While people's artist of the USSR Sergey Cherkassky "fights" with the role of king Lear, trying to understand the psychology and actions of Shakespeare's character, his own large family presents him with one riddle after another. His daughter Elena, who broke off her unsuccessful marriage, falls in love with rock musician Dean Makarov. The grandfather does not know that the son of his late daughter - in-law Sonia is gay, who is madly in love with the same Dean. All Sonya's daughter, Lala, "twists" the love with a student Vakhtangov school, the future actor Misha, but dreams of a luxurious life abroad. Son of Sergei Andreevich, father of Vitya and Lyali - Andrey - General, Hero of Russia, serving in Chechnya.

French pianist Marie Lamballe-Bulatova married a Soviet diplomat in the 30s, went to the USSR with him, was repressed together with her husband and spent many years in camps. After her release, she stayed to live in Novosibirsk. It was in those parts that her Moscow niece Masha found her.

The head of a large family dreams of living his clan and becoming richer every year. Everyone, except for his brother-in-law and his brother Davron, obeys strict order in the house. The niece of the owner, Zarnigor, sympathizes with the rebels in many ways and soon declares to the owner her love for Davron, who wants to live with her as a separate family. At this time, a widower visits a large family and expresses a desire to marry young Zarnigor. The owner, feeling sorry for his niece, refuses, but the matchmakers force him to consent to the marriage, threatening to disclose the family secret.