Indian society, in general, has made the cut-off for an ideal parent as one who sacrifices everything for their children in the hope that those unfulfilled aspirations will be achieved by their ward. It has been injected into people that once you become a parent, you can make no mistakes and have nothing of your own. You live and breathe for your children, everything else should be locked up and thrown away. Bollywood has subscribed to the norm with its portrayals of scary but idealistic parents on screen, like Chaudhry Baldev Singh (Amrish Puri) in Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995).
The Viral Fever (TVF) is known for breaking stereotypes and making empathetic and heartwarming shows. Tripling, which started streaming six years ago, appealed to audiences of all ages and presented a fresh take on the relationship between siblings. We were introduced to Chandan (Sumeet Vyas), Chanchal (Maanvi Gagroo), and Chitwan (Amol Parashar). The series delves into their experiences, and their dynamic with each other.
Season 3, which recently premiered on ZEE 5, begins with the parents announcing that they are getting separated. The children are baffled and immediately attempt to talk their parents out of what they consider to be “madness”. The further we get into the story, the more we learn. Turns out, the couple has been divorced for 33 years. Now, they want to take on life separately because they have different aspirations and goals. What is interesting is that they have a healthy relationship and just want to experience life as individuals, sans the labels of mother and father, husband and wife. This is shocking for their children, and they undertake several approaches, including therapy, to stop them.
Writers Sumeet Vyas and Abbas Dalal have put forward an unusual set of parents who don't want to be put on a pedestal. They go hiking, party, share a kiss in public, and have a premium account on dating apps. These are things that are hardly seen among Indian middle class parents, not because they don't want to, but because they are confined by the morals of society. In a stirring monologue, the father (Kumud Mishra) questions why it is always the parents who are expected to accept their child's eccentricities, but the child will refuse to do the same for them? It seems to be an absolutely valid question. Once the children are grown up, it is cruel and unjustified to expect the parents to continue their duties instead of being who they are.
Parallel to this, we have another parent in Chitwan. His character has been written as an uber-cool, happy-go-lucky, and an impulsive sort of person. He is not someone you would want to be around in times of crisis, but he is also the one with the biggest heart. Chitwan, in season 2, gets into a relationship with a lawyer and starts to take care of her son. After they break up, Chitwan files an appeal for joint custody, which is rejected since he isn't a biological parent. Season 3 shows Chitwan in a brighter light. He wakes up at 5:30 am to sing to the boy, and sleeps only after he has fallen asleep. Parenthood and love have the ability to transform one into an emotional, mature person, and the series is successful in conveying the same. Tripling sets apart in how it isn't formulaic. It is relatable, and easy to grasp. All in all, the series creates a world which feels a lot like home.