Character Relationship Map: Hindi Medium

Characters

• Raj Batra (played by Irrfan Khan) — protagonist

  Raj Batra is a successful boutique owner and Pia's father, living with Mita in Chandni Chowk before moving to Vasant Vihar. Determined to secure Pia's place in an elite English-medium school, he prete...

• Mita (played by Saba Qamar) — supporting

  Mita is Raj Batra's wife and Pia's mother. She shares Raj's ambition to place Pia in a prestigious English-medium school and follows him through the moves, admission preparations, and deception in Bha...

• Shyam Prakash (played by Deepak Dobriyal) — supporting

  Shyam Prakash is a poor resident of Bharat Nagar and Tulsi's husband. He hopes his family can gain access to better education and teaches Raj and Mita how to live as genuinely poor people while Raj jo...

• Consultant (played by Tillotama Shome) — supporting

  The Consultant helps Raj and Mita prepare for Pia's admission interview at Delhi Grammar School. Although she has misgivings about them, she tutors them in the expected answers. Her involvement expose...

• Principal Lodha (played by Amrita Singh) — supporting

  Principal Lodha is the head of Delhi Grammar School, the prestigious institution Raj and Mita want Pia to attend. After learning the truth about Raj's false poverty, Raj asks him to revoke Pia's admis...

• Mita's Mother (played by Neelu Kohli) — supporting
• Tulsi (played by Swati Das) — supporting

  Tulsi is Shyam Prakash's wife and a resident of Bharat Nagar. She and Shyam are hopeful about securing better educational opportunities for their family, and she teaches Raj and Mita the practical rea...

• Pia (played by Dishita Sehgal) — minor

  Pia is Raj Batra and Mita's five-year-old daughter and the central reason for their actions. Her parents pursue admission to Delhi Grammar School, move neighborhoods, and pretend to be poor so she can...

Canonical Relationships

Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.

• Mita's Mother → Mita (mother)
• Principal Lodha → Pia (Power School Gatekeeper) — Lodha controls an institutional decision affecting Pia.

  Principal Lodha is connected to the decision over Pia's admission and rejects Raj's request to revoke it.

• Principal Lodha → Raj Batra (Power Institutional Authority) — Lodha represents the school system confronting Raj's actions.

  Principal Lodha has authority at Delhi Grammar School when Raj asks him to revoke Pia's admission.

• Consultant → Raj Batra (Professional Advisor) — She provides professional coaching despite doubts about them.

  The consultant tutors Raj and his family on answers for the Delhi Grammar School admission interview.

• Raj Batra → Pia (Family Father) — Raj is deeply invested in Pia's education and future.

  Raj Batra is identified as Pia's father, and his efforts to secure her school admission drive the story.

• Shyam Prakash → Tulsi (Family Spouse) — They cooperate in supporting their family's educational hopes.

  Shyam Prakash and Tulsi Prakash are presented as a married couple raising their son Mohan.

Story Dynamics

Alliances, conflicts, and narrative interactions that evolve throughout the story.

• Shyam Prakash → Pia (Social Compassionate Acquaintance) — His empathy toward Pia changes his decision.

  At the school, Shyam meets Pia and experiences an emotional moment with her before deciding not to expose Raj.

• Shyam Prakash → Principal Lodha (Narrative Complainant) — Shyam becomes the potential exposer of Raj's scheme.

  After discovering Raj's deception, Shyam goes to Delhi Grammar School intending to tell Principal Lodha what happened.

• Tulsi → Raj Batra (Alliance Supporter) — Tulsi contributes practical guidance to Raj's false identity.

  Tulsi helps teach Raj how to live like a genuinely poor person while he stays in Bharat Nagar.

• Raj Batra → Shyam Prakash (Social Friend) — Their friendship begins through shared life in the settlement.

  Raj and his family become friends with Shyam after moving temporarily to Bharat Nagar.

Story Analysis

A father's pursuit of elite education exposes class prejudice and leads him toward a more equal understanding of schooling.

Plot Progression

1. The English Dream — Raj pursues an elite English-medium education for Pia and moves his family to meet the school's location requirement. Coaching cannot overcome their failed interview.
2. A False Poor Identity — Raj learns about the RTE quota and moves to Bharat Nagar while pretending to be poor. Shyam and Tulsi teach him the realities of their life.
3. Success With a Moral Cost — Pia receives admission, but Mohan is rejected. Raj returns to Vasant Vihar and donates to the government school attended by Mohan.
4. The Truth Comes Home — Shyam traces the anonymous donation and discovers Raj's deception. He goes to the school, but his encounter with Pia leads him to reconsider exposing Raj.
5. Education Beyond Status — Raj confesses to Principal Lodha and publicly speaks about English and education rights. He ultimately chooses the government school for Pia.