What Is Aulad About?
The premise of Aulad in 305 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In a bustling Indian city where ambition collides with modest dreams, the story circles around the tangled lives of two couples whose worlds are bound by love, loss, and responsibility. The atmosphere is steeped in emotional drama, with a tone that shifts between tender tenderness and the stark urgency of fate’s unexpected turns. Against this backdrop, everyday moments—family meals, quiet conversations, and lingering glances—carry the weight of unspoken promises and hidden anxieties.
Anand, a sharp‑witted businessman, finds his carefully plotted future upended when circumstance forces him into a makeshift marriage with a spirited street dancer. Their bond, initially a convenient façade, deepens into genuine companionship, hinting at the fragile line between duty and desire. Across the same neighborhood, Devki—the dancer—brings a fresh, unpretentious energy that both challenges and softens Anand’s corporate edge, setting the stage for a partnership that feels both improbable and inevitable.
Enter another newlyweds, Yashoda and Vicky, who embody youthful optimism and the hope of building a family of their own. When a tragic mishap leaves them shattered, one of their most painful losses is a child they have yet to meet. In an act of quiet compassion, Anand decides to entrust his newborn son to Yashoda, hoping the grieving mother’s love can fill the void left by her own loss. This exchange creates a delicate, unspoken pact that anchors the film’s central emotional tension.
The fragile equilibrium shatters when Devki, presumed lost, reappears and discovers a child being nurtured in her stead. Her determination to reclaim what she believes is rightfully hers ignites a desperate struggle that tests the limits of love, sacrifice, and parental devotion. As loyalties fracture and hearts wage silent battles, the narrative invites viewers into a world where every choice reverberates, and the future of a single child becomes the fulcrum upon which hope and heartbreak balance.
What Happens in Aulad?
The complete story of Aulad, from the first scene to the last, in 457 words (about 2 minutes). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 4 cast member pages.
Spoilers ahead
Anand is a sharp, ambitious businessman who keeps crossing paths with the street dancer Devki. When his abroad-based uncle, Anand’s chacha, sees a chance to arrange a marriage, he is warned to prepare for a wife soon. To buy time, Anand fabricates that he is already married. The ruse forces his chacha to travel to India and insist on meeting a wife, so Anand stages a temporary arrangement by taking Devki as his wife. Devki serves as a fatherly figure to Anand’s chacha, earning his respect and affection, and when he returns abroad, the elder man is satisfied and leaves.
As events unfold, [Anand] and [Devki] grow closer and eventually wed in truth. Their life intersects with another newly married couple, Yashoda and Vicky, who enter their orbit with hopes and dreams of their own. Devki gives birth to a son named Kishan, while Yashoda awaits the arrival of her child. A tragedy unfolds on a train—the ill-fated journey brings chaos, and Devki vanishes, leaving Anand convinced she is dead. In the same accident, [Vicky] loses his life, and Yashoda is left overwhelmed with grief.
To ease the pain, Anand arranges for a doctor to switch the newborns, asking the doctor to swap his own baby with the dead child, a decision that sets off a chain of consequences. When the truth comes to light, Yashoda returns home with Anand’s child, while Anand chooses to relocate abroad. Four years pass, and Anand finds it impossible to stay away from Yashoda and the child; his frequent visits begin to feel like a burden and a source of embarrassment.
Then a turning point arrives: Devki is revealed to be alive. She asks about their child, and Anand reveals the truth, triggering a bitter struggle between the two mothers. Devki’s heartbreak deepens when she learns she may never bear another child. The returning uncle witnesses Devki’s suffering and decides to pursue the matter legally. The court ultimately orders that the child be handed over to Devki, yet the bond between the child and Yashoda remains strong, making the situation increasingly complex and painful for all involved.
Faced with a painful dilemma, Anand and Devki choose to return the child to Yashoda, hoping to restore happiness to the family. Just as relief seems possible, Devki collapses from a severe headache; the doctor delivers surprising news: she is unexpectedly pregnant again, suggesting that life can still bring new beginnings even amid sorrow.
The story weaves together themes of love, duty, and the heavy burdens of family obligation. It examines how a single choice can ripple through lives—testing loyalties, challenging moral lines, and forcing each character to confront vulnerability, sacrifice, and the enduring hope that life can surprise us with a second chance.
Aulad Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
11 key events in the order they happen, from “Anand lies to his uncle about his marriage” to “Resolution: Kishan goes back to Yashoda; Devki's renewal”. 11 events name a place, across 4 locations.
- 1
Anand lies to his uncle about his marriage
Anand, a successful businessman, faces pressure from his abroad-based uncle to marry soon. To avoid an arranged match, he lies that he is already married. This deception triggers the uncle's visit and sets the plot's central complications in motion.
When:Early in the story Where:India
- 2
Devki enters the plan as a temporary wife
To placate his uncle, Anand asks Devki to pose as his wife for a while. Devki agrees, understanding the risk and the need to protect herself and her independence. The uncle leaves India satisfied, and the ruse creates an uneasy but growing bond between them.
When:Soon after the uncle's visit Where:India
- 3
Devki earns the uncle's respect through care
Devki treats the uncle with respect, even like a father figure, and his appreciation grows. Her devotion and competence during his stay earn him trust and admiration. The relationship subtly shifts the dynamics of the household.
When:During the uncle's stay Where:India
- 4
Anand falls in love and marries Devki
Over time, Anand's feelings deepen and he marries Devki for real. They start their new life together in India with a sense of commitment. The past deception gradually fades as their bond strengthens.
When:After the uncle's departure Where:India
- 5
The train encounter with Yashoda and Vicky
Anand and Devki meet Yashoda and Vicky, a newly married couple, on a train. A catastrophe strikes the train; Devki disappears and Vicky dies, leaving Yashoda devastated while she is expecting a child. The accident marks the turning point that links two families through tragedy.
When:During the train accident Where:Train
- 6
A doctor swaps Kishan with Yashoda's infant
In the aftermath of the wreck, a doctor swaps Kishan with Yashoda's infant to salvage a sense of family. This act seeds two families believing different infants are theirs, creating years of mistaken parentage. Anand relocates abroad with Devki while Yashoda raises Kishan as her own.
When:Immediately after the accident Where:Hospital
- 7
Four years later: Anand returns and cannot stay away
Four years pass and Anand returns, unable to stay away from Yashoda and Kishan. He begins visiting them frequently, becoming a source of amusement and embarrassment for the household. The emotional undercurrents of the past resurface as unresolved feelings reemerge.
When:Four years after the accident Where:Yashoda's home
- 8
Devki is found alive; reunion begins
During his visits, Anand learns that Devki is alive, shocking him with the reversal of their fates. The revelation rekindles memories and complex feelings about their child and their shared history. The two mothers lie in wait as affection and guilt pull in different directions.
When:During his visits Where:India
- 9
Truth about Kishan is revealed
Devki eventually asks about Kishan, and Anand bluntly reveals that Kishan is not Devki's biological child but Yashoda's. Devki is devastated to learn she cannot bear another child, deepening her pain. The revelation sparks a fierce tussle between the two mothers over the child's rightful home.
When:During their confrontation Where:India
- 10
Uncle's return and court discloses Kishan's custody
Anand's uncle returns and pushes for a public resolution to the custody dispute. The legal battle culminates in a court order awarding Kishan to Devki. The outcome unsettles the fragile arrangements and tests everyone's loyalties.
When:After the reunion Where:India
- 11
Resolution: Kishan goes back to Yashoda; Devki's renewal
To preserve Kishan's best interests, Anand and Devki decide to return the child to Yashoda. Devki collapses with a headache as this decision unfolds. A doctor delivers hopeful news that Devki is pregnant again, suggesting a new chance at motherhood.
When:End of the story Where:India
Who Are the Main Characters in Aulad?
9 characters, among them Anand (Jeetendra), Devki (Sridevi) and Yashoda (Jaya Prada): who each one is and the part they play in the story. Every profile links to the actor’s page.
- A(
Anand (Jeetendra)
Played by Jeetendra
Anand is a shrewd businessman whose charm masks a willingness to bend the truth. He fabricates that he is already married to avoid his uncle's pressure, and later marries Devki to please him. Torn between love and duty, he drifts between two households as events spiral out of control. His choices drive the central conflict and test loyalties.
- 💼 Ambition
- 💔 Deception
- 👨👩👦 Family ties
- D(
Devki (Sridevi)
Played by Sridevi
Devki is a street dancer who enters Anand's life and becomes his wife to placate family expectations. She endures deception, complex family dynamics, and the burden of a child who binds two households. Her resilience and care shape the emotional core of the story. A devastating turn tests her endurance, and the ending hints at renewed motherhood.
- 💃 Dance
- 💪 Resilience
- 🍼 Motherhood
- Y(
Yashoda (Jaya Prada)
Played by Jaya Prada
Yashoda is a newly connected member of the extended family whose life is upended by tragedy and a child-swapping scheme. She experiences profound heartbreak and seeks security and love for the child she believes is hers. Her presence anchors the emotional conflict between competing maternal claims.
- 👩👧👦 Motherhood
- ❤️ Sacrifice
- ⚖️ Custody
- V(
Vicky (Vinod Mehra)
Played by Vinod Mehra
Vicky is Yashoda's husband, whose life becomes intertwined in the wake of the train accident and the ensuing family turmoil. He carries the weight of loss and the responsibility born from the complicated relationships around the child. His role highlights the fragility of newly formed family bonds.
- 💔 Loss
- 👨👩👶 Family
- K(
Kishan (Baby Guddu)
Played by Baby Guddu
Kishan is the child at the center of the custody dispute. His fate is shaped by the actions of adults who fight over who should raise him. His innocence and attachment to both mothers propel the drama toward a resolution that prioritizes belonging over possession.
- 👶 Child
- ❤️ Innocence
-
Anand's chacha (Saeed Jaffrey)
Played by Saeed Jaffrey
Anand's chacha is the senior relative who triggers events by discussing marriage arrangements with Anand. He becomes entangled in the family drama as loyalties are tested and the truth about the child's custody emerges. His role pushes the story toward legal and moral confrontation.
- 🧓 Family elder
- 🗣️ Guidance
- S(
Savithri (Dina Pathak)
Played by Dina Pathak
Savithri appears as a family elder whose presence influences the household dynamics. Her stance on marriage, reputation, and duty shapes the choices of the other characters as the plot unfolds. She embodies traditional perspectives within the family drama.
- 👵 Family elder
- 📝 Tradition
- R(
Raja (Govardhan Asrani)
Played by Govardhan Asrani
Raja is a supporting figure within the family network who observes the unfolding events. He contributes to the social texture of the drama with his reactions and interactions with the central characters. His role reinforces the film's exploration of community judgment.
- 🎭 Observer
- 🧭 Social circle
- DS
Devki's stepmother (Lalita Kumari)
Played by Lalita Kumari
Devki's stepmother appears as a challenging presence within the household. Her attitudes add tension to Devki's position and the evolving family dynamics. Her perspective helps shape the pressures around motherhood and legitimacy.
- 👩 Stepfamily
- 🌀 Tension
Where and When Is Aulad Set?
Aulad is set in India and Abroad. Here is why the place matters to the story.
Where
India, Abroad
Set primarily in India, the story traverses busy city life and intimate family homes. Train stations and domestic interiors anchor the drama as marriages and social expectations are negotiated. The narrative also takes the characters abroad, highlighting a cross-border element that intensifies the choices they face.
- 🏙️ Urban India
- 🚆 Train journeys
- ✈️ Abroad
What Are the Themes of Aulad?
3 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Love vs Duty, Motherhood & Fertility and Custody & Justice.
-
01
Love vs Duty
Anand's actions are driven by a desire to protect his social standing, even if it means fabricating a marriage. The film examines how love can collide with obligation and reputation, forcing characters to navigate deception for the sake of family. As the truth surfaces, loyalties are divided between two mothers and the child, revealing the cost of illusion.
-
02
Motherhood & Fertility
Devki's motherhood becomes a central battleground, shaping her identity and choices. The film shows her resilience in the face of abandonment, vulnerability, and the possibility of infertility after childbirth. The ending hints at a renewed possibility of motherhood, underscoring hope amid hardship.
-
03
Custody & Justice
Courtroom pressures and social norms drive the custody struggle, forcing characters to confront what constitutes rightful parenthood. The order to return the child to Devki tests competing maternal claims and the cost of competing loyalties. In the end, the characters choose a path that prioritizes happiness and belonging over legal victory.
What Kind of Film Is Aulad?
Bittersweet in tone, with steady pacing and a moderate story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Bittersweet
- Pacing
- Steady
- Story
- Moderate
- Intensity
- High
- Ending
- Bittersweet
A heavy-hearted family saga that navigates profound grief and moral complexity, delivering a deeply emotional journey marked by tragic accidents, desperate choices, and a bittersweet conclusion offering a fragile hope.
- tragic
- melancholic
- desperate
- compassionate
- hopeful
- painful
- grief and loss
- surrogate motherhood
- family obligation
- moral dilemma
Content notes: death of child, death of spouse, grief, child endangerment, moral transgression.
Quiz
How well do you remember Aulad? Test yourself on the story.
