Teenkahon

Teenkahon (Three Obsessions) is a 2014 Indian Bengali anthology film directed by Bauddhayan Mukherji. The film revolves around three separate stories, each delving into different shades of obsession, connected by a discursive perspective on love and relationships. With a running time of 124 minutes, Teenkahon presents beautiful tales about love, fidelity, and the complexities of human relationships, providing a retrospective view on the changing values of love from the early 20th century to the present day.

Teenkahon’s ensemble cast of impressive actors led by Suman Mukhopadhyay, Kharaj Mukherjee, and Ratan Sarkhel bring life and depth to their respective stories. The film also stars Monalisa Dasgupta, Rituparna Sengupta, and Dhritiman Chatterjee, each lending their unique skills to the complex characters they embody. Each story is set in different periods of time, highlighting the changing values of Indian society, demonstrating the deep, reflexive style of Mukherji’s direction.

The first story, titled ‘Nabalok’, set in the ’80s, is an 8-year-old’s narrative about an illicit relationship between a man and a woman in a small village. This tale, framed in the rural backdrop provides a keen exploration of puppy love as seen by the boy and accentuated by the tension within adult relationships. The child’s innocent perspective paints a humane picture of the otherwise frowned-upon extramarital affair.

The second story in the anthology, ‘Post Mortem’ is set in the ’70s. It revolves around two friends, exploring their bond, rivalry, and ultimate competition for the same woman. This section of the film draws its narrative tensions from the psychological dramas of friendship and male competitiveness. Here, Mukherji takes the viewers through the raw emotions of jealousy and obsession, displaying the intricate nuances of friendship and love.

The third story titled ‘Telephone’ is set in current times and depicts modern love and its complexities. The plot revolves around a married couple and their intermingled relationship with their past loves, shaded by the constantly evolving nature of technology. The characters are seen struggling with their past, present, and piety, leaving audiences contemplating the complexities of contemporary love.

Director Bauddhayan Mukherji seamlessly arranges these stories to script a larger narrative of love, longing, and obsession, intricately weaving them into a fabric of socio-cultural changes. Through the framing of these three distinct yet connected stories, Teenkahon generates a discourse on the idea of love: its evolution, its obsessions, and its implications on the individuals involved.

The film’s cinematography is exquisite in painting vivid landscapes and scenes associated with each period. From the languid charm of the villages in the 1980s to the vibrant colors of the 1970s, to the digitized, fast-paced existence of the present day, each frame evokes the time it represents. The music, too, syncs well with the narrative and mood of each story.

Through Teenkahon, Mukherji puts forth a reflection of changing perspectives about fidelity, love, and passion. His film carries a unique edge, as seen in its choice of narrative device – three distinctive tales finding a confluence. The stories told through the lens of children, friends, and spouses underlines an intriguing exploration of the human mind under the various degrees of romantic obsession.

In conclusion, Teenkahon is an intimate portrait of romantic relationships deeply embedded in their temporal settings. This anthology, with its deep dive into intersecting lives and the evolving ethics of love through the ages, provides an experience worth delving into for lovers of nuanced romantic narratives and thoughtful cinema. With compelling storytelling and exceptional performances by its ensemble cast, Teenkahon is a much-needed commentary on love’s many faces and the obsessions they give rise to.