Three of Us: A Yearning to Hold on to Dying Memories

Shailaja: I may not be able to remember you for long 

Pradip: Don’t worry, I will remember you

Imagine having to attend a funeral of your memories; all of your experiences and relationships that you’ve treasured over time, people you’ve met in your life, the stories you’ve read and watched, every single thread of your identity that ties you to your past slowly burning into a blazing flame. What remains of us if we lose all our memories? Is our body just a remnant of all these experiences? The idea of having to witness the existence of everything that you’ve ever loved and remembered coming to a halt is harrowing. Having to live a life devoid of the very thing that makes you human is daunting to even think of. 

Shefali Shah in Three of Us

Avinash Arun’s, Three Of Us, is one such film that will make you ponder about the multiple facets of our transient recollections and its relationship with passing time. Carefully and delicately woven, this sweet poetic lullaby will moist your eyes and make your heart ache. Suffering from the early stages of dementia, Shailaja Desai (Shefali Shah) decides to go on a journey along with her husband Dipankar (Swanand Kirkire) to revisit her childhood home. As the story unfolds, we are introduced to Pradip Kamat (Jaideep Ahlawat), Shailaja’s childhood love who is married to Sarika (Kadambari Kadam). Strolling through the beautiful alleys of Konkan, Shailaja tries to reminisce about the stories of her adolescence accompanied by her spouse and her old-school love. The beauty of this film lies in the dynamic between the two couples who are secure in the bond they share. 

The film is an ode to ‘lost love and what ifs’ in life while balancing the pleasures of being satisfied with what we have. It encourages us to cherish our present as it may soon turn into fleeting memories of the past. The picturesque backdrops of Konkan add more life to the film with the cinematography being extremely simple yet poetic. Every single frame feels pensive and somber. The slow pans and lingering stills act as a metaphor for the internal melancholy and nostalgia felt by the characters. Shefali Shah's subtle ability to act with her eyes and her subdued gestures add depth and nuance to her role. Jaideep Ahlawat embodies the shyness and awkwardness of Pradip, making the character feel more translucent. 

It’s fair enough to draw parallels from Celine Song’s Past Lives as the themes explored in both stories are similar. The characters and the audience can find closure when Shailaja finally lets go of her loss. The Ferris Wheel sequence acts as a metaphor for the cyclical nature of life and wanting to pause moments thus being caught up in nostalgia. In times when theaters are filled with mediocre commercial blockbusters, Three Of Us feels like a breath of fresh air and deserves more attention from the masses. Watching this film on a cozy, gloomy night feels meditative. A beautifully carved storyline with a linear narrative, this film is immersive, emotional, and will be sure to leave you teary-eyed.