Tighee
2026 Indian film by Jeejivisha Kale
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Tighee (transl. Three Women) is a 2026 Indian Marathi-language drama film directed by Jeejivisha Kale in her directorial debut.[2][3] Produced by Coquelicot Pictures and Supri Advertising, the film stars Bharati Achrekar, Nehha Pendse Bayas, and Sonalee Kulkarni in the titular lead roles.[4][5] The film is released on 6 March 2026, coinciding with International Women's Day.[6][7]
Screenplay:
Nikhil Mahajan
Dialogues:
Prajakt Deshmukh
Suhrud Godbole
Nehha Pendse Bayas
Swapnil Bhangale
Shardul Singh Bayas
| Tighee | |
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Jeejivisha Kale |
| Written by | Jeejivisha Kale Screenplay: Nikhil Mahajan Dialogues: Prajakt Deshmukh |
| Produced by | Nikhil Mahajan Suhrud Godbole Nehha Pendse Bayas Swapnil Bhangale Shardul Singh Bayas |
| Starring | Bharati Achrekar Nehha Pendse Bayas Sonalee Kulkarni |
| Cinematography | Milind Jog |
| Edited by | Nikhil Mahajan Hrishikesh Petwe |
| Music by | Advait Nemlekar Nilesh Moharir |
Production companies | Coquelicot Pictures Supri Advertising and Entertainment |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 107 minutes[1] |
| Country | India |
| Language | Marathi |
Plot
The film explores the complex and delicate relationship between a mother and her two daughters.
Hemalata Ranade, an old woman, living in Pune, is suffering from last stage of cancer. She is survived by her two daughters Swati and Sarika. The elder daughter Swati lives in Mumbai with her husband Malhar, who is debt ridden. She has borrowed 20 Lakh rupees from her boss, who repeatedly molests her to take advantage of her situation. Sarika, on the other hand, has stayed back in Pune to look after her mother. She is planning to open a startup with her longtime friend Gandharva. Amidst all this Hemalata's deteriorating condition brings both the sister back together. The unwanted reunion opens up several old wounds, which led to friction between the sisters. Swati is unable to reveal the abuse she is facing from her boss. To add to the misery, Malhar's efforts to improve their situation are proving futile. Sarika, is angry at the fact that she had to sacrifice her career for her mother's sake. But one major question which has been troubling the sisters since ages, is the disappearance of their father. Hemalata raised them as a single mother, constantly saying that their father died in an accident. And now Hemalata is planning to leave her home to stay in hospice, in the last days of her life.
But when Swati happens to re-watch her wedding video, she spots her aged father and confronts Hemalata about it. Finally, she reveals that their father was a pedophile. His actions of bad touch on his own daughters, was the reason why Hemalata separated herself and her daughters from him. She reveals about knowing the abuse that Swati is facing from her boss. She convinces her to leave her job and report him to the authorities. The sisters are shaken with this revelation, and eventually reconcile with their mother.
The next day Hemalata passes away peacefully. After performing the last rites, Swati quits her job and Sarika finally cracks a deal with an investor. And they take the ashes of their mother to a remote village in Konkan, where their now aged father lives alone, unaware of his wife's demise.
Cast
- Bharati Achrekar as Hemlata Ranade
- Mrinmayee Godbole as Young Hemlata
- Nehha Pendse Bayas as Swati Karnik
- Sonalee Kulkarni as Sarika Ranade
- Nipun Dharmadhikari as Gandharva
- Pushkaraj Chirputkar as Malhar Karnik
- Jaimini Pathak as Swati's boss
- Sanjay Mone as Madhusudan Ranade
- Suvrat Joshi as young Madhusudan Ranade
- Sidharth Menon as Sarika's friend
Production
The film was shot within 20 days.[3]
Soundtrack
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Singer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Sharada Sarita" | Jitendra Joshi | Nilesh Moharir | Priyanka Barve | 3:15 |
| 2. | "Haas Jarashi" | Jitendra Joshi | Advait Nemlekar | Sonu Nigam | 3:03 |
| 3. | "Paanha" | Jitendra Joshi | Advait Nemlekar | Sharayu Date | 2:31 |
| 4. | "Paanha Punha" | Jitendra Joshi | Advait Nemlekar | Sharayu Date | 7:56 |
| Total length: | 16:45 | ||||
Release
The film was selected for the competition section of the 24th Pune International Film Festival (PIFF) in 2026, where it was noted for being the only film in the Marathi competition directed by a woman.[8][2]
The first teaser of the film was released on 17 January 2026.[6] The film was released theatrically on 6 March 2026.[4][7]
Reception
Critical response
Nandini Ramnath of Scroll.in writes, "An elephant in the room – a shocking secret – has driven a wedge between Hemalata and Swati. This sensitively handled passage boosts Tighee’s credibility as one of the acutely observed films about childhood trauma and its echoes into adulthood."[9]
Sakshi Salil Chavan of Outlook India rated 4/5 stars and wrote, "The film’s unpredictability carries anxiety, hope and anger, cascading through its screenplay at once."[10] Reshma Raikwar of Loksatta praised the film's strong screenplay, performances, and emotional depth, highlighting Bharati Achrekar, Sonali Kulkarni, and Neha Pendse, along with Adwait Nemlekar's music and Milind Jog's cinematography, describing it as a sincere and heartfelt film.[11]
Santosh Bhingarde of Sakal gave the film 3 out of 5 stars and praised the cinematography by Milind Jog. He noted that the first half progresses slowly, but the narrative gains momentum in the second half and becomes emotionally engaging. He described the film as a sensitive and emotional story with a fluid yet slow-paced narrative.[12]
Accolades
| Awards | Year | Category | Recipient | Result | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York Indian Film Festival | 2026 | Best Screenplay | Nikhil Mahajan, Prajakt Deshmukh | Won | [13] |