Trikal (Past, Present and Future) is a 1985 Indian movie written and directed by  Shyam Benegal, set in Goa  during the twilight of Portuguese rule, It marked the return of Leela Naidu  in her first film appearance since 1969. A Goan native returns to his now-derelict, palatial childhood home, recalling his family’s interpersonal drama during the end of Portuguese rule.

In the 1980s, Ruiz Pariera (Naseeruddin Shah) returns to Souza Soares after a long stint abroad. He taken aback at the changes that has taken place in the Goa of his youth. Set in the Portuguese Goa in 1961 shortly before the colony’s liberation by the Indian army and shown in the form of flashbacks.

Anna Souza-Suarez is unwillingly engaged to a young man named Erasmo when her grandfather Ernesto suddenly dies. The engagement is put on hold indefinitely as Anna’s grief stricken grandmother, Dona Maria (Leela Naidu), the matriarch of the family attempts to hold seances to contact Ernesto with the help of her maid Milagrinia. However, the seances bring forth the apparitions of various people the family has wronged in the past. Shortly after a visitation by a spirit of an Indian rebel beheaded by Dona Maria’s grandfather in a case of mistaken identity. Leon, Anna’s lover, a fugitive is hidden in the cellar of the family home.

Trikal is based in Goa during the Goan liberation period and the politics is reflected in the personal lives of very well to do Goan family. The film essentially about past, present and future of the same family. Film has great women characters. It is shot in Mario Miranda’s mansion which is excessively beautiful, the film really excels in the colours, lights and cinematography departments. The shots on the movie is on par with the likes impressive stuff. Hindi language spoken by Goans did introduce some alienation from the context and also the movie title could have had a Goan touch. Trikal revolves around a Goan Christian family called “Souza Soares”, set in the turbulent 1960s when the Portuguese rule in Goa is taking its last breaths.

This relatively little known film from Benegal is wonderfully details with multilayered storytelling and characterisation. It has a dark sense of humour portrayed through the characters who are weirdly unique in varying degrees. The actors have done well, especially Leena Naidu and Neena Gupta, who is perhaps in her finest role ever.

A film with the most amazing cinematography by Ashok Mehta and wonderful story telling by the genius Shyam Benegal. One of the high points of this film is the brilliant use of lighting.  Along with the music, the lights and shadows form the heart and soul of the film.

Film won National Film Award for Best Direction (Shyam Benegal) and Best Costume Design (Saba Zaidi). The film was selected for the Indian Panorama at Filmotsav 1986, and for the Indian Film Retrospective, Lisbon 1986. It was later invited to the London Film Festival 1986.

Photos courtesy Google. Excerpts taken from Google.