Tribhanga
Introduction
Kajol has always been one of my favourite actors right from my childhood. Be it her natural acting or her magnetic screen presence, she has always been one at the top. And so I was excited right from the time I got to watch the trailer of Tribhanga. Finally the movie is out this weekend on Netflix, and it seems like another hard hitting tale set in a patriarchal society joining films like Thappad. Does it manage to impress, lets find out.
Story & Screenplay
Tribhanga is a bittersweet mother-daughter tale wherein their relationship changes once the mother is admitted to the hospital. The story as expected is relevant and hard hitting. The best part of the screenplay is its treatment. Though it may have been heavy on paper given the subject, yet the drama never gets melodramatic. Also, it throws in a couple of thought provoking subplots – one of not judging the other person as each one of us has had our own set of journeys. Additionally it also very gently tackles a few issues on child abuse and what impact it can have on children, given our society which always inadvertently makes it a point to keep reminding them about the trauma. Along the way, it has also mirrored our society on how working women are perceived, be it our family too. The social commentary here is the highlight! On the flipside, though the running length is just a shade more than 90 minutes, a few sequences are slightly stretched and could have been further trimmed down. But the screenplay is effective, something that the writers could so easily have been carried away with.
Dialogues, Music & Direction
The dialogues are good but filled with expletives. I could not help but think that the cuss words stood out like a sore thumb and just were not required here. The use of music, especially BGM has been nicely done here. Director Renuka Shahane has done an excellent job keeping the things to the point and not getting carried away with the subject. With so many issues being tackled in a limited screen time, she has definitely come out on top.
Performances
The performances are excellent here. Kanwaljeet Singh and Manav Gohil shine in a cameo. There is a certain sense of calmness to the character of Robindro essayed effectively by Vaibhav Tatwawaadi. Nishank Verma as Vikram is good. Kunaal Roy Kapur as Milan has a quiet charm to his character and his Hindi vocabulary. Mithila Palkar as Masha is wonderfully restrained and adds a lot of substance to her character. Tanvi Azmi as Nayan is excellent and there is a lot of class with the way she carries herself. And I was the happiest seeing Kajol again. She is just being herself, loud yet subtle and poignant, another excellent performance as Anuradha.
Conclusion
Tribhanga is relevant and hard hitting with strong characters. However, it is the treatment of the screenplay that makes it special. Available on Netflix.