Maanvi Gagroo On How Tripling Season 3 Breaks Stereotypes Of Familial Relationships

When The Viral Fever first introduced us to the world of Tripling in 2016, the show stood out because it was relatable. The premise held subtle messaging and was short, crisp and funny. The three siblings — Chandan, Chanchal and Chitvan — transported us to simpler, relaxed times, almost banking on nostalgia.

Having established a fan base with two seasons, the internet’s one of the most popular shows returns for a third season. From trailer it feels it will continue to be emotionally resonant too. The first season saw the siblings embark on an accidental road trip, reuniting them after years and igniting the lost familial bond. The second instalment was yet again a road trip but disguised into a manhunt for a Rajasthani Prince.

In the ">third season, Chandan (Sumeet Vyas) reunites with sister Chanchal (Maanvi Gagroo) and brother Chitvan (Amol Parashar) as the news of their parent's separation after 36 years of marriage rocks their respective worlds. They soon fly down to their family house in the hills to do 'the talk' and also figure out a way to save their marriage.

Tripling Season 3 is a tad bit more evocative than its innate concept of the consanguineal bond shared by the siblings or their dysfunctional personal lives besmirched with oddities that might come across as relatable to some. It is like a rite of passage with all the previous season’s shenanigans fading away in the course of a new change.

The plot is unconventional and draws the viewers right in. Why would someone break apart a marriage of close to four decades? Moreover, is it normal for parents to think of something so drastic? The parents in Tripling have always been liberal cosmonauts watching over their flawed children from a safe distance, allowing them to learn from their own mistakes. But in this season, the makers try to set a tone for difficult conversations, returning agency to the parental figure. 

Gagroo who plays Chanchal, a modern Indian woman stuck in the conventional lifestyle of a royal family, says she is glad we are talking about such stories.

In an interview with SheThePeople, the three actors spoke on their respective character arcs, the new age of storytelling and much more.

"It is high time we cover all kinds of stories, every subject in all of its aspects. It is great that we are talking about issues like sexuality, marriage and divorce. The reason that we are able to see them on-screen is probably because these conversations are happening in the real world, in general. I genuinely feel that as viewers we need to have a whole range of topics to watch and let the audience decide what is that they want to watch. The beautiful thing is that there are infinite stories and we will probably never be able to cover all of them."

Maanvi Gagroo On How Tripling Season 3

Meanwhile, the actor also feels that Tripling did not succumb to the typical portrayal of brother-sister relationships. Gagroo says, "In pop-culture portrayals, the mainstream sibling relationship has always shown as the brother trying to protect his sister. But I think in this show while there was love and affection irrespective of gender, there was also a certain level of equality. There is the younger-older age dynamic but at some point, we all are looking at each other as adults. Everybody has their own lives and their own conflicts.

Like in season 1, remember during the bonfire scene, Chanchal is talking about her bachelorette party and Chandan is like oh god, I can’t hear this conversation, I don’t want to hear about my sister’s sex life. But the other two don’t stop and keep teasing him because they know he is getting uncomfortable. The show gained its reliability by showing them as normal people and not succumbing to stereotypes."

Vyas, who has also co-written the show, plays the oldest sibling Chandan. He too is going through a downturn in his writing career and is hardened by yet another conflict. The actor says while the show deals with three adults trying to save their parent's marriage, they just can’t fathom the fact that their parents have made this decision all by themselves and refuse to see them as individuals, other than a package.

"My true belief is that our previous generation is more evolved than our current 'woke' generation. The generation has transitioned from telegrams to telephones to touchscreen mobile phones. The previous has a better understanding, they are liberated, they want to come out of their closets, they want to talk about sexual and professional orientations, and they accept it. But we on other hand don’t accept if something doesn’t sit right with our way of life or on our end. So this is a journey that we all need to take."

Parashar believes that the main USP of the show was talking about bigger things through subtle smaller conversations. "The show nurtures substantial or bold (for the lack of a better word) conversations in a very casual, humourous and candid manner. And that is what attracts people to a show like this. So, I believe, these stories should be told, but they should give the right message in the right manner," the actor adds.

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