When TVF first introduced us to the world of Tripling in 2016, it stood out because it was relatable. It had no dense message and was short, crisp and funny. The three siblings — Chandan, Chanchal and Chitvan — transported us to the simpler, relaxed times. But now, in an attempt to fit into digital landscape 2.0, the creators of Tripling have lost its identity, its ‘beautiful’ world that made it what it was.
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Season 3 kicks off with the eldest sibling Chandan (Sumeet Vyas) being informed of his parent’s decision to get separated. He becomes the harbinger of bad news to his estranged siblings, Chanchal (Maanvi Gagroo) and Chitvan (Amol Parashar). They need to “handle this” and thus begins their adventure, not by road this time, to their parent’s home.
Not just their mode of travel changes, the sweeping emotion of nostalgia has gone too. For me, the essence of Tripling was in the trio taking a road trip and the banter between the siblings. One thing that stays, oddly, is the in-your-face product placement. The episodes of Tripling 3 begin with promise but are ultimately disappointing as things progress.
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The show, directed by Neeraj Udhwani, initiates an important discussion around how youngsters today want their parents to be modern and accepting towards their life’s decisions, but cannot accept it when parents make an unconventional choice for themselves.
But for a premise which has so much potential, the treatment is bafflingly ordinary. At one point, writers, Sumeet and Arunabh Kumar try to show how Chandan, Chanchal and Chitvan have different ways of coping with their folk’s separation, but they cannot keep themselves from turning it dramatic and giving the father (Kumud Mishra) a touch of Amitabh Bachchan of Baghban with his monologue.
The siblings who once sat around the bonfire and played ‘Dirty Secrets’ are now too consumed in their worlds. Chandan wants his book published, Chanchal wants to save her husband Pranav’s haveli from his conniving cousins and Chitvan wants the custody of his ex-girlfriend’s son.
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A still from Tripling 3.
The characters once stood out with their quirkiness and relatability, but now feel like strangers. What made this show unique was the goofiness of its characters, and the interesting perspective on relationships. In the third season, it has been sullied, somewhat, by the maturity of these elements.
Finally, what you can take away is the performance of the cast, the star being Amol Parashar, who has grown so much as an actor from the first season. He utters comic dialogues like “naye mummy papa milenge” with as much ease as he emotes the feeling of being alone. My eyes welled up when he breaks down in the final episode. Sumeet Vyas is as beautiful as always and Maanvi Gagroo aces her part as an exasperated middle child. Kumud Mishra and Shernaz Patel are exceptional as “chill parents”.
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Besides the performances, there are some memorable one-liners, mostly from Chitvan, that will crack you up. The songs are situational but are not in the same league as “Ishq Ka Haafiz” from season two which can be played on a loop. Having said that, “Papa mummy ne maar li” and “Raita fail gaya” have a brilliant ring and lyrical appeal to them.
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The good part, sadly, is they have stuck to a five-episode season. You can watch them. You can probably skip scenes, or even episodes, and you won’t miss much. This season might work better as a series on its own but misses the mark when trying to carry forward from the highs of the opening season.
