Seven years ago, a small TVF web series about a middle-class family in small-town India launched on SonyLIV with a 15-day shoot, a single house as its primary location, and almost no budget. Nobody predicted that ‘Gullak’ would become one of the most emotionally resonant shows in the history of Indian streaming. Now, with Season 5 on air and the Mishra family navigating the complex terrain of grown-up children and evolving parental roles, the cast sat down to reflect on the journey and Jameel Khan, the man behind the beloved Santosh Mishra, had plenty to say about family, gratitude, and the responsibilities that come with both parenthood and growing up.
Jameel Khan opens up on the cult status of ‘Gullak’
For Jameel Khan, the man who has inhabited Santosh Mishra across all five seasons of ‘Gullak’, the show’s trajectory from modest web series to beloved national institution is still something he struggles to fully process.“Not even in my wildest dreams did I think this would go on to become a cult show,” he says, before describing the emotional arc of the past seven years with characteristic warmth, in a conversation with the Hindustan Times.“This has been a roller coaster ride completely right from 2018-19 to 2026 and I feel blessed and proud to be a part of this show,” Khan continues.“I will do whatever it takes to continue to be a part of the show and to be able to grow with it, to be able to contribute to it, and as a team give the best I can,” Khan adds.
Jameel Khan on the central theme of ‘Gullak’ Season 5
At the heart of ‘Gullak’ Season 5 is a question that feels urgently relevant to contemporary Indian family life: how do parents evolve alongside children who are growing into adults with their own needs, desires and ideas about independence?Jameel Khan who plays the father navigating exactly this tension on screen has thought deeply about it. “I think it’s important for parents to understand that these are different times. Kids will want their own space — not just physically, but space to grow, evolve and become themselves,” he says.The responsibility, he argues, falls squarely on parents to adapt. Khan says, “As adults and parents, our job is to give them that space to spread their wings and fly.”And the ultimate measure of parenting success, for Jameel, is quietly profound: “You would want to be known by your children rather than the children being known by their parents.”Khan is equally unsparing about parental accountability, delivering what may be the most direct line of the entire interview: “If you are not ready to be parents, don’t have kids… If you decide to become parents, then you bloody well take up the responsibility and do a good job of it.”While Jameel advocates strongly for parents to give children space and evolve with the times, he is equally clear that the responsibility for healthier family relationships does not rest with parents alone. Children, he says, need to meet that effort with recognition and gratitude.Describing a mindset he finds troubling among some young people today, he says: “Many times kids turn around and say, ‘This is your responsibility as parents. What is so great that you’ve done?'”Khan’s response to that attitude is direct and unambiguous: “Parents are giving up and doing a lot for you. Be grateful. Appreciate that.”
About ‘Gullak’ Season 5
‘Gullak’ Season 5 premiered on SonyLIV on June 5, 2026. The TVF series stars Jameel Khan as Santosh Mishra, Geetanjali Kulkarni as Shanti Mishra, Anant V Joshi as Annu, Harsh Mayar as Aman and Helly Shah as Dr Preeti. All previous seasons are currently streaming on SonyLIV.
