Tribhuvan Mishra CA Topper: A Showcase of Human Needs

 

Tribhuvan Mishra CA Topper: A Showcase of Human Needs

 

Dr. Ram Prakash Gupt

Assistant Professor

Department of English

CMP College

 University of Allahabad, Prayagraj

Uttar Pradesh, India

 

Abstract: The present Paper discusses how Tribhuvan Mishra CA Topper is a moving, cinematic representation of human demands and moral compromise in contemporary India. The series, which stars Manav Kaul in a dazzling performance, tells the story of Tribhuvan Mishra, an honest, middle-class chartered accountant who excelled in his exams before a banking crisis sent him into financial despair. The morally upright protagonist, facing the looming collapse of his family’s security, home, education, and basic sustenance in danger, and begins a covert career as a male escort under the satirical pen name ‘CA Topper.’ The aim of the study is to depict Tribhuvan’s double life and his emotional connection, desire, and sense of belonging, particularly from the perspective of his female clients who seek validation outside social norms.

 

Keywords: Society, finance, desire, need, relationship, morality

 

Tribhuvan Mishra CA Topper is a 2024 Netflix original thriller series directed by Puneet Krishna, “mad genius” (IMDb). It is a story about a man who breaks societal and personal boundaries in desperate circumstances. Tribhuvan Mishra, a brilliant Chartered Accountant (CA), works as an honest government officer in Noida, India. He’s a middle-class family man who trashes bribes in a corrupt system. It is very much pathetic that an honest man faces a banking crisis, forcing him into financial ruin. In order to support his family, he secretly starts an odd job, a male escort or sex worker for elite women, ‘a gigolo,’ which is considered taboo in Indian society. “The biggest differentiator in this series about a chartered accountant who lives and works in Noida, is not just that he is an honest sarkaaribabu (what’s that) but that he has a god-given talent for making women very, very happy” (Gupta). This paper examines essential human wants, such as survival, belongings, respect, and the complex realities of morality and desire. In the context of need, Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is essential to connect with the present study. It is “a motivational theory in psychology comprising a five-tier model of human needs, often depicted as hierarchical levels within a pyramid. Needs lower down in the hierarchy must be satisfied before individuals can attend to needs higher up” (McLeod). These are physiological needs, safety needs, love and belonging, esteem needs, and self-actualization.

In this world, everyone has a burning desire to achieve something in life. Sometimes it is about achieving the unachievable, culminating in an urgent phenomenon. It is not about the upper or middle class of society; it is about every individual who craves for some solace and comfort in his or her life. A human being works and runs all the way for happiness and satisfaction, and also thinks about the well-being and comfort, which curates the true meaning of human life. This web series is all around a poignant picture of a society where one struggles in the search for happiness and true self. Almost every character of the series struggles to be awarded either by society or by self-consummation. Here, every pang of human emotion is in search of identity and encapsulates contentment. It is clearly visible between the conversation of Teeka Ram and Bindi: Teeka Ram asked, “Why do you get so hot and bothered when you watch these film heroes,” Bindi? (“Episode 1” 05:20-05:26).Bindi replied, “because these heroes know how to make love. In the movies, even after many years of marriage, the heroes and heroines know how to spice up their lives” (“Episode 1” 05:27-05:37).

If one thinks about male, this society, Indian society, which is considered to be male-dominated, and the male is measured for the family for the whole bread and butter. He should be capable of fulfilling even the dreams of his family members. He has to think not only about the expenses of his children’s education and the expectations of his wife, but as a head of the family, he is bound to think about the hospital expenses and fulfill the dreams of his old parents. His parents are asking money from Tribhuvan Mishra to repair their house in the village and suggest him to earn unathorised way, “if you took money under the table, you would not need to arrange anything. You were the topper in the CA exam. You should not be living hand-to-mouth like this. Something good should come of it. You would’ve been better off in a private job” (“Episode 1” 15:30-15:42). It is also pertinent that “his refusal to take bribes earns him the title of ‘Chugad’ (fool) from everyone around him which makes him immensely sad and forces him to rethink his ideologies” (Datta).

The hero of this web series, Tribhuvan Mishra, is driven by a desire to meet the needs of every individual in his family. It is about his parents who seek to build their house in the village. His wife, Ashoklata, apart from emotional and physical needs, is seeking financial support from her husband to open her bakery shop. His son and daughter want “cheese popcorn… caramel” (“Episode 1” 04:45-04:46), and they have their own desires to be fulfilled, whether it’s the school fee or new shoes. In between, Mr. Tribhuvan’s office has a different goal: his manager, Ram Babu Varshney, suppresses his natural instincts and keeps him silent about the corruption at the Noida Town Planning Board. Tribhuvan is experiencing significant challenges due to substantial debt and an ongoing banking crisis. All lead a man to take a drastic decision for his career and become a male prostitute, which is highly unethical and unacceptable in society.

Here, Human motivation moves from basic physiological needs to higher-level growth demands, as explained by Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. “Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is a motivational theory that explains how human needs build from basic to complex. It proposes that people must first meet essential physiological and safety needs before they can focus on higher-level needs like belonging, esteem, and self-actualization” (Cherry). Through his service, Tribhuvan found his identity and was freed from the burden of being Chugad (a fool). This opinion is appropriate, “one may make love not only for pure sexual release, but also to convince one’s self of one’s masculinity, or to make a conquest, to feel powerful, or to win more basic affection” (Maslow 39-40).

In several literary texts, money is glorified (in the context of emotional needs), and its benefits are emphasized. Money “shields you, feeds you the potent drug of independence, grants you time and choices” (Adichie 285), “if you have money you can buy time and have good love making that makes you feel good, too. You feel beautiful, in control, and this equals happiness” (Dai 11). But in this web series, emotional needs are overshadowed by finances. It is evident that in Bindi’s case, she is rich and lives in luxury, but she is not receiving emotional warmth from her husband, Teeka Ram Jain. In episode one, Bindi wishes to go Mussoorie, Teeka Ram says, “go ahead. Have I stopped you?... you go to Mussoorie. Tell me if you need more money” (“Episode 1” 16:45-17:15). But Bindi is upset because she is denied by the company of her husband. Here, it is clearly evident that emotional needs are more important than money. It is also true that Teeka Ram realized that luxury is secondary in the sense of emotion when he says to Dhaincha and Lappu, his assistant, “…but the man (Tribhuvan) danced so well, buddy. Danced for Bindi” (“Episode 5” 03:52-03:55) “…he managed to do what your Bhabhi used to expect from me” (“Episode 8” 20:29-20:33).

In this series (in the female context), women want different things at different stages of their lives. In the case of Bindi, she is attached to Tribhuvan because her husband Teeka Ram is the classic stoic/alpha type (emotionally unreachable gangster cum sweet shop owner). Whereas, Tribhuvan shows vulnerability, awkwardness, care, and an emotional presence that deeply draws her in and fills a void in her marriage. But he is not emotionally connected to her, “lots of women out there want stoic and lots of them want men who can show when they feel overwhelmed” (Adichie 297).As Tribhuvan’s escort client, Bindi develops love and sexual feelings for him. She becomes deeply in love with him. Here, Maslow appropriately says:

One thing that must be stressed at this point is that love is not synonymous with sex. Sex may be studied as a purely physiological need. Ordinarily sexual behavior is multi-determined, that is to say, determined not only by sexual but also by other needs, chief among which are the love and affection needs. Also not to be overlooked is the fact that the love needs involve both giving and receiving love. (24)

This is the reason Bindi says to Tribhuvan, “you give me both, so much pleasure and happiness too” (“Episode 4” 28:42-28:46) although their relationship is primarily transactional, it eventually takes an emotional dimension that lead to problems, jealousy, and story developments involving her husband. This duality of life leads him to dive into lies, murder, gang activity, and moral lapses.

This series clearly pointed out that physical needs are pivotal, but they should also have warmth and emotional comfort. Therefore, the philosophy of Maslow is important, “love and affection, as well as their possible expression in sexuality, are generally looked upon with ambivalence and are customarily hedged about with many restrictions and inhibitions” (24). It is not only about the Bindi but other ladies from the upper strata of society seek complete sexual fulfillment outside of their marriage. A woman complains about her husband, “he thinks of me as a machine. Sex is not just about having children, you know?(“Episode 3” 50:18-50:32).It is also important to quote here the philosophy of D. H. Lawrence, sex to him, “does not mean only copulation. Sex is the whole process of systole and diastole – ‘the balance of male and female in the universe’” (Nazareth, 39).Here, Puneet Krishna rightly says, “the pleasure of the human body is something that definitely should be discussed because it is something which is a very important part of life, in my opinion, the way we derive pleasure from eating good food or watching good movies or wearing good clothes is exactly the same, in my opinion” (Jha).

The show normalises conversations about the ‘pleasure of the human body,’ according to Puneet Krishna, and depicts the protagonist’s journey with subtlety rather than sensationalism, “I think the story is much, much more about much, much more than servicing women sexually. It is much more about understanding women per se in the show and trying to do things to, you know, support his family, come out of a crisis, survive as a middle-class common man. So, I think the story was much more than a gigolo in that sense” (Jha). Tribhuvan’s decision exposed the hollowness of the modern female world and her insatiable, unfulfilled desire. They need sexual, emotional, and psychological support in order to lead a satisfactory life.

This discussion also raises questions and puts forth a debate about the condition and satisfaction of Indian female counterparts, where sexual freedom is almost neglected and ill omen or bad spoken. Religious customs, caste systems, patriarchal standards, and conservative family values have long shaped Indian society and frequently interpret female sexuality in terms of marriage and procreation. For many women, open discussion of sexual desire or autonomy has historically been restricted by ideas like honour, modesty, and arranged marriages. It is really interesting to go into the 1996 Fire movie by Deepa Mehta, where, as a part of moksha or free from earthly desire, Ashok (Kulbhushan Kharbanda) “forces his wife to lie beside him on the bed so as to prove to himself—according to Gandhian tradition—his ‘powers of resisting sensual desires’. Radha, to all appearance a traditional woman, consents to her husband’s demand, but the viewer can clearly sense the burning sense of injustice consuming her” (Wijegunasingha). In this series, Episode 9, Lajwanti, being a widow for many years, has been deprived of physical needs in her youth, realising the role of a gigolo. She says to Ashoklata, “why didn’t we have this in my time? I kept longing in silence after your Papa passed away” (46:36-46:44).

 This series also embarks on a journey into a hidden agenda about society that never speaks. It is the need for female orgasm that every male should think seriously about. In this modern mechanical world, where male do not have proper time for their family, are not available to understand the happiness of their female counterparts, especially in bed, for one reason or another, so they think about other options to get pleasure, “…it (the orgasm) can be normalized in a decent, within the boundary way, why not? I would say, of course, yes, it should be normalized. It should be discussed more. It should be a part of the discourse… I think that is something which is not so often talked about,…” (Jha).Ashoklata clearly mentions to her husband, Tribhuvan, “you really know what a woman wants. You care about my pleasure more than your own. Not all men care this way… If there’s over a love-making competition. I am sure you’ll win a gold medal”(“Episode 1” 27:50-28:20).

Tribhuvan is under the influence of self-realization because he is not only influenced by the philosophy of give and take, but he is mentally relaxed, believing he is not harming anyone and that clients are happy and satisfied. In this series, it is clearly seen that Desi Ghoda’s advice in episode three of the series “focuses on how women appreciate honesty, and he asks Mishra to write in bold letters: ‘This is the only business that does not discriminate: caste, religion, colour, age, weight’” (Datta). Mishra starts out as an escort and constantly battles his moral principles. He can hardly look at his female clients during initial encounters, and he refuses to accept payment because he cannot serve them in a way that reflects his ideals, “but since I didn’t give anything, how can I take anything?”(“Episode 3” 15:34-15:37).

Tribhuvan’s clients gradually open up to him as his confidence grows, sharing stories of emotionally distant husbands, their experiences as survivors of domestic abuse, and their darkest fears. The audience can see him in simple acts of intimacy, such as sitting next to them and helping them apply nail paint and ointment on their wounds. These acts of emotional connection lead him to achieve a new kind of discovery and fulfillment. It is evident from the conversation with his wife, Ashoklata, in the context of CA Topper, who provides services to ladies. She says, “ladies were all in praise of him. They were saying he’s amazing in bed. And he’s a very good listener… he understands women really well. And that everybody keeps going back to him. They said, ‘There’s no one like him in the whole of Noida.’ And there’s something special about him” (“Episode 4” 42:13-42:49). In Episode 9 of the series, Bindi talks to Dhaincha about him in these words, “he was so tender and yet so strong. He laughed with me, but he could also be intense. But sometimes, he would touch me gently, and sometimes, his arm would hold me tight. He was like the hero in my film…” (06:32-06:46).

Thus, in this series, financial ruin resulting from the banking crisis poses a direct threat to the protagonist. It questions food security, children’s education, and overall family stability. Tribhuvan’s decision to work as a gigolo represents a survival strategy. It arranges physiological security over self-esteem or moral deliberations. The middle-class perspective deepens this predicament, as better performance in Chartered Accountancy examinations provides no protection within a flawed system. Family responsibilities place significant pressure on Tribhuvan, a family man. His double life generates interpersonal strain. The series also forefronts female sexual desire and emotional intimacy, who seek validation beyond set social boundaries. Tribhuvan’s temporary success as an escort boosts his self-esteem, enabling him to fight his manager and the deceitful system. The series works as a critique of society. It teaches how corruption, greed, and middle-class potential undermine ethical principles.

It probes the possibility of self-actualisation for an honest man. The plot also addresses gender dynamics, women’s agency, their desires, and familial pressures. It shows how immoral choices sometimes can be more logical. Tribhuvan Mishra CA Topper, uses dark humour to highlight the absurdity of human life. It is a tale of the destiny of a common man: once he is in a bad move or in the bad shoe, he faces several challenges. He always tries to give extra, whether to a family or a client.

 

Works Cited

 

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Dai, Mamang. Stupid Cupid. Penguin Random House India, 2009.

Datta,Nayanika. “Netflix’s Tribhuvan Mishra CA Topper: A Refreshing Take on Female Pleasure.” Feminism in India, 1 August, 2024, https://feminisminindia.com/2024/08/05/netflixs-tribhuvan-mishra-ca-topper-a-refreshing-take-on-female-pleasure/.Accessed 11 June2026.

Gupta, Shubhra. “Tribhuvan Mishra CA Topper review: ManavKaul’s Series Puts Women on Top and Upends the Men.” Screen, 18 July, 2024, https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/web-series/tribhuvan-mishra-ca-topper-review-manav-kaul-50-shades-contrived-series-9460854/.Accessed 09 June 2026.

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“Manav Kaul & Tillotama Shome Ask Each Other Anything.” IMDb, 23 July, 2024, https://www.imdb.com/video/vi2216412697/?ref_=ttvg_vi_1.Accessed 05 June 2026.

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https://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html.Accessed 15 June 2026.

Maslow, Abraham Harold. A Theory of Human Motivation. Sanage Publishing House, 2020.

Nazareth, Peter.  “D. H. Lawrence and Sex.” Transition, no. 8, 1963, pp. 38–43. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/2934739.Accessed 21 June 2026.

Krishna, Puneet, creator. Tribhuvan Mishra CA Topper, Rangeela Pictures, 2024. Netflix, www.netflix.com/title/81285617.

Wijegunasingha, Piyaseeli. “Fire: A film which bears witness to Deepa Mehta’s courage as an artist,” World Socialist Web Site, 02 May, 2020,https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2000/05/fire-m02.html.Accessed 11 June 2026.