How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies (2024) Plot Summary & Ending Explained

Mengju and her adult children, Sew, Kiang, and Soei, gather to honor the Qingming Festival alongside Sew's son, M, a university dropout with dreams of becoming a video game streamer. Mengju expresses her wish to be buried on an expansive plot when she passes, a wish that comes with a hefty price tag. Following a fall that leads to hospital treatment, she receives devastating news of being diagnosed with late-stage stomach cancer, a truth that her family decides to conceal from her. After the death of M's affluent paternal grandfather, his estate is primarily bequeathed to Mui, M’s cousin and an online sex worker. With hopes of inheriting Mengju's estate, M steps up to become her carer.

Before M moves in with Mengju, he puts her house in Talat Phlu up for sale. At first, he struggles to connect with her due to her demanding nature and candid remarks. He questions whether he is doing the right thing but eventually finds encouragement from Mui to persist. As M confides in Mengju regarding her condition, she becomes more open and accepting of his care. He takes over her job as a street congee vendor, learning the ropes of a life he had not anticipated.

During a family gathering, which Pinn, her daughter Rainbow, and M attend for the first time, Mengju reveals that M has disclosed her health status. This revelation sparks various suggestions from her family on how to care for her, which arouses M's suspicions regarding their motives, prompting him to double his efforts as her primary caregiver. Meanwhile, [Kiang], a successful stockbroker, proposes that Mengju stay with him and his family, even offering to pay M for the caregiving. However, M declines the money and chooses to remain by Mengju's side.

The family decides to visit the Golden Mount at Wat Saket, where M discovers that Kiang had purchased Mengju some poorly fitting shoes. While reading their prayer cards, M realizes that Mengju has selflessly prayed for her family, whereas Kiang and his household had only prayed for their own desires. M purchases new shoes for Mengju, who ultimately chooses to stay with M rather than move in with Kiang, creating a deeper bond between them.

Chaos ensues when Mengju discovers that Soei has stolen ฿200,000 from her kitchen to pay off a gambling debt. After a confrontation, M helps Soei by offering a silver belt inherited from his grandfather, all the while lying to Mengju about Soei’s whereabouts. When a potential buyer rings the doorbell, Mengju assumes it’s the creditors looking for Soei and instructs M to hide from view, but they are merely interested in the house M has listed for sale.

Mengju later introduces M to her brother, who has inherited wealth after their parents' passing, requesting financial assistance for her desired burial plot. However, he refuses, revealing a past in which Mengju cared for their parents until they died. She confides to M that she wishes for a substantial plot to be a symbol of reunion for her family after her death. When her doctors inform M that additional treatment would be in vain, he lies to Mengju, telling her that she would be receiving supportive care instead.

[Kiang] then approaches Sew for the deed to Mengju's house, but instead, she hands it over to Soei as per Mengju's request. Upset by this, M decides to return to his own home. Unlike M and his siblings, Sew does not expect anything in return for her dedication to Mengju. Mui offers M half of her anticipated inheritance to persuade him to care for his aunt, yet he declines. Soei sells Mengju's house, clearing his debts, and arranges for her relocation to a nursing home. In an act of defiance, M berates both Soei and Kiang for their selfishness.

Once Mengju passes away, M receives a call from a bank informing him that Mengju had been saving money in his name since childhood, inspired by his wish to "buy her a new house." M uses this money to purchase a large plot for her burial, a place where he hopes her family will come together, which they do in a surprising show of unity.

The film’s ending reveals that M’s desire to claim his grandmother’s inheritance was initially motivated by greed, but through his care for her, he learns the true meaning of love and family. As Amah’s health declines and she grows more fragile, M’s efforts to be close to her become more heartfelt, culminating in a tender moment where he sings her a lullaby and she passes away. After her death, M discovers a bank account filled with money she had set aside in his name, which she had been saving because he once wished for millions. Instead of using the money selfishly, M chooses to honor her memory by paying for her burial and securing her wish for a proper farewell. The significant symbol in the film—the ripe pomegranate—represents their bond maturing over time. As a child, M had promised to keep the fruit for himself, and Amah kept her promise, showing her love in her own way. The ripening of the pomegranate mirrors M’s growth into a caring, patient person. In the end, M shows his grandma her new home and affirms that she is his number one, symbolizing that genuine love and connection have finally taken precedence over material gain. His journey from greed to genuine affection underscores the importance of family, sacrifice, and understanding, making the ending both touching and meaningful. M’s promise to keep her memory alive suggests she will always be with him, shaping the person he has become.