After Kaathal, this is another film that is slow, poignant and heavy on emotion. You will not be alone if you felt that the film was a longish cinematic version of the sweet Vodafone commercial featuring a pug that follows a young boy wherever he goes (You and I, in this beautiful world…). A major part of the film is set in the beautiful landscape of Konkan where one of the protagonists goes on an actual time travel into her past. She, in her 50s, is joined by her husband on this trip from Mumbai where they live presently. Among other childhood friends, she also meets a man from her childhood who is more than a friend. So, the lady goes to different places that have pleasant and not-so-pleasant associations with her childhood with her husband and her childhood crush in tow. In a sense, the title refers to these three people.
A married lady meeting her childhood crush and his present wife with her husband in tow…. One would expect fireworks if it was a Television serial or at least a few sparks to fly if it was a regular Bollywood film, right? Three Of Us has none of these. Instead, it has sweet moments among all of them!
The film is about memories. Old memories. Memories that are nostalgic. Memories that are traumatic. And memories from the perspective of the female lead suffering from dementia! Right from the first scene when we see her making “To-Do lists”, we get a hint of her suffering but we are not explicitly told of the same till far into the movie.
When Shefali Shah playing the character of Shailaja Desai, an officer in the District Divorce court wants to visit a village in Konkan, a place where she spent 4 years of her childhood, her husband Dipankar Desai is at first surprised as he hadn’t known that piece of her life so far. He plays ball and what happens in that trip is the crux of the story.
At the outset, it would appear that the main reason for Shefali’s character wanting to visit the village was to meet her childhood friend Pradeep Kamat and therefore Three Of Us would refer to Shailaja, her husband and Pradeep. But, while in that village, we are told of Shailaja’s 2 siblings – a brother and a sister and the death of her sister while playing together in a small incident. We are then made to realise the associated trauma that she has been carrying along all these years. I have a feeling that the Director wanted to refer to the three siblings actually when he meant – Three Of Us! My conjecture!
This is a slice-of-life film that just showcases a journey. There is no climatic end as it happens in typical films. Director Avinash Arun who has also wielded the camera showcases the film as a poetry and painting in motion. Every frame is a delight to the eye. The Director’s intention of making a poignant film is ably supported by the cast led by Shefali Shah. She is as usual outstanding throughout. Jaideep Ahlawat who is another exceptional actor, plays the role of her friend. He absorbs the tonality of the character of a middle-class Bank manager living in a small town and lost in his memories – beautifully and delivers just that. That one scene towards the end with just the two of them in a static Ferris wheel is an outstanding piece of acting by both of them and staging by the Director. Writer and Lyricist Swanand Kirkire who portrays the character of Shefali’s husband plays the role quite at ease.
The film has many moments that kindle a sense of nostalgia. Those who are familiar with films like Autograph and 96 in Tamil which are similar in genre, can relate to what I am saying. One such poignant moment is when Shefali’s character breaks into Bharatnatyam seemingly after a long gap. Carnatic vocalist TM Krishna’s rendition of the Hamir Kalyani Thillana is soulful in this scene. Overall, the songs and the background score by Alokananda Dasgupta are memorable in the film.
Yet, when the film ended, I found the film missing something. Is it the lack of drama? Is it the very slow pace? Is it the lack of one central conflict? I don’t know. Three Of Us is a film that has its moments. It is a good watch for those who like slow-paced passage-of-time films that are devoid of drama. It is streaming on Netflix.
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