“Three Legged Horse” is a Marathi coming-of-age picture recently screened at the Mumbai Film Festival 2022. It follows three individuals: the rebellious Adnan, who lives with his strict grandfather after the sudden death of his mother and his alcoholic father’s rehab stint; his girlfriend Chandrika, a call centre worker who acts in plays for a theatre group while harbouring dreams of Bollywood; and a soft-spoken, unemployed young man named Rathore who forges documents to provide for a deaf and mute mother. All of their paths collide during a period of uncertainty in their personal lives in the early 2000s (circa 2001-2003).
Generational Gaps and the Unpredictability of Life
Despite a slightly lengthy running time, there is never a dull moment in this movie. It touches upon many themes such as unlikely friendships, the unpredictability of life, coping with unpredictability, the generation gap between young and old generations, the harsh predicament faced by youngsters in the employment and educational sector, and the desperate measures they are forced to undertake in order to fend off such harsh predicaments.
The movie also does a good job in portraying technology as both a blessing and a curse for its users; it takes place during a period when the Internet was fairly new. The young protagonists in this movie especially find comfort in the new technology at their fingertips; it allows them the freedom they crave in real life and to literally forge and print out their own paths. However, with the advent of mark-sheets and academic certification moving online, they also feel threatened by this same technology. This could restrict them from forging their grades altogether, and thus relinquish them of this same freedom and of better prospects.
Animals as Metaphors; the Inner-Workings of ‘Three Legged Horse’
“Three Legged Horse” also utilises animals as metaphors, which I found interesting. An example is the titular three legged horse (also the subject of a folk song hummed by one character); it’s a metaphor for the three protagonists, who much like the titular horse, feel quite useless due to their limitations, lack of privilege, or obligations towards their family. The feel cursed by their own misfortunes and also via the example of a suicidal frog artistic Adnan carves into his desk as he attempts his twelfth grade board exams for the fifth time in a row; he feels suffocated by the choices picked out for him by his grandfather.
Despite a slightly lengthy running time, there is never a dull moment in this movie.”
The film also incorporates a major road rage incident that altered the lives of people in Pune back in 2012 into its climax; but I won’t go further into detail about the same as it could act as a spoiler. The writing by debutante Noopur Bora makes viewers sympathetic towards not only the plight of the three helpless protagonists, but also to those around them. This includes Adnan’s grandfather, who may appear unnecessarily stern and overprotective most times, but who is only looking out for his grandson; he worries Adnan might follow in the footsteps of his alcoholic father or even Chandrika’s roommate—who is often at the receiving end of her aggression—whenever a play goes awry and she is booed off the stage.
A scene from “Three Legged Horse.” (Image courtesy Mumbai Film Festival).
Solid Performances from Main and Supporting Cast
The performances, too, are a major strength of this movie. Ria Nalavade, Avinash Londhe, and Kunal Shukla (as the trio of Chandrika, Rathore and Adnan, respectively) all deliver praiseworthy performances, with Shukla’s nuanced expressions and effervescent screen presence standing out for me. Their camaraderie and interactions with each other feel natural to watch. Be it riding around the city at night on Adnan’s trusty Kinetic moped or binge drinking at the local pub as they celebrate Adnan’s birthday, they add to the film in remarkable ways. The supporting cast also does justice to their pivotal roles.
While the film doesn’t have major negatives, the lighting could have been a tad better and brighter in parts; but don’t let this technical flaw deter you from watching the movie. “Three Legged Horse” still manages to leave a lasting impression due to the manner in which it addresses real issues; these are particularly the kind that hinder the progress of the younger generation. They are often considered the future, but are not exempt from hurdles. Man-made or artificial, these threaten their physical and mental health, all in the pursuit of carving out their own futures.
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