Plot Explained Spoilers guaranteed!
Plot Explained

Browse by genre

Khudgarz (1987) movie poster

Characters & Themes

Khudgarz (1987) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

Release, runtime and language
1987 · 171 mins · Hindi
Loading streaming availability…
Directed by
Rakesh Roshan
Starring
Saeed Jaffrey, Rishi Kapoor, Amrita Singh, Shatrughan Sinha, Kader Khan, Govinda

Raised by Sita Sinha as her own son, Bihari grows up alongside his close friend Amar. Their bond endures into adulthood: Amar weds the affluent Jaya, while Bihari marries a laborer. Disapproving of Bihari, Amar’s father Mr. Saxena manipulates events to drive them apart, humiliating Bihari. Feeling betrayed, Bihari blames Amar and vows to ruin him.

On this page (9)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Characters explained (8)
  3. 3 Character relationship map
  4. 4 Where & when it takes place
  5. 5 Themes & meaning (3)
  6. 6 Character & meaning questions
  7. 7 Movie threads
  8. 8 Movies like Khudgarz
  9. 9 Every angle
Loading streaming availability…

8 main characters · contains spoilers

Khudgarz Characters Explained: Who Is Who

The main characters of Khudgarz (1987), heroes and villains: what drives them, how they change over the course of the story and what each of them reveals about the film's bigger ideas.

  • Brij Bhushan Saxena

    played by Saeed Jaffrey

    A money-minded wealthy hotelier and Amar's father. His fixation on wealth drives the plan to seize land for a luxury project, setting off a chain of betrayals that strain family ties.

    • 💼 Wealth
    • 🏦 Influence
  • Amar Saxena

    played by Jeetendra

    A wealthy, generous young man who marries Jaya. He remains trusting and morally upright even as Sudhir's scheming shakes his friendship with Bihari. His actions center the conflict between loyalty and ambition.

    • 💖 Love
    • 🤝 Loyalty
  • Bihari Bhuvaneshwar Prasad Sinha

    played by Shatrughan Sinha

    An illiterate man with ancestral land who becomes the target of manipulation. His sentimentality for his home fuels the conflict, yet he also embodies resilience and a stubborn pride.

    • 🌾 Heritage
    • 🛡️ Pride
  • Jaya Saxena

    played by Bhanupriya

    Amar's wife and a florist who is injured during a hospital visit and dies after giving birth to their son. Her love anchors Amar amid the turmoil.

    • 💐 Love
    • 🕊️ Sacrifice
  • Lata Sinha

    Bihari's wife and a laborer who navigates the fallout of the feud. She becomes a catalyst who reveals the truth about Amar's support and helps steer a path toward reconciliation.

    • 👩‍🏭 Labor
    • 🕵️ Truth-seeking
  • Sudhir

    Brilliantly corrupt and calculating, he betrays both families by exploiting illiteracy and forging documents. He manipulates circumstances to gain power and targets Lalita.

    • 🕵️‍♂️
    • 💣 Manipulation
  • Lalita Sinha

    played by Sangeeta Naik

    Bihari's sister who suffers abuse by Sudhir; she ultimately informs Amar of Sudhir's plot and helps steer the families toward reconciliation.

    • 👩‍👧 Family
    • 🛡️ Courage
  • Bhimji Nanji Premji Batliwala

    played by Kader Khan

    A trusted lawyer who shelters Bihari and becomes a voice of counsel amid the conflict; his support provides a path to rebuilding.

    • ⚖️ Law
    • 🧠 Strategy

Last updated: October 30, 2026 at 15:46

Was this helpful?

7 characters · 15 connections · contains spoilers

Khudgarz Character Relationship Map

Who is connected to whom in Khudgarz: family, love, friendships, rivalries and hidden ties, colour-coded. Pick a character to see their side of the story, or a connection to see what brings two characters together.

How much of the story to show
ASAmar SaxenaJeetendraBBBihari Bhuvaneshw…Prasad SinhaShatrughan SinhaBBBrij BhushanSaxenaSaeed JaffreyJSJaya SaxenaBhanupriyaLSLata SinhaSSudhirLSLalita SinhaSangeeta Naik

Last updated: October 30, 2026 at 15:46

Was this helpful?

Setting

Where and When Does Khudgarz Take Place?

The setting of Khudgarz (1987): the year and time period, the places and locations, and how they shape the characters, the mood and the tension of the story.

Time period

Location

Khudgarz unfolds in a bustling Indian city where a wealthy hotelier family anchors the story. The central conflict centers on a land meant for a hotel, which belongs to Bihari, and the ensuing dispute over ownership. The urban setting highlights how business ambition impacts personal relationships across class lines.

  • 🎭 Drama
  • 🏙️ Urban India
  • 🏨 Hotel Industry

Last updated: October 30, 2026 at 15:46

Was this helpful?

3 major themes

Khudgarz Meaning: Themes & Message Explained

What is Khudgarz (1987) really about? The emotional, social and philosophical themes the film keeps returning to, its symbolism and the message beneath the surface.

  • Friendship

    Amar and Bihari are childhood friends whose bond crosses class lines. Their relationship endures generosity, trust, and a painful test when Sudhir's scheming poisons their alliance. The story tracks how loyalty can withstand hardship and how forgiveness can restore harmony.

  • Greed

    Brij Bhushan's obsession with wealth spurs the land deal and the downfall of Bihari's home. Sudhir exploits misrepresentation to steal gains and destabilize both families. The pursuit of money blinds characters to compassion and fuels conflict.

  • Reconciliation

    Despite manipulation and violence, the story threads toward healing as truth comes to light and former enemies seek common ground. Enmity softens as forgiveness returns and the two families rebuild some trust. The ending emphasizes that understanding and unity can outlast deceit.

Last updated: October 30, 2026 at 15:46

Was this helpful?

Character & theme questions

Khudgarz Characters & Meaning: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask about Khudgarz (1987): who the characters really are, their relationships, what the symbols mean, where it takes place and what the movie is really about. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Where is Khudgarz set?

Khudgarz takes place in a bustling Indian city, with the story centered around a wealthy hotelier family. The urban setting highlights how business ambition impacts personal relationships across class lines, with the main conflict revolving around land ownership intended for a hotel development.

  • setting
  • location
  • india
  • city
  • hotel
Q2

What are the main themes in Khudgarz?

Khudgarz explores three central themes: Friendship, depicting a bond between childhood friends from different classes that endures generosity, trust, and betrayal; Greed, showing how obsession with wealth drives characters to manipulate and exploit others; and Reconciliation, illustrating how truth emerges to heal broken relationships and restore unity between families.

  • themes
  • meaning
  • message
  • ideas
  • friendship
  • greed
  • reconciliation
Q3

Who is Brij Bhushan Saxena in Khudgarz?

Brij Bhushan Saxena is Amar's father, a money-minded wealthy hotelier. His obsession with wealth drives the central conflict, he orchestrates a plan to seize ancestral land belonging to Bihari for a luxury hotel project, setting off a chain of betrayals that strain family ties and destroy friendships.

  • character
  • hotel owner
  • father
  • villain
  • ambition
Q4

Who is Bihari in Khudgarz?

Bihari Bhuvaneshwar Prasad Sinha is an illiterate man raised by Sita Sinha who owns ancestral land. He grows up alongside his close friend Amar and later marries a laborer named Lata. His sentimental attachment to his home makes him a target of manipulation, and his humiliation at the hands of Amar's father drives his vow for revenge.

  • character
  • land owner
  • friend
  • protagonist
Q5

Who is Sudhir in Khudgarz?

Sudhir is a brilliantly corrupt and calculating character who betrays both families. He exploits Bihari's illiteracy by forging documents and misrepresenting information to steal gains and destabilize both families. He also targets Lalita, Bihari's sister, for abuse, ultimately revealing how his manipulations drive the central conflict.

  • character
  • villain
  • manipulator
  • antagonist
  • forgery
Q6

What does the friendship in Khudgarz represent?

The friendship between Amar and Bihari represents a bond that crosses class lines, enduring through generosity and trust. Their relationship is tested when Sudhir's scheming poisons their alliance, tracking how loyalty can withstand hardship and how forgiveness can ultimately restore harmony between the two families.

  • friendship
  • loyalty
  • class
  • bond
  • forgiveness
Q7

How does greed drive the story in Khudgarz?

Greed serves as the primary catalyst for conflict in Khudgarz. Brij Bhushan's obsession with wealth spurs the land deal that becomes the story's central dispute, leading to the destruction of Bihari's home. Sudhir's exploitation of misrepresentation to steal gains further demonstrates how the pursuit of money blinds characters to compassion and fuels the escalating feud.

  • greed
  • wealth
  • money
  • ambition
  • corruption
Q8

What does reconciliation mean in Khudgarz?

Reconciliation in Khudgarz represents the healing that comes after prolonged conflict. Despite manipulation, violence, and tragedy including Jaya's death during childbirth, the story threads toward understanding as truth comes to light. Former enemies seek common ground, enmity softens, and the two families rebuild some trust, showing that unity can outlast deceit.

  • reconciliation
  • ending
  • resolution
  • peace
  • forgiveness
Q9

Who is Amar Saxena in Khudgarz?

Amar Saxena is a wealthy, generous young man who remains morally upright despite the surrounding corruption. He marries Jaya, a florist, and tries to maintain his friendship with Bihari even as Sudhir's manipulations and his own father's schemes create distance between them. His character embodies the tension between loyalty and family pressure.

  • character
  • friend
  • protagonist
  • moral
Q10

Who is Lata Sinha in Khudgarz?

Lata Sinha is Bihari's wife, described as a laborer who navigates the fallout of the family feud. She becomes a catalyst for truth when she reveals information about Amar's true support for Bihari, helping steer both families toward reconciliation and a path forward.

  • character
  • wife
  • laborer
  • truth teller

Movie threads

More Movies Like Khudgarz, by Mood & Story

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

Movies about broken friendships like Khudgarz

When a deep bond between two men is fractured by jealousy and betrayal. If you liked the intense story of friendship destroyed by betrayal in Khudgarz, you'll find similar movies here. These dramas focus on male bonds that are shattered, leading to rivalry, regret, and often a difficult path to forgiveness.

  • betrayal
  • rivalry
  • angry
  • sorrowful
  • tense
  • melancholic
  • Tone: tense, melancholic
  • Pacing: steady, character-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: These narratives typically begin with an unshakeable bond between two men, which is then systematically dismantled by a catalyst—often involving family disapproval, business competition, or a perceived betrayal. The plot follows their escalating conflict, leading to significant personal and financial losses, before culminating in a confrontation that may or may not lead to reconciliation.

Why they belong together: Movies in this thread share a heavy emotional weight derived from the loss of brotherhood. They feature tense interpersonal dynamics, a steady pacing that allows the rift to deepen believably, and a core theme of how pride and ambition can destroy the most important relationships.

Intense family feud stories like Khudgarz

Families torn apart by manipulation, greed, and irreparable damage. For viewers who enjoyed the class conflict and family manipulation in Khudgarz, this section collects movies about bitter feuds within families. These dramas are tense, emotionally heavy, and explore the high cost of vengeance and the fragile hope of forgiveness.

  • family feud
  • manipulation
  • tragic
  • fierce
  • tense
  • class conflict
  • Tone: tense, tragic
  • Pacing: steady, escalating
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The story revolves around a central, manipulative figure who sows discord within a family or surrogate family unit. The conflict escalates from personal slights to major confrontations, often involving business or property. The journey is marked by significant emotional pain and loss, culminating in an ending where the feud is resolved, but the scars and consequences remain deeply felt.

Why they belong together: This thread connects films with a high-intensity, tense atmosphere driven by interpersonal conflict within a family context. They share a steady pacing that builds the feud methodically, a heavy emotional weight due to the stakes involved, and a bittersweet ending feel where peace comes at a great cost.

If you liked this

Movies Like Khudgarz

Similar movies to Khudgarz: the same genre, themes or kind of story. Each one comes with its own plot summary, timeline and ending explained.

Browse all movie summaries

Every angle

Khudgarz (1987) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Khudgarz 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.

Coming soon on iOS and Android

The Plot Explained Movie Summary App

Plot summaries, endings explained and timelines on your phone. Catch up on any movie in minutes, save your favorites and never miss a twist again.

Be the first to know when we launch. Your email stays private, always.

Learn more about the app