‘Three of Us’ review: A stilted drama about a woman’s quest for closure – Scroll.in

Cinematographer-turned-director’s Avinash Arun Dhaware’s Three of Us takes again to the Konkan, the setting of his affecting function debut Killa (2014). The Marathi-language Killa explored a younger boy’s adjustment to his modified circumstances in opposition to the backdrop of coconut timber and a relaxed sea. Within the Hindi drama Three of Us, the verdant environment can’t quell the restlessness of a middle-aged lady who has been recognized with early dementia.

Shailaja (Shefali Shah) needs to revisit her childhood house earlier than she forgets it completely. She has an early reminiscence buried in her village that she must excavate. Extra crucially, her childhood crush nonetheless lives there. Pradeep (Jaideep Ahlawat) is delicate to Shailaja’s quest for closure, indulging her reminiscences and giving her the solace that’s lacking in her marriage to Dipankar (Swanand Kirkire).

A lot has modified between Arun’s two options (he directed the net collection Paatal Lok and College of Lies in between). The steadiness in Killa between a centered plot and the unhurried rhythms of observational storytelling is lacking in Three of Us. The brand new film doesn’t fairly come collectively, particularly in its stilted exploration of Shailaja’s unfinished enterprise with Pradeep or her tense relationship along with her husband.

The screenplay, by Dhaware, Omkar Barve and Arpita Chatterjee, retains sentimentality firmly at bay, however can’t keep away from banality from registering its presence. Pradeep’s remorse over shedding Shailaja doesn’t ring as true as his equation together with his feisty spouse Sarika (Kadambari Kadam). Though solidly performed by Ahlawat, Pradeep – an novice poet who writes in Hindi and has a distinctly north Indian method – stands out on this Marathi nook of Maharashtra.

The Konkan setting, fantastically lensed by Dhaware, serves largely as window dressing for a film with naked cabinets the place meaty scenes wanted to have been. A segue into native folklore about water spirits is neither right here nor there.

The mild pacing is among the many movie’s property, permitting us an honest measure of Shailaja’s wants whereas additionally creating some tremendous moments between Shailaja and Pradeep. A sequence on a Ferris wheel is an apt metaphor for Shailaja’s incapability to let go in addition to Pradeep’s predicament about her sudden re-appearance.

Is Pradeep merely indulging Shailaja or has an outdated flame actually been rekindled? The film has a couple of welcome silences and an ungainly void the place readability wanted to be.

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