Trial Period
Trial Period is a 2023 Indian Hindi-language comedy-drama film co-written and directed by Aleya Sen.[1] The story centers on a single working mother whose life is upended when her inquisitive young son demands they try out a new father figure for a 30-day trial period.[1] Starring Genelia Deshmukh in the lead role as the mother Anamaya, alongside Manav Kaul as the unconventional suitor Prajapati Dwivedi and child actor Zidane Braz as her son Romi, the film explores themes of modern family dynamics, parenting, and unexpected relationships with a mix of humor and heartfelt moments.[2] Supporting roles are played by veteran actors including Gajraj Rao, Shakti Kapoor, and Sheeba Chaddha, adding depth to the ensemble.[3] Produced by Jio Studios and Chrome Pictures, Trial Period premiered directly on the OTT platform JioCinema on July 21, 2023, bypassing a traditional theatrical release. With a runtime of 132 minutes, the film blends light-hearted comedy with dramatic elements, focusing on the evolving bond between the characters during the titular trial.[1] It received generally positive reception for the strong performances, particularly from Deshmukh and Kaul, and its warm portrayal of family issues, though some critics noted the predictable storyline.[4] On IMDb, it holds a user rating of 7.0 out of 10 based on over 8,200 votes as of November 2025, reflecting appreciation for its feel-good narrative.[2]Overview
Premise
Trial Period centers on the unconventional family arrangement proposed by a young child to his divorced single mother, highlighting the challenges of modern parenting in urban India. The story follows Anamaya Roy Choudhary, affectionately called Ana, a dedicated working professional and single parent raising her inquisitive six-year-old son, Romi, in the bustling city of Delhi.[5][6] When Romi, feeling the absence of a father figure, insists on finding a replacement through a dating app-like process, Ana is thrust into an awkward experiment: selecting a temporary "father" for a 30-day trial period to address her son's emotional needs.[2][4] Set against the backdrop of contemporary urban India, the film explores evolving family dynamics amid the rise of digital dating culture and the pressures faced by single parents balancing careers and childcare. Ana's initial reluctance stems from the trauma of her past divorce and the demands of her high-pressure job, which leaves little room for such disruptions in their stable, if unconventional, routine.[7][8] This setup introduces the central conflict of reconciling a child's innocent yet persistent demand with an adult's guarded realities, without delving into the trial's outcomes.[9]Themes
The film Trial Period delves into the challenges of single parenthood within Indian society, highlighting the societal stigma faced by unmarried mothers and the relentless demands of balancing professional ambitions with child-rearing responsibilities. It portrays the emotional toll of judgment from extended family and community, where single mothers like the protagonist often seek external validation to normalize their family unit, without idealizing their struggles as mere triumphs.[10][4] This exploration underscores how work-life imbalances exacerbate isolation, forcing single parents to navigate unconventional support systems amid cultural expectations of traditional nuclear families.[11] Central to the narrative is a critique of arranged marriages versus modern dating practices, embodied by the "trial period" arrangement as a metaphor for testing relational compatibility in an era of evolving romantic norms. This concept challenges the rigidity of arranged unions prevalent in Indian culture by proposing a pragmatic, temporary evaluation of partnerships, akin to a probationary phase that allows for mutual assessment without lifelong commitments.[7] The film subtly contrasts this with the pressures of contemporary dating, where superficial judgments often hinder deeper connections, advocating for a hybrid approach that blends tradition with flexibility.[4] Through the trial father dynamic, Trial Period examines emotional growth in non-traditional relationships, stressing the transformative power of unconditional love and the necessity of forgiveness to foster lasting bonds. Characters evolve by confronting personal insecurities, learning to embrace vulnerability as a pathway to genuine affection, which redefines family beyond biological ties.[11] This theme emphasizes how forgiveness—particularly in reconciling past separations—enables healing and the formation of supportive, unconventional households.[8] The movie offers a nuanced commentary on child psychology, illustrating the profound effects of parental separation on young minds, such as feelings of abandonment and the yearning for a stable paternal figure. It subtly depicts how children internalize societal ideals of family, leading to emotional distress that influences their self-perception and social interactions, while advocating for adaptive parenting to mitigate these impacts.[4] This portrayal highlights the importance of addressing a child's psychological needs through empathetic, non-traditional interventions rather than rigid conformity to gender-specific roles.[11]Production
Development
The development of Trial Period began with director Aleya Sen's concept originating in 2014, inspired by the desire to explore single-parent dynamics and spark conversations around societal taboos related to unconventional family structures, much like the approach in films such as Badhaai Ho. Sen, who transitioned from advertising to filmmaking and made her directorial debut with the 2018 romantic comedy Dil Juunglee, drew from her writing background to craft a narrative centered on a single mother's challenges. The script, co-written by Sen alongside Shiv Singh and Akshat Trivedi, evolved over several years, emphasizing authentic portrayals of emotional and practical hurdles faced by single parents.[12][13] Key creative decisions focused on blending light-hearted comedy with dramatic elements to handle sensitive topics like single motherhood and the quest for family stability, avoiding didactic tones in favor of relatable, humorous scenarios that highlight relational complexities without preachiness. This approach allowed the story to address themes of divorce and parental roles through a whimsical "trial father" premise, prioritizing character-driven storytelling over high-stakes spectacle. The project, produced by Jyoti Deshpande, Hemant Bhandari, Amit Ravindernath Sharma, and Aleya Sen under Chrome Pictures in collaboration with Jio Studios.[12]Casting
Director Aleya Sen selected Genelia Deshmukh to portray the lead role of single mother Anamaya Roy Choudhry (Ana) in Trial Period, marking Deshmukh's return to Hindi cinema after a 10-year hiatus from lead roles.[14] Sen approached Deshmukh first for the part, citing her natural warmth and relatable everyman appeal as ideal for bringing authenticity to the character's motherhood struggles.[15] To prepare, Deshmukh consulted numerous single parents to understand their daily challenges, enhancing the role's grounded portrayal, while drawing from her own experiences as a mother of two.[16][17] For the role of the "trial father" Prajapati Dwivedi (PD), Sen cast Manav Kaul, praising his versatile and transformative performances in prior works that lent a nuanced, everyday quality to the character.[15] Sen had anticipated Kaul might decline the unconventional premise but was relieved when he accepted, noting his ability to infuse depth into relatable, ordinary figures.[18] The child role of Ana's son Romi was filled by newcomer Zidane Braz, selected to embody the character's innocence and sharp wit amid the family's dynamics. Supporting actors, including Gajraj Rao as the comic-relief uncle Shrivastava (Fufaji), were chosen to add layers of familial humor and emotional resonance, complementing the leads' grounded performances.[13] Casting emphasized achieving natural on-screen chemistry over star-driven pairings, with Deshmukh and Kaul developing an easy rapport within days of rehearsals, allowing their interactions to feel organic and unforced.[19] This approach balanced the ensemble's star power—drawing from veterans like Shakti Kapoor and Sheeba Chaddha—with authentic relational dynamics central to the story's exploration of makeshift family bonds.Filming
Principal photography for Trial Period took place from late 2022 to early 2023, primarily in Mumbai and surrounding areas.[5] Key locations included urban apartments, offices, and parks, selected to reflect the everyday life of an Indian middle-class family.[5] Post-production, with editing focused on balancing humor and emotional pacing, was completed by mid-2023.[20]Cast and Characters
Main Cast
Genelia Deshmukh as Anamaya "Ana" Roy ChoudharyGenelia Deshmukh stars as Anamaya Roy Choudhary, commonly known as Ana, a resilient single mother in Delhi who balances a high-pressure career as an architect with the challenges of raising her young son. Her character embodies determination and vulnerability, serving as the emotional anchor of the family unit.[2][5] Manav Kaul as Prajapati Dwivedi
Manav Kaul plays Prajapati Dwivedi, a simple and kind-hearted man from Ujjain who enters the household as an unconventional "dad-on-hire" during a one-month trial period. His awkward yet genuine demeanor introduces humor and warmth, gradually influencing the family's interactions through his unpretentious approach to bonding.[21] Zidane Braz as Romi Roy Choudhary
Zidane Braz portrays Romi Roy Choudhary, Ana's clever and outspoken six-year-old son whose insistence on finding a replacement father propels the narrative forward. As the catalyst for the trial arrangement, Romi's perceptive demands highlight themes of childhood needs and family reconfiguration, adding layers to the evolving household dynamics.[22] Together, these principal characters explore interpersonal connections in a makeshift family setup, with Ana's steadfastness providing stability, Prajapati's sincerity fostering unexpected growth, and Romi's initiative challenging conventional roles without resolving into traditional structures.[4]