Tripling 3 director talks about his show, happy endings to divorces and more | Web Series

Neeraj Udhwani, director of comedy show Tripling season 3 and co-screenplay writer of JugJugg Jeeyo, has opened up about old couples breaking up after decades of marriage in both the projects. The writer-director says the audience is happy when the characters they love are happy in the end, irrespective of their choices to stay together or not. While Tripling season 3 revolves around three siblings dealing with their parents’ separation, JugJugg Jeeyo ended with Anil Kapoor’s Bheem and Neetu Kapoor’s Geeta calling it quits in the end. (Also read: Tripling season 3 review: This Sumeet Vyas creation is a refreshing, wholesome emotional roller coaster)

In an interview with Hindustan Times, Neeraj addressed various queries about Tripling season 3, including the whereabouts of Chanchal’s child. He also spoke about JugJugg Jeeyo and why it could be possible for a couple to reunite after just a quick gesture of love amid a separation. Excerpts:

In Tripling season 3, emotions dominated the humour quotient, which was comparatively lower than the previous two seasons. Were you not afraid that it might not work out.

Season 3 has done very well in terms of viewership and reviews, that was a huge victory. There is curse of second season in India, most shows don’t even reach season 3. The writers were trying to consciously present Chitvan (Amol Parashar) in a new light. You have already seen his fun, funky and mad side in season 1 and 2 but it would have been interesting to see him as emotional, vulnerable, softy at heart who pines so much for a child which he thinks as his own. I really liked the approach. We knew the show was going to be about the family. Comparing to season 1, the humour seems to be less in the new season but when you see it separately, it also has its moments of fun and comedy. We were conscious and aware that this season would be more serious in treatment. That’s a chance we were willing to take.

Kunal Roy Kapur told HT in an interview everyone wants to bank in on his popular poop episode in his debut film, Delhi Belly. Was his poop dialogue intentional in Tripling 3?

Sumeet Vyas, who is among the four writers, should answer this. Delhi Belly was very different. In Tripling, this is just a hiccup that happens during the trek. Kunal is such a phenomenal actor, he doesn’t let you remember his Delhi Belly connect. I can’t deny the situation is similar to Delhi Belly, this is a call taken by the writers.

You actually managed to justify a happy couple breaking after 36 years of marriage in Tripling 3. That was something new.

The writers came up with this. Are you seeing a marriage in terms of how long it lasts, or are you going to evaluate on how much you have grown? Sometimes you realise you want to grow in life but that may not happen with the partner you currently have. Its better to separate on a happy note then to stay and stifle your own growth and be resentful towards your partner. This is a very, very mature, evolved thought the characters have in the show – that we don’t need to be tied at the hip, we can run our individual races.

Do you think Indian audience is ready for not so happy endings?

Any audience likes happy endings when the characters they love are happy in the end. When the characters are happy by getting what they want, you also feel happy for them. Since the children accept their parents’ decision in Tripling 3, there is a change in the children’s outlook. When the siblings are happy, it makes for a happy ending for the audience.

Did you face a challenge shooting for Tripling 3 in Panchgani, Mahabaleshwar?

This was right in the middle of the Omicron wave. The only challenge was in the last couple of days of the shoot when I got detected with Covid. I had to isolate myself but I was given a monitor. The shoot was happening somewhere else and I was virtually directing the takes by watching the monitor in my room. I was telling my assistants to tell this actor to do this and do that.

Which character would you focus on in Tripling season 4? What about Chanchal (Maanvi Gagroo) and Pranav’s (Kunal Roy Kapur) child?

The writers have not even started thinking of season 4. The parents went to Bhutan and Pondicherry, let’s see what happens to them there. We don’t see Chanchal in her house so we never answered that question. May be, she has a child but we don’t delve into that question. It wasn’t necessary to address that it is about her parents not the child. The writers might bring it in season 4.

Talking about Kiara Advani and Varun Dhawan’s happy ending in JugJugg Jeeyo, can a sudden moment of crazy love really prevent an impending divorce in real life?

When two people separate, its mostly because of so much resentment between both of them. Somewhere their egos do not allow them to apologise to the other. If one person gets up and says, “it is my mistake and forgive me and lets give it a chance”, the other person feels their hurt has been validated, so they emotionally melt and get ready to give it another chance. Human beings are emotional – these things can really change our decisions. Its very likely.

What do you think is needed to make emotions look convincing on screen? Why do many big budget anticipated films fail in making the desired impact?

I am not so experienced but a director has to be convinced of the emotion himself. Then only he will be able to convince his actors to do it convincingly. There is a performance part of it, then comes the craft – where you place the camera, how do you shoot, the music you play to make the desired impact as a storyteller.