Director: Renuka Shahane
Cast: Kajol, Mithila Palkar, Tanvi Azmi, Kunaal Roy Kapoor
Language: Hindi
Tribhanga is a story of three generations of women. Women who are trying to fit in, women who are trying to break barriers and lastly women who are struggling to move on. Anuradha Apte (Kajol) is a famous actor-dancer who has a tumultuous relationship with her mother Nayanthara (Tanvi Azmi),a famous literary figure. Anu, however, shares a wonderful relationship with her daughter Masha (Mithila Palkar) who was born out of wedlock. When Nayan falls into an unexpected coma, old wounds come back to haunt Anu and her brother. As they navigate through difficult times, Anu realises that she is as flawed as her mother.
Tribhanga has a few lovely scenes to its credit. In an unexpectedly intricate scene, Masha explains her choice of getting married in a traditional household as opposed to her grandmother (a divorcee) and her single mom. She craves for normalcy and this was her way of finding what she was looking for. While Anu is holding on to her anger towards her mother, Nayan holds a grudge against her ex-husband. It is Masha who tries to break the pattern in her own way. There are moments in Tribhanga that show us how life is imperfect in so many ways. While Anu and Nayan are torchbearers of feminism and the female gaze, Masha indulges their attitude and yet goes her own way.
One big problem in the movie is Kajol’s (screeching) tones that are supposed portray her as someone who is brash with a tough exterior. However, it does not work. It is irritating and artificial to watch Kajol use cuss words for the sake of it and to see her being over enthusiastic with her ‘toughness’. As a result, despite an extremely poignant back story, we do not feel the depth of the character or her predicament. Mithila Palkar gives an endearing performance as a sure woman who does not mind getting stereotyped. She craves normalcy and she finds ways to achieve it. Tanvi Azmi’s role is relegated to being in a coma or talking in front of a camera. Kunaal Roy Kapoor could have been given a meatier role as the soft biographer. Many of his scenes are reduced to random elements despite the gravity of the situation in hand.
Tribhanga’s narrative is empowering. But it is the screenplay and execution that fail to hit the right spot. Important plot points are masked amidst the screeching screenplay.
I was excited and hopeful about Tribhanga as it is not often that we get to witness powerful women-oriented stories on the big screen in Bollywood. But instead of a soulful drama, we get an uneven story with only a few moments of strong emotion.
Tribhanga is currently streaming in Netflix.
Rating: 2/5
