Kishen Kanhaiya

Kishen Kanhaiya

Year: 1990

Runtime: 160 mins

Language: Hindi

Director: Rakesh Roshan

FamilyDrama

Leela and Bholaram live. Leela works as a midwife. She assists Sunderdas’ wife in delivering twins; the mother dies. Leela keeps one baby, raising him as Kanhaiya, and tells Sunderdas his wife had one son, Kishen. Sunderdas, unable to raise Kishen, remarries Kamini, who brings son Ramesh. Learning Ramesh’s parentage, he is attacked and left paralyzed.

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Timeline & Setting – Kishen Kanhaiya (1990)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Kishen Kanhaiya (1990). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Location

India, Ancestral mansion, Rural homes, Sunder Das estate

The action unfolds across Indian settings, shifting between Leela and Bhola Ram's modest home and Sunder Das's wealthy estate. Key locations include an ancestral mansion, a temple, and the bustling town where Kishen and Anju's romance unfolds. The environments contrast poverty and privilege and highlight the family pressures at the core of the story.

🏠 Rural home 🏛 Ancestral mansion 🏙 Affluent household

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 12:26

Main Characters – Kishen Kanhaiya (1990)

Meet the key characters of Kishen Kanhaiya (1990), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Kishen / Kanhaiya

Twin brother raised in separate circumstances, marked by kindness and street-smart resilience. He falls in love with Radha and later Anju, and after being targeted by his step-family, he regains his strength to stand up for himself and his family. He embodies courage, empathy, and the will to reclaim what was stolen.

💖 Romantic 🧠 Clever 🛡️ Brave

Leela

A compassionate midwife who secretly keeps one of the newborn twins and provides a nurturing home. She embodies maternal courage, resilience, and moral dilemma in protecting her family from dangerous consequences.

👩‍👧‍👦 Motherly 🛡️ Loyal

Bhola Ram

Leela's husband, a working-class man who supports his family as the father figure. He bears the stress of the secret but stands as a steady presence in the early life of Kishen.

👨‍👩‍👦 Father figure 🛡️ Protector

Sunder Das

A wealthy patriarch who grieves his wife and struggles to raise Kishen. After a heart attack he becomes paralyzed and mute, a turning point that enables Kamini and Gendamal to consolidate control.

💼 Wealth 🕊️ Grief

Kamini

A manipulative wife who colludes with her brother Gendamal to control Sunder Das's estate and to keep Kishen under their power. Her scheming drives much of the conflict and abuse.

⚖️ Power-hungry 💔 Manipulative

Gendamal

Kamini's brother, a schemer who seizes opportunities to abuse and control Sunder Das's family. He represents calculated violence and opportunism in pursuit of wealth.

🗝️ Cunning 🧪 Dangerous

Anju

A cinema-loving woman who becomes Kishen's love interest. Her faith in him and willingness to help him recover memories highlights devotion and resilience in the face of hardship.

💖 Romantic 🎬 Cinema-lover

Radha

Kishen's wife and a maid who shares his love for cinema and dreams of a better life. She faces the violence of Kamini and Gendamal's control, and her loyalty helps anchor Kishen's return.

💑 Loyal 💪 Strong-willed

Mahesh

Kamini and Gendamal's child, born out of wedlock and raised inside the deceptive household. His presence complicates loyalties and adds to the family drama.

👶 Relative 🗝️ Complication

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 12:26

Major Themes – Kishen Kanhaiya (1990)

Explore the central themes of Kishen Kanhaiya (1990), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🧬 Twin Bond

A defining connection links Kishen and Kanhaiya, allowing them to sense each other's pain and needs across distance and hardship. This twin bond drives loyalty, courage, and mutual sacrifice as they endure abuse, separation, and ultimately reunite. It also shows how family ties shape identity and resilience.

💔 Betrayal & Manipulation

Kamini and Gendamal exploit trust and family ties to seize power and fortune. Their scheming triggers abuse, coercion, and fear within the household, testing the protagonists' resolve and forcing them to fight back to reclaim their lives.

🧠 Memory & Identity

Kishen's amnesia after the attempt on his life creates confusion about who he is and whom he loves. The memory loss fuels misrecognition and search for truth, ultimately driving the brothers toward reunion and reclaimed identity.

💞 Love & Class

Romantic relationships cross social lines, with Kishen's bonds with Radha and Anju highlighting how love navigates privilege and social expectations. The romance motivates courage and persistence, contributing to the fight to restore family and justice.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 12:26

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Narrative Summary

The emotional journey is central, beginning with profound tragedy or injustice. The protagonists face a series of escalating hardships that test their spirit, often involving manipulative antagonists. The pacing is relentless, with little respite, driving the characters towards a final confrontation. The narrative arc is defined by a stark contrast between deep suffering and a decisive, uplifting victory that restores order and happiness.

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Kishen Kanhaiya Summary

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Kishen Kanhaiya Summary

Kishen Kanhaiya Timeline

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Kishen Kanhaiya Timeline

Kishen Kanhaiya Spoiler-Free Summary

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Kishen Kanhaiya Spoiler-Free Summary

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