Kal Aaj Aur Kal

Rajesh decides to sacrifice his love for Mona because his grandfather Diwan falls ill and expresses a final wish to witness his grandson's wedding. Rajesh cannot bear to deny a dying man his last desire, especially given the deep generational respect embedded in the family's values. This act of sacrifice is meant to bring peace to the family and honor his grandfather's long-standing wish.

During the wedding ceremony, when the veil is lifted, it is revealed that Mona is actually the bride, not Laxmi as everyone expected. The film presents this as a twist where love prevails, the arranged match was only an outward performance, while the true union between Rajesh and Mona was secretly arranged. This reveals that the sacrifice was a ruse to satisfy the grandfather while still allowing true love to win.

Earlier, Rajesh tells Mona about his plan and she agrees to participate in the wedding, hinting at their secret arrangement.

Ram leaves because he feels completely torn between his father Diwan and his son Rajesh, with neither willing to compromise. He realizes he is the true casualty of their stubborn dispute, caught in an impossible position between honoring his father and supporting his son. When he overhears the staged reconciliation between Diwan and Rajesh, he feels betrayed and abandoned by both sides, prompting him to walk away.

Ram's friend Iftekhar notices his distress and tries to help by suggesting the hotel ruse, showing Ram is already at his breaking point.

Diwan Bahadur falls ill and dies during the course of the film. Before passing, he expresses his final wish to see his grandson's wedding, which becomes the catalyst for Rajesh's decision to sacrifice his love. After his death, Rajesh scatters his ashes, marking the end of the old generation and the beginning of reconciliation. His passing allows the family to move forward united.

The timeline explicitly shows Diwan falling ill and expressing his desire to witness the wedding before death.

After the wedding reveal shows Mona as the bride, Diwan accepts her because he realizes the lesson of sacrifice must work both ways, he asked Rajesh to give up his love, but he must also be willing to give up his own wishes for his grandson's happiness. He explains that if one generation can sacrifice, the other must too. This moment completes the allegory of generations learning to understand each other.

Diwan's earlier illness and his expression of wanting to see the wedding show his willingness to bend for family harmony.

Rajesh scattering his grandfather's ashes symbolizes the end of the old generation and the formal closure of the family feud. It represents respect for tradition while also marking a transition, the elder generation's rigid views are being laid to rest. This ritual allows the family to officially move forward into a new era of compromise and understanding between generations.

The title translates to Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow, serving as an allegory for the three generations in the family. 'Kal' (yesterday) represents the older generation's traditions, 'Aaj' (today) is the present middle generation's struggle, and 'Kal' (tomorrow) symbolizes the future generation and new beginnings. The film explicitly makes this allegory through Diwan's character, emphasizing that each generation must learn from and compromise with the others.

Mona agrees to participate in the wedding because she loves Rajesh enough to respect his decision to honor his dying grandfather. She understands the cultural and emotional weight of family duty in Indian tradition. Her agreement shows her maturity and devotion, and sets up the later reveal that the wedding was secretly between them all along.

The timeline notes that Mona agrees to attend the wedding despite her heartbreak, hinting at her foreknowledge of the true plan.

Ram is torn because he is stuck in the middle, unable to disobey his father Diwan without disrespecting tradition, yet unable to support forcing his son Rajesh into an unhappy marriage. He represents the 'Aaj' (today) generation in the allegory, caught between the rigid past and the changing future. His friend Iftekhar notes that Ram bears the real burden of the generational clash.

The summary explicitly describes Ram as feeling 'the burden of the generations bearing down on him.'

The arranged match between Rajesh and Rukmani never actually happens. Diwan's plan to marry his grandson to Rukmani, the granddaughter of his childhood friend, is the initial source of conflict. However, the wedding ultimately reveals Mona as the bride, meaning Rajesh never marries Rukmani. The entire arranged match is set aside in favor of his love marriage.