Milestone Plot Synopsis
Ghalib is a seasoned truck driver and well-respected by his peers. After achieving the momentous milestone of 500,000km, he finds himself suffering from a bad back; the physical manifestation of his hard work. Ghalib’s success comes at the expense of his family life though, which is left fragmented and broken. To make matters worse, his bosses are completely nonchalant to his struggles. They add more stress to his day job, tasking him with showing plucky newcomer Pash the ropes.
What happened to Ghalib’s family?
Ghalib’s dedication to his job ended up being his ultimate downfall. Before she passed away, Ghalib’s wife was convinced that her partner was having an affair. When she died, Ghalib was out on the road and unable to be there for her thanks to traffic. This neglection is enough for his dead wife’s family to demand compensation. They initially refuse Ghalib’s original handout, with his wife’s daughter Etali stone-faced refusing to accept the terms. Eventually Ghalib returns to the village with 200,000 rupees and a document asking for a permit to sell alcohol. Despite some grumbles, they do then accept the terms.
What happened to Pash?
Near the end of the movie, Ghalib tries to pay off Pash after worrying that the boy is going to replace him. Much like Etali, Pash refuses the handout. Ghalib finds out what happened to Pash not long after. He received a call from the boy’s sister, who was worried about Pash as she hadn’t spoken to him for a while. His phone is switched off and the last call they had she thought he was in trouble. She reflects that Pash mentioned “an old-timer was going to lose their job because of him.” This is in reference to Ghalib. Pash is absolutely fine, as it turns out, and gets in touch with his sister some time later.
How does Milestone end?
Milestone’s final scene is one that sees everything turn full circle. Within that aforementioned call to Pash’s sister, Ghalib learns that the trainee has been complaining about a bad back. Given Ghalib’s dedication to the job and enthusiasm for truck driving, he realizes that this young protégé could well travel the same well-worn road as him. It starts to rain (water is symbolic for emotion) as Ghalib sits back and ponders whether this job is really worth it. Ultimately, the movie asks whether the time and effort put into truck driving is worth the strain it puts on one’s family. To read our full thoughts on this movie, check out our spoiler-free review HERE!) Thanks for reading our Ending Explained article! What did you think of Milestone’s ending? Did you enjoy this reflective, slow-paced road trip movie? Let us know in the comments below!
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