The Viral Fever’s show Tripling for Zee5 returns with the third season after after a three-year hiatus, without losing sight of the challenges and changes brought upon by the Covid pandemic. It offers a fresh take on the antics of the sibling-trio Chandan (Sumeet Vyas), Chitvan (Amol Parashar) and Chanchal (Maanvi Gangroo), and peppers them with nostalgia.
Just like in the past two seasons, the siblings undertake a trip undertaken this time as well and gain insights into their messy personal lives. The season kicks off with the siblings learning about the separation of their parents Chinmay (Kumud Mishra) and Charu (Shernaz Patel). They are unprepared and behave unlike their mid-30-year-old selves.
The siblings’ emotions range from disbelief to hurt and betrayal as they realise that Chinmay and Charu are individuals first, their parents later. The trio, along with Chanchal’s husband Pranav (Kunal Roy Kapur), embark on a trek with Chinmay and Chanchal in hopes to make them change their decision.
Woes of millennial kids
Written by Sumeet Vyas and Arunabh Kumar, the show is a look at children’s expectations from their parents whom they regard as their ‘role models’, and their ‘back up plan’ like Chitvan says. The idea of divorce, new adventures and life after the 50s are still ideas millennial kids cannot wrap their heads around, not when it comes to their parents anyway.
Chandan, Chitvan and Chanchal too balk at the thought of their parents going separate ways, despite still clearly being in love and happily married for 36 years. Just as they are coming to terms with it, the children learn that their hill abode, and childhood home Amma’s Place, is also being sold off.
The idea of losing the ‘traditional’ concept of family and their house all at once proves too much for the siblings who are also struggling with their own personal issues. While Chandan comes face-to-face with Paula, the woman who broke his heart, Chitvan has filed a case against his former partner Sheetal for joint custody of their biological child. Chanchal and Pranav are caught in a family dispute over Pranav’s grandparents’ property.
The children blame their parents for ‘taking away’ their sense of security, but are forced to reflect on their own selfish behaviour. “We never judged you. Why can’t we expect the same from you?” Chinmay asks his children.
While all the five episodes of the third season have ample moments of laughter, the show also dwells on millennials’ biases and the scope for parents to be ‘modern’. Sometimes, children are as selfish as parents in their expectations to play their roles as providers or safety nets.
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A full house
What works for Tripling’s third season are the stellar performances. Be it Kumud Mishra or Shernaz Patel or Kunaal Roy Kapur. Every performance stands out.
Vyas’ dialogues too help the show, be it the humorous ones or those that make the audience look at their ‘modern’ selves.
Amol Parashar’s Chitvan is probably the best among the wonderful performances. He makes you laugh, feel exasperated and cry almost without trying. The man-child who is also perhaps the most forgiving and the loneliest among the three siblings will stay with you long after the show is over. The breakdown in the last episode breaks your heart, but you also know, he’ll be okay. His is the most stupendous growth since the first season as an actor.
Vyas is as good as ever, and Maanvi just shows that she needs to light up our screens more often. Kunaal Roy Kapur really needs to act more because no one quite does what he can, ever since Delhi Belly.
Chitvan and Chanchal have grown, and they may not seem like the fun, eccentric duo this season. But that is the point—Covid changed things for everyone, including these beloved characters.
(Edited by Prashant)