Three brothers, each living with a different disability, one who cannot see, one who cannot speak, and one who is mentally challenged, run their lives on romance, mischief and stubborn optimism. A bungled turn of events drags them into a stolen-diamond mess that is far bigger than they are. Hunted by dangerous men, the trio has to find a way out with help from a young woman who crosses their path.
3 Doba, subtitled Three Mistakes Of God, is a 2016 Gujarati comedy from writer-director Nishith Brahmbhatt, who also plays one of the leads. The hook is unusual for a mainstream Dhollywood release. Three brothers, each living with a different disability, one blind, one unable to speak, one mentally challenged, run their days on romance, mischief and hope. When a fumbled encounter pulls them into a stolen-diamond racket, the film slides from slice-of-life comedy into a caper the trio is comically unequipped to survive.
Reception has been modest but affectionate. It carries a 6.7 rating on IMDb, and the handful of user reviews there lean warm, praising it as clean, family-safe entertainment with a soft emotional core rather than sharp filmmaking. That reads fair. Brahmbhatt is aiming for feel-good over edgy, and the bond between the brothers gives the middle stretch its best moments. Rumi Baria's songs and Ashish Prajapati's wide-frame camerawork help it look bigger than its budget.
The weaknesses are the ones this kind of film usually carries. At well over two and a half hours it runs long for such a slight story, the diamond plot leans on convenient coincidence, and the disability angle is played more for gentle laughs than for real insight, so sentiment sometimes thickens into melodrama. Taken on its own terms as undemanding, wholesome comedy for a family audience, it mostly delivers what it sets out to. Go in for the warmth and the novelty of its premise, not for tight plotting, and 3 Doba is a pleasant, low-stakes watch that means well and largely lands its heart.
Verdict
A good-natured, clean Gujarati comedy whose unusual three-brother premise and easy warmth outweigh its overlong, formula-driven storytelling.
What works
- Unusual premise built around three differently-abled brothers
- Clean, family-friendly humour
- Earnest performances anchor the emotional beats
- Songs and camerawork lift the production above its budget
What holds it back
- Overlong for such a slight story
- Diamond plot leans on convenient coincidence
- Sentiment tips into melodrama
- Disability is used more for laughs than real insight
Cast & crew
Writers: Nishith Brahmbhatt (screenplay, dialogue), Mrugesh Desai (story)
Music: Rumi Baria
Cast: Nirav Mashruwala (Nayan), Nishith Brahmbhatt (Karan), Chetan Daiya, Shivani Purohit, Anna Khranenko
Producers: Shashikant Shah
Watch the trailer
Play the official trailer on YouTubeMore from Nishith Brahmbhatt
More Comedy Gujarati films
Frequently asked
Is 3 Doba - Three Mistakes Of God worth watching?
A good-natured, clean Gujarati comedy whose unusual three-brother premise and easy warmth outweigh its overlong, formula-driven storytelling. Kevu Che rates it 3 out of 5.
What is 3 Doba - Three Mistakes Of God about?
Three brothers, each living with a different disability, one who cannot see, one who cannot speak, and one who is mentally challenged, run their lives on romance, mischief and stubborn optimism. A bungled turn of events drags them into a stolen-diamond mess that is far bigger than they are. Hunted by dangerous men, the trio has to find a way out with help from a young woman who crosses their path.
What is the IMDb rating of 3 Doba - Three Mistakes Of God?
3 Doba - Three Mistakes Of God (2016) holds an IMDb rating of 6.7 out of 10.