Tripling Season 3, released a few weeks back, got popular and audiences appreciated the new season, just as they did for the last two seasons. And of course, the credit not just goes to the actors, but the director Neeraj Udhwani. The writer-director who joined the crew for only the third season talks about his challenging yet wonderful experience shooting for Tripling 3. Excerpts:
You directed only the third season of Tripling. Didn't you feel there could have been a gap? What was your experience like?
The experience was wonderful, though a bit of a challenge. We shot amid the peak omicron wave in the winters of Panchgani. Due to the inclement weather and talent availability, we had to finish shooting all five episodes in three weeks and we were racing against time. But with a fabulous set of actors and a great crew, we managed it.
How is season 3 different from the rest?
This time, the focus is on the parents and their desires. Unlike the couples of the previous seasons, this time the crisis appears in the form of their parent's separation, which brings Chandan, Chitvan and Chanchal home to deal with it. So in terms of the issues, it addresses, Tripling 3 is very different.
Share some of the shooting experiences.
Shooting the trek portions was the most difficult part. We shot in actual jungles and mountains on the outskirts of Mahabaleshwar. We were told that there were leopards in the area and the shoot was deemed risky. Even for production, taking all the crew and equipment to the top of the mountain was a nightmare. But I was adamant about the location because it was simply gorgeous. Eventually, we did it and that too without any hiccups.
Both Tripling, which you directed, and Jugg Jugg Jeeyo, which you wrote, have divorced in senior couples. What's your take on a happy marriage?
I think a happy marriage is one where both partners encourage the growth of the other. Where there is freedom, there is less resentment. In Jugg Jugg Jeeyo and Tripling, the senior couple realizes that their marriage doesn’t work for them anymore and so decides to separate with a lot of grace. That is beautiful.
Both have a whirlwind of emotions to be seen on screen. What do you think works best when real emotions are to be portrayed on screen? How do you make them convincing enough?
The director has to be convinced about the emotions in the script. Only then can he ensure that the actors do it with conviction. So the director’s conviction is of utmost importance. And then comes the knowledge of the craft of storytelling. Good directors combine the two and can sweep the audiences with their emotional storytelling.
Which form/mode of cinema works for you?
I like both film and digital mediums. Ultimately the story has to reach the audience and it doesn’t matter how it reaches them. The medium is irrelevant.