built on a fabricated twin. The plot hinges on disguises, misidentifications, and clever cover stories. The deception leads to comic complications, closer scrutiny, and eventual consequences when truth surfaces.

💞 Romance & Identity

Urmila is drawn to Lucky's modern, carefree persona, creating tension with Ramprasad's real self. The fake mother and staged family dynamics test romantic trust and loyalty. The story uses romance to explore how identity changes can threaten genuine connection.

🏛️ Tradition vs Modernity

Bhavani Shankar embodies traditional values, despising modern attire and even moustaches in men. The clash drives much of the comedy and informs relationships, especially in marriage prospects. The film juxtaposes old-world norms with new (albeit comedic) aspirations.

🗝️ Truth & Resolution

As Sharma's web of lies begins to unravel, he must reveal the truth to Urmila and Shankar. The resolution hinges on trust, the restoration of family honor, and a final gesture of acceptance when Shankar shaves his own moustache. The ending blends forgiveness with a humorous, humane verdict.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 17:03

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Explore Movie Threads

Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Snowballing comedies of errors like Gol Maal

A simple deception escalates into an uncontrollable web of hilarious lies.If you enjoyed the chaotic chain reaction of lies in Gol Maal, you'll love these other movies where a small misunderstanding explodes into a hilarious farce. Discover similar comedies built on witty dialogue and clever deceptions that keep you laughing.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative begins with a minor deception, often for professional or romantic gain. Each attempt to cover up the initial lie introduces new characters and complications, systematically building the chaos until the protagonist is juggling multiple false identities in a climactic, riotous confrontation before the truth is humorously revealed.

Why These Movies?

These films are grouped together because they share a specific comedic structure of escalating absurdity, a lighthearted tone where no real harm is done, and a focus on the intellectual humor of maintaining a complex lie rather than slapstick.

Lighthearted workplace comedies similar to Gol Maal

Navigating quirky bosses and strict rules with cleverness and humor.Fans of Gol Maal's humorous take on employer-employee relationships will enjoy these movies. Find similar stories about clever employees, traditional bosses, and the funny situations that arise from clashing personalities and office rules, all delivered with a feel-good charm.

amusingupliftingwittyplayfuloffice humorlighthearted

Narrative Summary

The story revolves around a central workplace relationship, often between a modern, free-spirited employee and a traditional, strict boss. The conflict arises from clashing values, leading the protagonist to employ creative and humorous strategies to achieve their goals, ultimately resulting in a resolution that bridges the generational or ideological gap.

Why These Movies?

These movies share a focus on the comedy found within professional hierarchies, a light emotional weight where stakes are social rather than serious, and a tone that pokes fun at bureaucracy and tradition without becoming cynical.

Unlock the Full Story of Gol Maal

Don't stop at just watching — explore Gol Maal 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 Gol Maal is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

Gol Maal Summary

Read a complete plot summary of Gol Maal, 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.

Gol Maal Summary

Gol Maal Timeline

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

Gol Maal Timeline

Gol Maal Spoiler-Free Summary

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Gol Maal Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Gol Maal

Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about Gol Maal: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.

More About Gol Maal

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