Tribeca Festival Review - 'Two Sisters and a Husband' (2022)

The relationship is something we as humans always want in some way or the other. In films, we have seen people exploring it in many ways. The recently playing film “Two sisters and a Husband” at Tribeca Festival is another addition to it.

The story is set in the ’90s, and it’s about Rajat (Dinker Sharma), who has recently shifted to a new place and is working as a hotel manager. As the story goes, we know he is living with two females, Tara (Avani Rai) and Amrita (Manya Grover), who are sisters. While he is married to Tara, they don’t talk much to each other. And we get to know threw flashbacks that before getting married to Tara, he was madly in love with her younger sister Amrita; they wanted to get married, but life had other plans. While we get to know from the flashback that Rajat and Tara were living happily, things change when these two ex-lovers meet in the same house, turning all three-life upside-down.

A Taboo Relationship

We know they have moved to this place due to the taboo nature of their relationship. We see Rajat spending most of his time in the hotel trying to escape the reality of his life. On the other hand, Tara is going through depression due to some life events. And her sister, Amrita, is having scary dreams of losing the unborn baby. None of the three seem happy with the arrangement; and we see Rajat as a man trying hard to make everything work but failing miserably to make any of the difficult decisions. The sisters have nearly no relationship right now, but it was not always this way. Halfway through, we get a clear idea that a marriage has been arranged by their fathers to bind Rajat with Tara (who he has not met before).

In contrast, all of them choose to keep the truth hidden. We see just one wrong choice after another. Each of them is looking for a way out, but they treat themselves and one another like debris. All three characters have their faults and are clueless about resolving them. At last, their story takes a path they did not wish for or expect. Do things get normal between them or worse? The answers lie in this complicated yet intense story.

A scene from “Two Sisters and a Husband.” (Photo: Tribeca Festival).

The film is directed by Shlok Sharma, who also co-wrote it with Shilpa Srivastava. Speaking of the film’s writing, both writers deserve praise for their approach to the story; it seems simple but touches on multiple subjects perfectly. While we often see films from one perspective more than another that have crafted the story to show both male and female viewpoints. It is keeping the conservative nature of the time and culture on top.

A Work of Pleasing Writing and Direction

Speaking of direction, Shlok Sharma has done an excellent job. I liked his approach to bringing out the taboo subject with the touch of reality, which is often brutal. If one sees the film’s trailer, it will seem like a love triangle gone wrong; but the film is beyond that. It talks about human’s fear, despondency, and inner battles. Silence is also a dialogue, if used rightly. This film shows a great example of it, where we see scenes that use silence to make it potent and authentic. We know that intimacy is often used to showcase the affair. Still, being the director, he shows the same with no intimacy but instead gets work done through their chemistry. The beauty of this film is that it offers its character’s relatable flaws, and the narrative gets interesting as it goes forward, challenging viewers by building the view on the situation.

The story shows how one wishes not to be something but becomes that when they are going through a rough time. The film doesn’t try to give a message nor wants to choose sides; “Two Sisters and a Husband” wants its viewers to interpret it on their own. The film doesn’t take up morality but takes on the reality of life, which is unexpected and unplanned. The cinematography by Arjun Mitra is pitch-perfect, capturing the quietness of mountains which reflect the character’s life. The music by Alif, Rajarshi Sanyal, and Ip Singh does fine work, especially in the climax scene.

A scene rom “Two Sisters and a Husband.” (Photo: Tribeca Festival).

Speaking of actors in the film, lead actor Dinker Sharma — who plays the role of Rajat — is pitch-perfect. He showcases the character’s complexity with his expressions and quietness, which set the right tone for his part. One of the things I noticed in his performance is that when he talks to Tara, he always keeps his head down to showcase his guilt. When he talks to Amrita, he makes eye contact to get her trust. His transition from regular man to hopeless man is flawless and exquisite.

An Impressive, Excruciating Tale

Both debutant Manya Grover (playing Amrita) and Avani Rai (Tara) have done exemplary work. It’s hard to say that it’s their first film. Avani Rai’s acting is fantastic. Her character has not been given heavy dialogue; yet she showcases the intensity of her role through her expressions and tranquility. She showcases her dejections from life and his husband, ideally into his role. Manya Grover beautifully showcases both the charming and vehement quality of her position. Her dialogue delivers ideal. Speaking of the supporting cast, Himanshu Kohli as Bhed Singh is flawless. He effortlessly plays such a complicated role in the scene where he gets a reality check from Rajat. The tears come from his eyes without any blink. It is a fantastic scene showing how good he is as an actor.

“Two sisters and a Husband” is a must-watch the film, something one should not miss. It has everything one will hope for, from good writing and directing to good acting. It’s not the usual story we hope for; it’s something that will touch the viewers differently. Director Shlok Sharma creates an impressive, excruciating tale that will sincerely take hold of its audience. The film left one with many questions and let one decide the answers from him.