Storyline: Tighee is the story of two sisters and their ageing mother. Swati (Neha Pendse Bayas), who hails from Pune, has been staying in Mumbai after getting married to Malhar (Pushkaraj Chirputkar). She is forced to work under a pervert boss (Jaimini Pathak) as she owes him a large amount of money loaned for her husband’s business, which didn’t take off.
One day, Swati is forced to visit her childhood home in Pune after she gets to know that her mother Hemalata (Bharti Achrekar) is diagnosed with Cancer. Swati’s younger sister Sarika (Sonalee Kulkarni) has a grudge against her for ignoring her mother all these years while she was looking after her. How the family copes up during such testing times while dealing with their own issues forms the rest of the film.
Review: Dramas about dysfunctional families or families with grudges have been a regular feature in various languages in Indian cinema. Tighee is also a family drama that tackles issues between three family members. However, it stands apart as it’s a modern saga that takes a contemporary route. While the yesteryear family dramas mostly revolved around conflicts between sons, this one features two daughters. Even the issues between them are new age as they are independent in their own journeys.
Apart from the characters and the storyline, what makes Tighee a product of 2026 is its making. Debutant director Jeejivisha Kale has presented the drama in a new-age manner. Even the high points in the narrative are devoid of any melodrama. She has displayed maturity in her first feature film itself. She is ably supported by the nuanced and mature writing.
Milind Jog’s camerawork, Advait Nemlekar’s background score and Nikhil Mahajan and Hrishikesh Petwe’s editing also play major roles in giving a modern touch to the film and its proceedings. These departments become more notable during the subplot of a character presumed dead years ago.
Tighee is also a rare family drama where there is just no God-worshipping, mention of any God or the presence of a temple in the house despite the family being quite rooted.
The veteran Bharti Achrekar is fully dedicated as a senior citizen who has seen life in its various shades. She switches across different emotions and moods with ease. Sonalee Kulkarni plays a tough woman convincingly. Neha Pendse Bayas succeeds in showing her vulnerable as well as stronger side.
Jaimini Pathak is believable as the pervert boss. Pushkaraj Chirputkar and Nipun Dharmadhikari offer fine support and so do Mrunmayee Godbole, Suvrat Joshi and Sanjay Mone in cameos.
Tighee is devoid of major flipsides. The proceedings could have been crisper in the latter part of the second half. During a 9-year old flashback scene, all three characters surprisingly look the same.
Overall: Tighee is a moving family drama told through a modern lens.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Director: Jeejivisha Kale
Producers: Coquelicot Pictures and Supri Advertising & Entertainment
Writers: Nikhil Mahajan and Prajakt Deshmukh
Cast: Bharti Achrekar, Sonalee Kulkarni and Neha Pendse Bayas
Also read: Khalid Ka Shivaji review: Worth watching for its portrayal of current social reality
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