Character Relationship Map: Practical Joke

Characters

• Igor Grushko (played by Dmitriy Kharatyan) — protagonist

  A new student in the 9 "B" class, Igor lives with his aunt after his mother’s death and his father’s remarriage. Talented at guitar and songwriting, he hopes to form a band. He clashes with class lead...

• Taya Petrova (played by Natalya Vavilova) — supporting

  A modest and shy student in 9 "B", Taya is asked by Maria Vasilyevna whether she had warned the class about the test. Unable to lie, she bursts into tears and exposes the classmates’ deception. Her ho...

• Oleg Komarovsky (played by Andrei Gusev) — supporting

  The leader of 9 "B", Oleg proposes deceiving Maria Vasilyevna after the class fails to prepare for Monday’s tests. He seeks to protect his leadership and later tries unsuccessfully to persuade the tea...

• Komarovsky's father (played by Oleg Tabakov) — supporting

Canonical Relationships

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

• Komarovsky's father → Oleg Komarovsky (father)

Story Dynamics

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

• Igor Grushko → Taya Petrova (Alliance Shared Moral Perspective) — They are connected by the film's truthful moral perspective, although the plot gives no direct private interaction between them.

  Taya refuses to lie about the test, while Igor is defined by his commitment to truth and honesty.

• Igor Grushko → Oleg Komarovsky (Conflict Rival) — Igor and Oleg represent conflicting values and compete for influence in the class.

  Oleg believes Igor's arrival may damage his leadership position, and the two later confront one another in the locker room.

• Oleg Komarovsky → Taya Petrova (Social Classmate) — They are classmates involved in the same moral crisis.

  Both are students in class 9 B. Taya is among the students questioned about whether the test had been announced.

Story Analysis

A school deception exposes the conflict between achieving goals by any means and living according to truth, honesty, and creativity.

Plot Progression

1. The Class Chooses Deception — A weekend party leaves class 9 B unprepared for Monday tests. Oleg proposes a lie after postponement efforts fail, and the students participate in the false story.
2. Truth Breaks The Scheme — The teacher unexpectedly questions Taya, who cannot repeat the lie and begins to cry. The deception is exposed, and the students receive failing marks and a stern moral rebuke.
3. A New Value Enters — Igor joins the class with a personal history marked by family loss and a passion for guitar and songwriting. His commitment to honesty and creativity challenges Oleg's established influence.
4. The Birthday Confrontation — During the birthday celebration, Oleg unsuccessfully seeks removal of his failing grade. His frustration turns into insults toward the teacher and Taya, forcing Igor to follow him out.
5. Retribution In The Hallway — Igor confronts Oleg in the locker room, where a fight occurs off-screen. At the school assembly, Igor describes the incident as retribution rather than a fight.