Animal gave Triptii different level of success: Maa Behen director Suresh Triveni

Netflix's Maa Behen, starring Madhuri Dixit and Triptii Dimri, has struck a chord with viewers, sparking conversations around family dynamics, gender roles, patriarchy and a woman's everyday struggles. In an exclusive conversation, director Suresh Triveni told India Today that the response has exceeded his expectations, while also sharing why Triptii Dimri was always his choice for the film and why he believes audiences connect more with stories than sermons.

Much of the conversation around Maa Behen centred on Triptii Dimri, whose performance as Jaya, particularly a monologue in which she finally confronts her good-for-nothing husband was widely praised as the film's standout moment. Many viewers felt it marked a return to the actor seen in Bulbbul and Qala.

While Triveni understood that perception, he disagreed with the suggestion that her talent had gone unnoticed.

"I think it's a little unfair because Triptii has always pushed herself as an actor. She did Laila Majnu, Bulbbul and Qala very early in her career and those were defining performances. Of course, Animal gave her a different level of visibility and success, which now allows her to choose the kind of films she wants to do. But I've always believed in her talent," he said.

Triveni revealed that he and writer Puja Tolani had approached Dimri before Animal was released.

"At the time we approached her, Animal hadn't even released yet. Puja and I flew to Bhopal to narrate the script to her while she was shooting another project. The moment she learnt Madhuri ma'am was playing her mother, she immediately said yes," he recalled.

He also praised Dimri's range as a performer. "Actors who can convincingly portray intense, serious emotions often make excellent comedians. Anger, for instance, is one of the funniest emotions when viewed from a distance. Triptii is a tremendous actor and one of the most exciting talents working today," he added.

'Response has been overwhelming'

When Maa Behen landed on Netflix on June 4, Triveni wasn't entirely sure what to expect. He'd had releases before. He knew how these things usually go. But this one, he said, has been something else.

"The response has been overwhelming. I'm not saying this lightly, but this has genuinely gone through the ceiling," the director told India Today. "I initially thought it was just my Instagram algorithm showing me Maa Behen content every third post. But recently, while I was on an ad shoot, I checked the feeds of some colleagues and realised that the chatter is very real," he added.

The film, which stars Madhuri Dixit, Triptii Dimri and Dharna Durga as three women navigating a suffocating household, has struck a nerve with audiences in a way that few films about everyday domestic life manage to. The conversations it has sparked, Triveni said, have been deeply personal.

"Some of the messages and posts have been deeply emotional and moving. If a film manages to touch even one person and make them relate to it, that's a huge achievement," said the filmmaker.

No lectures, please

One of the aspects audiences responded to most strongly was how the film dealt with sexism and patriarchy without ever feeling like a lecture. Triveni said that was entirely deliberate.

"I belong to the school of filmmakers like Rajkumar Hirani, where the first responsibility is to entertain and engage the audience. Puja Sarup and I were very aware that nobody likes being preached to. Even growing up, if someone started lecturing me, I would immediately tune out," he said.

The goal, he explained, was always to let the message arrive quietly. "Any message should come as an aftertaste. You can't dictate what people should feel – they need to discover it themselves, whether that's immediately after watching the film or the next morning," said the 50-year-old director.

Finding Dharna Durga

The third corner of the film's central trio is Dharna Durga, a largely unknown face who holds her own opposite two of India's popular actors. Her casting, Triveni said, came down to an audition he still remembered clearly.

"We wanted someone completely fresh. Puja introduced me to some of her online content. Initially, I thought she was simply funny, but once she auditioned, I realised she was a terrific actor. During her second audition, she arrived with coriander leaves as a prop and completely owned the scene. I didn't audition anyone else after that," he said.

According to Triveni, the chemistry between the three actors was built through preparation and workshops. "Madhuri ma'am played a huge role in making everyone comfortable. We also conducted workshops with actor and theatre practitioner Puja Sarup, which helped build trust and familiarity. What audiences see on screen is the result of all that preparation," said Triveni.

The title and what it carries

Choosing Maa Behen as the title was a conscious decision, Triveni said, and one he had arrived at early in the writing process.

"The title came very early. The first scene I wrote for the film was the phone call sequence back in 2018, and around that time I realised the film was fundamentally about a mother and two daughters. Growing up in Ranchi, I was very aware of the phrase and its connotations. I was very clear that I didn't want to use it as a gimmick. It felt organic rather than provocative for the sake of attention," he explained.

Asked what he'd want audiences to take away from Maa Behen, Triveni said he preferred not to dictate how viewers interpreted the film.

"I'm not really in control of what people remember. But I hope the film leaves an aftertaste. If it stays with them until the next morning, if it makes them think about their own lives, smile at something familiar or look at the world a little differently – that's enough. If a film can entertain you, make you laugh and also make you think, there's nothing better than that," he said.

Maa Behen is currently streaming on Netflix.