Overview
Gullak is an Indian Hindi-language web series produced by The Viral Fever (TVF). The series chronicles the everyday life of the Mishras, a middle-class family living in a small town in northern India. Narrated from the perspective of the family's piggy bank (the "gullak"), the show uses the metaphor of stored coins to frame each episode as a stored memory or anecdote from family life. It is widely recognised for its understated humour, slice-of-life storytelling, and depiction of the textures of small-town Indian households.
Key facts
| Title | Gullak |
|---|---|
| Original language | Hindi |
| Genre | Slice-of-life, comedy-drama |
| Producer | The Viral Fever (TVF) |
| Streaming platform | SonyLIV |
| Setting | A fictional small town in northern India |
| Premiere | 2019 (Season 1) |
| Format | Episodic, short-format episodes |
Premise
The series follows the Mishra household — Santosh Mishra, his wife Shanti, and their two sons Annu and Aman — as they navigate routine domestic situations: bill payments, neighbourhood gossip, examinations, marriage discussions, festivals, and household repairs. The narrative voice belongs to the family's clay piggy bank, which describes the family's stories as "kisse" (anecdotes) collected over time. The setting is deliberately non-metropolitan, reflecting the rhythms and economy of a north Indian qasba.
Cast
- Jameel Khan as Santosh Mishra, the head of the family
- Geetanjali Kulkarni as Shanti Mishra, the matriarch
- Vaibhav Raj Gupta as Annu Mishra, the elder son
- Harsh Mayar as Aman Mishra, the younger son
- Sunita Rajwar as Bittu ki Mummy, a recurring neighbourhood character
Production
The show is produced under TVF's banner, which had earlier created several long-running Indian web series including Permanent Roommates and Pitchers. Gullak was created by Shreyansh Pandey, with subsequent seasons directed by Amrit Raj Gupta and Palash Vaswani, among others. The writing places emphasis on lived detail — power cuts, ration shopping, exam results, community functions — rather than plot-driven conflict.
Seasons
- Season 1 (2019) — Introduced the Mishra family and the gullak's narration framework.
- Season 2 (2021) — Continued the family's story with episodes focused on relationships, jobs, and ageing parents.
- Season 3 (2022) — Explored career setbacks for Annu and Shanti's home enterprise, among other arcs.
- Season 4 (2024) — Continued the family's evolution with new domestic and professional developments.
Reception and significance
Gullak has been praised by critics and audiences for its restrained tone, naturalistic dialogue, and avoidance of melodrama. It is often cited as part of a wave of Indian streaming content that turns away from metropolitan settings and explores small-town life. The series received recognition at the Filmfare OTT Awards, including honours for performances and writing across its seasons. Its title has entered popular discussion as a shorthand for nostalgic, family-centred Indian storytelling on streaming platforms.
Themes
- Middle-class household economics and aspiration
- Inter-generational relationships between parents and adult children
- Small-town social life, neighbours, and community
- Festivals, rituals, and seasonal rhythms of north Indian households
- Memory and nostalgia, framed through the gullak's narration
Related topics
- The Viral Fever
- SonyLIV
- Indian web series
- Panchayat (web series)
- Permanent Roommates
- Pitchers (web series)
- Geetanjali Kulkarni
- Harsh Mayar
References
- Official series page on SonyLIV.
- The Viral Fever official channels and production credits.
- Filmfare OTT Awards announcements covering Indian streaming content.