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Tumbbad
Theatrical release poster
Directed byRahi Anil Barve [mr]
Screenplay byAnand Gandhi
Rahi Anil Barve
Story byNarayan Dharap
Produced bySohum Shah
Aanand L. Rai
Anand Gandhi[1]
Mukesh Shah
Amita Shah
StarringSohum Shah
CinematographyPankaj Kumar
Edited bySanyukta Kaza
Music byJesper Kyd
Production
companies
Distributed byEros International
Release date
  • 12 October 2018 (2018-10-12)
Running time
108 minutes
CountriesIndia
Sweden[2]
Languages
  • Hindi
  • Marathi
Budget₹15 crore[3]
Box office₹15.46 crore (initial run)[4]
₹38 crore (re-release)[5]

Tumbbad is a 2018 period folk horror film directed by Rahi Anil Barve and Anand Gandhi,[6] and written by Mitesh Shah, Adesh Prasad, Barve, and Anand Gandhi. It stars Sohum Shah in the lead role as Vinayak Rao, and follows the story of his search for a hidden 20th century treasure in the Indian village of Tumbbad, Maharashtra.

Barve began writing the script in 1993, inspired by a story by the Marathi writer Narayan Dharap. He completed the first draft in 1997, when he was 18 years old. From 2009 to 2010, he created a 700-page storyboard for the film. It was shot in 2012 but after editing, Barve and Shah were not satisfied with the results. The film was re-written and re-shot, with filming completed by May 2015. Jesper Kyd composed the original score while Ajay–Atul contributed a song to the soundtrack.

Tumbbad premiered in the critics' week section of the 75th Venice International Film Festival, the first Indian film to be screened there. It was released theatrically on 12 October 2018 to generally positive reviews, with critics praising the story, the production design, and the cinematography. Made on a production budget of ₹15 crore (US$1.8 million), the film grossed a total of ₹53.46 crore (US$6.3 million) from its initial run and 2024 re-release (the latter of which became the second highest-grossing re-released Indian film). It received eight nominations at the 64th Filmfare Awards winning three for Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction and Best Sound Design. Over time, it has gained a cult following and is considered to be one of the best Hindi horror films.[a].

Plot

[edit]

Vinayak Rao narrates the tale of the goddess of prosperity, the symbol of endless gold and grain, and the mother of all the gods. Her greedy offspring Hastar acquired all her gold, but the other gods banded together and destroyed him when he went for the grain. The Goddess saved his life by sheltering him inside her womb, on the condition that he would be forgotten. However, the residents of Tumbbad built a temple for Hastar's worship, provoking the gods who cursed the village with incessant rain.

In 1918, Vinayak's mother is the mistress of the zamindar Sarkar and hopes to get a share of his mysterious treasure. Vinayak and his brother Sadashiv stay home with an old woman chained in a separate room. Sadashiv gets injured after falling from a tree, and their mother takes him away to get help. Vinayak tries to feed the woman, who escapes and tries to eat him instead. He invokes the name of Hastar, making her fall into a slumber. Sarkar and Sadashiv both die, and Vinayak and his mother leave for Pune.

Fifteen years later, Vinayak returns to his home in Tumbbad, looking for Sarkar's treasure. The old woman still lives, with a tree growing out of her body, and offers to reveal the treasure's location if he ends her suffering. She leads him to the goddess’ womb, located inside Sarkar's mansion, and teaches him to retrieve the treasure. Inside the womb, Hastar dwells, hungry for eons as he was denied the Goddess’ grain. Vinayak descends into the womb with a rope and draws a circle of flour to protect himself. He then lures Hastar with a flour dough doll, and when he is distracted, steals gold coins from Hastar's loincloth and quickly flees the womb.

Vinayak burns the woman, and keeps traveling from Pune to Tumbbad to retrieve more coins, selling them to his friend and moneylender Raghav, who wonders about the source of Vinayak's newfound wealth. He follows Vinayak to Tumbbad, who tricks him into entering the goddess' womb with a dough doll. Hastar attacks Raghav, and Vinayak burns him to end his suffering.

In 1947, Vinayak is consumed by greed and decadence, and faces a deteriorating family life. He trains his son Pandurang to retrieve Hastar's coins and takes him to Tumbbad, warning him not to bring a dough doll for the practice. Pandurang brings it anyway, and Hastar attacks them, but they both narrowly manage to escape. Vinayak later learns that Sarkar's mansion was appropriated by the newly formed government of independent India. He goes back to Tumbbad, hoping to secure as much gold as possible before he loses the mansion. Pandurang suggests stealing Hastar's entire loincloth, and tries luring him with multiple dough dolls. However, Hastar multiplies into many clones inside the womb, trapping them. As a last resort, Vinayak ties the dolls around him and faces the attack of Hastar and his clones, allowing Pandurang to escape. Once outside the womb, Pandurang encounters Vinayak, now cursed, who offers him Hastar's loincloth. Pandurang refuses, and after putting him to sleep by invoking Hastar's name, burns him and leaves Tumbbad.

Cast

[edit]
  • Sohum Shah as Vinayak Rao
    • Dhundiraj Prabhakar Jogalekar as young Vinayak
  • Jyoti Malshe as Vinayak's mother
  • Anita Date-Kelkar as Vaidehi Rao, Vinayak's wife and Pandurang's mother
  • Ronjini Chakraborty as Vinayak's mistress
  • Deepak Damle as Raghav
  • Mohammad Samad as Pandurang, Vinayak's son
  • Harsh K as Hastar
  • Rudra Soni as Sadashiv
  • Madhav Hari Joshi as Sarkar
  • Cameron Anderson as Sergeant Cooper
  • Piyush Kaushik as Vinayak's Great-Great-Grandmother

Production

[edit]

Development

[edit]

Director Rahi Anil Barve [mr] said the title is derived from Shripad Narayan Pendse's Marathi novel Tumbadche Khot.[10] He wrote the first draft in 1997, when he was 18 years old. From 2009 to 2010, he created a 700-page storyboard within eight months, which he said was the "anchor on which everything was based."[11] Barve wrote the script based on a story his friend had told when they were in the Nagzira wildlife sanctuary in 1993 "which made him crap his pants."[12] It was a story, "Aaji", by Marathi writer Narayan Dharap - Dharap, a translator of Stephen King and writer of H. P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu Mythos, had based "Aaji" on King's short story Gramma which also featured Hastur from the Cthulhu Mythos in it (the film also partially derives from "Bali", another Dharap short story).[13] Years later, when he revisited Dharap's story, he found it "utterly bland, mundane and forgettable."[12] He realised "it was my friend's narration... that left an indelible print- no, scar on my psyche" which "kept the story alive."[12] Barve took the story's basic premise about a scheming moneylender and another of his works, about a girl left alone with her grandmother who is possessed by a demon, and began writing a screenplay.[14] He managed to find a producer, but they backed out in 2008. He obtained financing and principal photography began in the monsoon of 2012.[10]

Sohum Shah was cast in the role of Vinayak Rao, for which he gained eight kilograms (eighteen pounds).[15] Since the production took six years, he maintained his character's look for the entire period.[16] Shah said that he was surprised after hearing the story for the time because he "hadn't seen anything like this in Indian cinema."[17] He found it similar to Vikram Baital and Panchatantra.[18] Barve said the story's main theme was greed, and that the first half hour of the film is in the "universe of Dharap's stories."[19] The film shows Hastar who, according to mythology stated in the movie, was banished to the womb of the mother goddess for being greedy for food and gold.[19] The film is divided in three chapters which Barve said was also a metaphor for the "journey of India, as we see it today."[19] It had gone on the floor three times and was optioned by seven production companies who backed out. Barve feels this was because he had "no frame of reference for them, nothing like Tumbbad had even been tried before."[19] Shah worked on his Marathi diction and accent since the character of Vinayak was a Maharashtrian.[20] Anand Gandhi served as the co-writer, creative director and executive producer.[21] Barve's initial idea was to tell three different stories of Tumbbad village in the film; Gandhi and Mitesh turned it into one person's story.[22] The myth of Hastar was the last addition to the story to serve as a backstory.[22] The screenplay was written by Barve, Prasad, Gandhi and Mitesh Shah.[23]

Filming and post-production

[edit]

Tumbbad first went into production in 2008 with Nawazuddin Siddiqui in the lead role but was quickly shelved as the producer backed out.[14] It was then shot in 2012 after Shah and Gandhi came on board. The film has minimal dialogue and was shot with constant physical movement with few cuts.[10] Barve said, "we shot in the rain at age-old locations, where no human had ventured for at least a hundred years. For me, Tumbbad's locations, the feel of its stuffy air, and the lonely rainy atmosphere that defies the feeling of time's passage is as central as its characters."[10] After the editing, Barve and Shah realised the film was "not able to achieve what it set out to do."[24] It was then re-written and re-shot and the filming completed in May 2015.[24][25] The Mutha River in the Onkareshwar area was taken as a reference for the set creation. In three weeks, the set of the small town around the temple was recreated.[26] A doppelganger set of an old Pune city was created for the film. Sohum Shah wore the typical attire worn by Konkanasth Brahmans in Maharashtra.[27] It was shot in natural light.[11] Some scenes were also shot in Mahabaleshwar and the Tumbbad village.[14][28] The visual effects were produced by Sean Wheelan's team at Filmgate Films, who were also the co-producers.[24] Pankaj Kumar served as the director of photography and Sanyukta Kaza edited the film.[29] Kumar had shot Barve's short film Manjha in 2006 and learned of Tumbbad's story from Barve.[30]

Barve created a story book for reference. Kumar called the filming process "long, strong and intense."[30] It was decided the film's look would be "moody and gloomy"; the village had to look timeless "without a clear demarcation between day and night."[30] The shooting was done without any sunlight on Red Camera in digital format. Kumar said that the film's entire shooting schedule revolved around lighting, noting the constant rain and grey tone gave a "constant sense of gloom and dread."[31] He wanted the film to be shot only during the monsoon with its constant rain as he wanted a feeling of "wetness at all times": "We wanted the audience to feel drenched when they came out of the theatres."[30] However, due to a shortage of rainfall that year, Kumar did not get sufficient rain. The crew used artificial rain for the scenes and had to wait for hours for cloud cover.[30] Tumbbad was shot in several locations across Maharashtra including Saswad and villages of the Satara district. Some scenes were shot on constructed sets in Mumbai, including the womb sequence. Kumar said that the team did extensive recce for a few years as they were looking for "large landscapes without modern infringements, without towers and structures."[30] They also did not have the budget for the visual effects to erase the contemporary architectural elements.[30]

The film had four colour schemes including blue, cold grey, red and gold. 50 lanterns and lamps were used for several scenes to avoid modern-day lighting techniques since it was a period film.[30] The scenes inside the womb took 15 to 20 days to shoot without any visual effects. The character of Hastar was created with heavy prosthetic makeup by prosthetics makeup artist Gurpreet Singh Dhuri and that required six to seven hours to prepare.[32][30][33] Shah wore contact lenses throughout the film for the grey eyes. The entire film was shot over 100 to 120 days with four shooting schedules in 2012 and 2015. After the shoot, the team felt that the film was "halfway there" to becoming something that "audiences hadn't seen before." After that the script went through re-writing, some scenes were added, and the story was "enhanced". The sets were rebuilt and the womb was added.[30] The film's production designers were Nitin Zihani Choudhary and Rakesh Yadav. For their research, they used photograph's from the 18th and 19th century during the British Raj.[34] The interiors of the cave were shot at the Purandare Wada near Pune.[34] It was made to look old and "consumed by earth";[35] the crew spread moss all over the site. An entire market was created at Satara that included several shops, but it was not used very often in the film.[34]

The film's post-production took two-and-a-half years to complete.[36] Kaza had asked Prasad to write the dialogues again after she re-arranged the grandmother's tree scene while editing it. She used the "only usable stable shots and put them in a certain order and then called Adesh and asked him to re-write the dialogues according to the edit."[37] Its initial runtime was close to 200 minutes which was edited to 100 minutes.[38] The film's climax inside the womb was shot with only one source of light—an oil lamp.[31] The film was produced by Film i Väst and Filmgate Films along with Eros International and Aanand L. Rai's Colour Yellow Productions.[39][40]

Music

[edit]
Further information: Tumbbad (soundtrack)

Tumbbad's title track was composed, arranged and produced by Ajay–Atul; it was performed in Hindi with lyrics by Raj Shekhar. It was released on 11 October 2018.[41] The original score was composed by Jesper Kyd. Prasad was sampling music pieces from several composers when he heard the soundtrack "Apocalypse" from the 2006 video game Hitman: Blood Money composed by Kyd and decided to work with him.[42] Kyd felt the Tumbbad team wanted the soundtrack to be between a western and an Indian sound.[42]

Prasad sent Kyd a sample of Laxmikant–Pyarelal's track from Ram Lakhan (1989) for reference; Kyd also watched videos of street drummers and The Sinful Dwarf (1973).[42][43] Kyd recorded the choir with Bulgarian music called "Descending" which was the first track he wrote for the film.[42] Both Prasad and Kyd used to interact with each other through Skype.[42] The score involved live recording with cello and violin as well as the real sound of crickets.[43] Kyd made three different types of sound for the film's three parts.[43] The album consists of 22 tracks and was released on 9 November 2018.[44]

Release

[edit]

Tumbbad premiered in the critics' week section of the 75th Venice International Film Festival, becoming the first Indian film to be screened there.[45] It was also screened at: the 2018 Fantastic Fest,[46] Sitges Film Festival, the Screamfest Horror Film Festival,[47] the El Gouna Film Festival,[48] 23rd International Film Festival of Kerala,[49] Mórbido Fest,[50] Brooklyn Horror Film Festival[51] and Nitte International Film Festival.[52] Before the film's release, a special screening was held by Aanand L. Rai which was attended by the film's team and several other filmmakers.[53] Tumbbad was released in India on 12 October 2018 on 575 screens.[54]

Reception

[edit]

Critical reception

[edit]

India

[edit]

Tumbbad opened to mostly positive critical reviews. On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, it holds an approval rating of 86% based on 28 reviews, with an average rating of 7.67/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "Tumbbad has everything you never knew you needed in a cliché horror romp that is very pleasing to the eye."[55] Rachit Gupta of The Times of India called the film "moody and atmospheric" and said that fans of Hollywood horror films will be reminded of Pan's Labyrinth (2006) and Eraserhead (1977).[56] Baradwaj Rangan wrote: "It’s been a while since something genre-based turned out so rich and mysterious, so defiantly its own thing."[57] Raja Sen called the film "an ambitious one, artistic and attentively made, reminding me of the trippy stylings of filmmaker Tarsem Singh."[58] The Indian Express's Shubhra Gupta called it "highly unusual, visually stunning, a richly atmospheric concoction of genres and themes."[59]

Sanjukta Sharma of Scroll.in felt the film subverts genres "astutely, without any gimmicks": "It has been a while since a horror film spoke so eloquently about something as primal as greed and remained true to its Indian setting."[60] Mint's Udita Jhunjhunwala reviewed the film as being "eerie, imaginatively designed, stunningly filmed and well directed."[61] Anupama Chopra felt the film was nothing like "you have seen before in Hindi cinema", calling it "the most visually stunning film I've seen since Padmaavat".[62] Subhash K. Jha praised the visuals and wrote: "If you think cinema is predominantly a visual medium then don't miss Tumbbad".[63] Rediff.com's Sreehari Nair observed that "our apprehensions are raised lazily and we wait like masochists for the manipulations to arrive, but what we get instead is a single-line moral."[64] Namrata Joshi gave a positive review and wrote: "The atmosphere, landscape, and themes in Tumbbad are accentuated by a sense of Gothic dread and an eerie expectancy of the diabolical."[65]

Suparna Sharma of the Deccan Chronicle noted that the film has "the beauty and horror of imagination, and it stalks you gently, long after you’ve left the theatre."[66] Reuters' Shilpa Jamkhandikar said that the "true star here is Barve, who takes what could have been a regular horror film and elevates it to another level."[67] Stutee Ghosh of The Quint wrote: "It excels is in its ability to weave together a formidable canvas with fear, fantasy and folklore blending in seamlessly to give us an unrelenting ominous journey."[68] Anna M. M. Vetticad wrote: "The joy of watching Tumbbad comes from the fact that Barve and his co-writers offer no answers, making this a delightfully intriguing film."[69] Rajeev Masand called it "a wildly original film with a look and feel that is of the highest standard."[70] Jai Arjun Singh called the film "spooky, majestic and affecting, and these qualities come from the set design, the use of music, and the evocation of a place that is like a breathing thing, corroding the thoughts and actions of the people in it."[71]

Overseas

[edit]

Lee Marshall of Screen International called it an "initially atmospheric yarn let down by weak stock characters and a long veer into fright-free period drama in its over-long middle section".[72] The Hollywood Reporter's Deborah Young called the film "atmospheric, heavy on mythology and scary as hell."[29] J. Hurtado of Screen Anarchy had a positive response and wrote: "A slow burn whose finale is wonderfully unexpected and yet fitting, Tumbbad is a great film and hopefully the start of a new trend in India."[73] He also included it on his list of 14 Favorite Indian Films of 2018.[51]

Dread Central's Jonathan Barkan wrote that the film "is more focused on the horror of human behavior than it is on creaking doors and the terror of what lurks in the dark." He also felt that the film's second half was "overly drawn out".[74] Matt Donato of /Film wrote: "Mad creature-feature designs, Academy-worthy blends of color and pristine optical packaging, despicable character work meant to provoke heartlessness traded for materialistic grandiosity – Tumbbad is a full genre package seasoned with a pungent foreign kick."[75] Trace Thurman of Bloody Disgusting wrote in his review: "With a compelling story of greed that spans more than 30 years, a memorable monster and some truly beautiful cinematography, Tumbbad is not to be missed."[76] Jacob Trussell of Film School Rejects called the film "Indian folk horror at its finest" that offers "an Indian film about Indian culture, removed of the trappings of the musical and replaced with stories of little known Indian theology."[77]

Box office collection

[edit]
For re-release earnings, see § Re-release.

Tumbbad was made on a production budget of ₹50 million (US$590,000).[78] It collected ₹6.5 million (US$77,000) in its opening day at the box office.[79] The collection increased after positive word of mouth and the film earned ₹11.5 million (US$140,000) on its second and ₹14.5 million (US$170,000) on its third day, making a total of ₹32.5 million (US$380,000) during the first weekend.[80] At the end of its first week, the film earned a total of ₹58.5 million (US$690,000), it was followed by ₹89.9 million (US$1.1 million) in its second week and ₹101 million (US$1.2 million) in its third week.[81] At the end of its nine-week theatrical run, Tumbbad earned a total of ₹154 million (US$1.8 million) at the box office.[4]

Accolades

[edit]
Year Award Category Recipients Result Ref.
2019 Asian Film Awards Best Cinematographer Pankaj Kumar Nominated [82]
Best Production Designer Nitin Zihani Choudhary and Rakesh Yadav Nominated
2019 CinemAsia Film Festival Best Film Rahi Anil Barve and Adesh Prasad Won [83]
2019 Critics Choice Film Awards, India Best Director – Hindi Adesh Prasad and Rahi Anil Barve Nominated [84]
Best Cinematography Pankaj Kumar Won
Best Production Design Nitin Zihani Choudhary and Rakesh Yadav Won
Best Background Score Jesper Kyd Won
2018 El Gouna Film Festival Golden Star Rahi Anil Barve and Anand Gandhi Nominated [85]
2019 Filmfare Awards Best Film (Critics) Rahi Anil Barve Nominated [86]
Best Editing Sanyukta Kaza Nominated
Best Cinematography Pankaj Kumar Won
Best Art Direction Nitin Zihani Choudhary and Rakesh Yadav Won
Best Sound Design Kunal Sharma Won
Best Costume Design Smriti Chauhan and Sachin Lovalekar Nominated
Best Background Score Jesper Kyd Nominated
Best Special Effects Filmgate Films AB Nominated
2019 FOI Online Awards Best Feature Film Aanand L Rai, Amita Shah, Mukesh Shah and Sohum Shah Nominated [87]
Best Director Anand Gandhi and Rahi Anil Barve Nominated
Best Adapted Screenplay Adesh Prasad, Anand Gandhi, Mitesh Shah and Rahi Anil Barve Nominated
Best Cinematography Pankaj Kumar Won
Best Editing Sanyukta Kaza Nominated
Best Sound Design Kunal Sharma Nominated
Best Background Score Jesper Kyd Nominated
Best Production Design Nitin Zihani Choudhary and Rakesh Yadav Won
Best Costume Design Smriti Chauhan and Sachin Lovalekar Nominated
Best Make-up & Hair Styling Serina Mendonce, Shrikant Desai and Dirty Hands Won
Best Special Effects Filmgate Films AB – Martin Malmqvist Nominated
2019 Grossmann Fantastic Film and Wine Festival Vicious Cat – Best Feature Film Rahi Anil Barve and Anand Gandhi Won [88]
2019 International Indian Film Academy Awards Best Special Effects Filmgate Films Won [89]
Best Sound Recording Kunal Sharma Won
2018 Screamfest Horror Film Festival Best Picture Tumbbad Won [90]
Best Visual Effects Gajjar Parth Won
2019 Screen Awards Best Film (Critics) Sohum Shah, Aanand L. Rai, Mukesh Shah and Amita Shah Nominated [91]
Best Debut Director Rahi Anil Barve and Anand Gandhi Nominated
Best Child Artist Mohammad Samad Won
Dhundiraj Prabhakar Jogalekar Won
Best Cinematography Pankaj Kumar Won
2018 Sitges Film Festival Best Film Rahi Anil Barve and Anand Gandhi Nominated [50][92]
Best Film – Focus Àsia Won
Best Cinematography Pankaj Kumar Won
2019 Zee Cine Awards Best Debut Director Rahi Anil Barve and Anand Gandhi Nominated [93]
Best Performance in a Negative Role Sohum Shah Nominated
Best Production Design Nitin Zihani Choudhary and Rakesh Yadav Won

Re-release

[edit]

On 28 August 2024, Sohum Shah shared an intriguing image from the film with the caption "Chilling with Hastar", leading to speculation about a re-release.[94] On 31 August 2024, Shah officially confirmed the re-release with a poster revealing the date.[95] The film was re-released in theaters on 13 September 2024.[96]

Box office collection

[edit]

The film collected ₹1.65 crore on its opening day and saw an increase of ₹1 crore the next day, bringing its total to ₹2.65 crore on the second day. In just two days, the total gross reached ₹4.30 crore.[97][98] In its first weekend, the film earned ₹7.34–7.50 crore, surpassing the entire first-week earnings of ₹5.85 crore from its original 2018 release.[99][100] The film crossed the ₹10 crore mark in five days, with a total collection of ₹10.69 crore.[101] In the first week, the net collection was around ₹13.44 crore.[102] In eight days, the film exceeded the ₹15 crore mark, collecting ₹16.48 crore and surpassing the collections during its original run.[103] The film earned ₹21.57–22 crore in the second weekend.[104][105][106] The film grossed ₹26.5–26.70 crore in ten days, surpassing Ghilli to become the highest-grossing re-release film in Indian cinema.[107][108] The film earned ₹12.26 crore in its second week, and by the third week, its net collections at the Indian box office totaled ₹30.4 crore.[102] The film grossed over ₹38 crore in its final theatrical run.[5]

Sequel

[edit]

In November 2018, it was announced that Sohum Shah would be working on a sequel, which will continue from where the original left off and may potentially reintroduce Vinayak.[109]

Tumbbad 2 was officially confirmed during Tumbbad's 2024 theatrical re-release.[110] The announcement teaser was released on social media on 14 September 2024.[111] The sequel will explore the concept of immortality, with Pandurang taking center stage.[112]

Notes

[edit]

References

[edit]

Further reading

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Tumbbad

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Tumbbad is a Indian Hindi-language period film directed by Rahi Anil Barve, with co-directors and Adesh Prasad, and written by Mitesh Shah, Adesh Prasad, Barve, and Gandhi. Set in 19th-century rural , the story follows Vinayak Rao, a greedy man portrayed by , who becomes obsessed with unearthing a mythical treasure guarded by an ancient, sinister entity in the cursed village of Tumbbad, blending elements of , greed, and supernatural horror across decades. The film explores themes of human avarice and its consequences through atmospheric visuals and a narrative inspired by Indian mythology, particularly the legend of Hastar, a fallen god representing endless hunger. Produced by , , , and Amita Shah under the banners of Sohum Shah Films and Color Yellow Productions, Tumbbad was shot over six years, with beginning in 2012 and facing multiple script revisions before its completion. It premiered at the in the Venice Days section on August 30, 2018, and was theatrically released in on October 12, 2018, receiving widespread critical acclaim for its by Pankaj Kumar, production design, and sound mixing. The film grossed approximately ₹15.5 worldwide against a budget of ₹5 , initially underperforming commercially but gaining a through streaming platforms like starting January 16, 2019. Critics praised Tumbbad for its innovative approach to Indian horror, with an 87% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 30 reviews, highlighting its visual poetry and subversion of genre clichés. It holds an 8.2/10 rating on IMDb from over 71,000 user votes, often cited as one of the best Indian horror films for its atmospheric tension and mythological depth. The film earned multiple accolades, including the Best Cinematography award at the 2018 FOI Online Awards for Pankaj Kumar, three wins at the 2019 Critics' Choice Film Awards (Best Background Score, Best Cinematography, and Best Production Design), and the Best Picture at the Screamfest Horror Film Festival. Due to its enduring popularity, Tumbbad was re-released in Indian theaters on September 13, 2024, where it performed strongly, earning approximately ₹40 crore and prompting announcements for a sequel, Tumbbad 2, with production set to begin in 2026 on a budget of ₹150 crore.

Synopsis

Plot

The film opens with a mythological narration explaining that the of Prosperity created the and bore three sons, but the eldest, Hastar, driven by insatiable , devoured all the gold and food she produced. Cursed for his avarice, Hastar was confined to his mother's womb, forgotten by history and eternally hungry, capable of generating endless gold coins only if fed, though worshipping him brings destruction. Set in 1918 in the rain-soaked village of Tumbbad, Maharashtra, young Vinayak Rao lives with his mother, who serves as the caretaker for his immortal grandmother (Daadi), the cursed guardian of Hastar's secret treasure, requiring daily feeding to sustain her tree-like, decaying form. Vinayak's father, the village lord, dies after obtaining a single gold coin from Daadi, leaving the family in poverty; soon after, Vinayak's younger brother Sadashiv falls from a tree and dies, prompting their mother to flee the village with the coin, forcing Vinayak to promise never to return lest his greed consume him. Abandoned, Vinayak stays behind but eventually breaks his vow, returning fifteen years later as an adult, portrayed by Sohum Shah, to confront Daadi, who reveals the treasure's location in a hidden cave beneath an abandoned temple dedicated to Hastar. In a plot twist, Vinayak strikes a deal with the ancient woman, learning the ritual to access the cave, but kills her by setting her ablaze to silence her forever. Now obsessed, adult Vinayak enters the cursed womb-like cave, where Hastar manifests as a , child-like monster guarded by a protective circle; to harvest gold coins from Hastar's pouch, Vinayak must feed the a dough as a distraction while quickly extracting the coins before Hastar awakens fully. He repeatedly risks the perilous journey, amassing wealth to support his neglectful family life in , including his wife and young son Pandurang, while working with his opium-addicted associate, . Raghav discovers the secret and attempts to steal the treasure, only to be devoured by Hastar; Vinayak mercy-kills the dying man to cover his tracks. As years pass into the , Vinayak trains his grown son Pandurang in the ritual, exploiting family ties for greater hauls amid India's , but their ancestral mansion in Tumbbad is seized by the government. In a climactic venture, father and son enter the with multiple dolls to steal Hastar's entire pouch, but the plan unravels as Hastar multiplies into hordes, biting Vinayak and cursing him to transform into a monstrous form. Escaping with the pouch, the avaricious Vinayak offers it to Pandurang, who rejects the , destroys the gold, and incinerates his father to break the cycle, leading to a catastrophic that engulfs and destroys the village of Tumbbad.

Cast

The principal cast of Tumbbad features in the lead role as Vinayak Rao, a man whose life revolves around the pursuit of ancient treasure in the cursed village. Jyoti Malshe portrays Vinayak's mother, a resilient figure safeguarding family secrets amid hardship. Dhundiraj Prabhakar Jogalekar plays the young Vinayak, depicting the character's formative years in the film's early timeline. appears as Vinayak's mistress, embodying a complex relational dynamic central to his personal life. Supporting roles include Anita Date as Vaidehi, Vinayak's wife. takes on dual parts as Pandurang, Vinayak's son, and the grandmother in flashback sequences, highlighting the generational curse. Rudra Soni plays Sadashiv, Vinayak's brother and a key family member in the village's lore. Deepak Damle is cast as , a local figure involved in the community's daily struggles. Additional supporting actors, such as Madhav Hari Joshi as Sarkar and Piyush Kaushik in creature roles, populate the villagers and elements.
ActorRole
Vinayak Rao
Jyoti MalsheVinayak's Mother
Dhundiraj Prabhakar JogalekarYoung Vinayak
Vinayak's Mistress
Anita DateVaidehi (Vinayak's wife)
Pandurang / Grandmother
Rudra SoniSadashiv
Deepak DamleRaghav
Madhav Hari JoshiSarkar
The casting emphasizes familial ties across generations, with characters like Vinayak and his kin reflecting the film's exploration of inherited greed.

Themes and Style

Central Themes

Tumbbad explores the theme of as a profoundly destructive force, manifesting through the Vinayak Rao's unrelenting obsession with Hastar's , which precipitates the erosion of his bonds and ultimate personal downfall. This avarice is portrayed not merely as individual vice but as an insatiable hunger that corrupts moral integrity and invites retribution, underscoring how the pursuit of wealth supplants human values. The film's narrative illustrates greed's cyclical nature, where initial gains only fuel deeper desires, leading to irreversible ruin. At the core of the film's mythology lies Hastar, a fictional symbolizing forgotten evil and the curse of , drawing inspiration from Hindu lore surrounding the progeny of deities and the precarious balance between creation and destruction. Hastar, depicted as the firstborn of the Goddess of Plenty—who embodies earth's generative abundance—covets the power to create , choosing over sustenance and thus incurring divine punishment: eternal confined to his mother's womb, erased from collective yet eternally hungry. This myth echoes concepts like lobha () in , one of the six enemies of the mind (shadripu), where unchecked desire disrupts cosmic harmony and invites chaos. Through Hastar, the film allegorizes not as a boon but as a tormenting isolation, highlighting the destructive imbalance when creation prioritizes material excess over ethical sustenance. The motif of familial legacy amplifies the generational of avarice, tracing its transmission from Vinayak's mother to himself and onward to his son, perpetuating a lineage doomed by inherited . This binds the to the treasure's allure, transforming inheritance into a perilous that erodes generational ties and continuity. The narrative demonstrates how avarice, once rooted in one generation, manifests progressively more destructively, culminating in acts of to sever the cycle, yet revealing the deep-seated persistence of human flaws across bloodlines. Set against the backdrop of early 20th-century rural under British colonial rule, spanning from 1918 to post-1947, Tumbbad critiques colonialism's role in exacerbating rural exploitation, linking the village's isolation and obsessive treasure hunt to broader socio-economic disparities. The film's portrayal of opium trade and feudal labor hierarchies reflects how colonial policies turned agrarian communities into sites of extraction, widening class divides between impoverished villagers and opportunistic elites. This exploitation is intertwined with the theme of , as colonial-era wealth accumulation mirrors the characters' pursuit of Hastar's fortune, critiquing how imperial structures fostered a culture of hoarding amid widespread deprivation. The isolated village of Tumbbad serves as a microcosm of colonial 's rural margins, where traditional myths intersect with modern capitalist impulses introduced by the Raj.

Visual and Narrative Style

Tumbbad's narrative structure unfolds as a fable-like tale spanning three distinct phases of the Vinayak Rao's life—from his boyhood in 1918, through adulthood in , to his later years post-1947—creating temporal shifts through montages that compress years of moral and familial decay. This generational progression, framed by an introductory narrating the of the Hastar, blends elements of with personal descent, emphasizing of without relying on strict . The method evokes a , prioritizing atmospheric immersion over rapid plot advancement, which allows the horror to emerge from psychological and rather than jump scares. The film's visual style is characterized by a muted, monochromatic palette dominated by cold greys and blues to evoke the gloomy, rain-soaked rural landscapes of pre-Independence , enhancing the folk-horror atmosphere of isolation and curse. Cinematographer Pankaj Kumar employed practical lighting from lanterns and lamps to cast eerie shadows across faces and interiors, while wide landscape shots capture the relentless monsoon, avoiding sunlight to maintain a timeless, oppressive mood. For Hastar's grotesque form, practical effects including elaborate prosthetics and makeup were used, requiring up to seven hours per application, to convey a visceral, otherworldly menace that feels rooted in Indian mythology. Visual effects were integrated seamlessly for more fantastical sequences, such as the pulsating, red-hued womb-like cave, where over an hour of CGI, matte paintings, and 3D character animation brought the mythical lair to life without green screens, blending physical sets with digital enhancements for disorienting depth. Art direction by Nitin Zihani Choudhary and Rakesh Yadav meticulously recreated early 20th-century sets in the fictional Tumbbad village, drawing from traditional Maharashtrian wada with thick stone walls, wooden carvings, and sloping tiled roofs that decay under perpetual dampness, inspired by monsoon-drenched landscapes and ancient to symbolize encroaching rot. The pacing builds horror through slow-burn tension, with deliberate rhythms that allow dread to accumulate via claustrophobic interiors and symbolic imagery, such as incessant representing divine wrath and cascading gold coins evoking the seductive peril of avarice. integrates subtly with these visuals—thunderous rains and eerie ambient scores amplifying unease—without overpowering the narrative, while the overall style reinforces themes of decay by mirroring the protagonist's moral erosion in the film's crumbling, waterlogged world.

Production

Development

The development of Tumbbad began in the mid-1990s when Rahi Anil Barve, then a teenager, conceived the core concept as a exploring themes of and mythology. Barve formalized the initial script in , drawing from personal reflections on human avarice and cultural legends. By 2007, Barve had developed the foundational legend of Hastar, a fabricated entity inspired by Indian folk tales and historical customs, though early financing attempts in 2007 and 2009 failed, stalling progress. Over the next several years, the project evolved through extensive scripting collaborations, spanning multiple drafts and iterations to blend horror elements with period drama. Barve partnered with writers Mitesh Shah and Adesh Prasad, who contributed to expanding the narrative structure, while joined as a co-writer and creative consultant around 2011, helping to reshape the story amid production delays. Gandhi's involvement marked a pivotal shift, as he later took on a directing role, scrapping an initial 2008 shoot attempt that lacked stable funding and leading to comprehensive revisions by 2015. The team's research focused on region's mythology and parables of greed, fabricating Hastar as a symbol of abundance corrupted by desire, rooted in broader and societal critiques of , , and . Financing challenges persisted until actor-producer , through his company Cosmic Media, secured an initial budget of ₹15 crore in , enabling to advance despite skepticism from industry peers. A major hurdle was partnering for , as domestic studios hesitated due to the film's ambitious mythological scope; this was resolved by co-producing with Sweden's , leveraging Barve's background in 3D for planning intricate sequences. Key decisions during this phase included setting the story in the fictional village of Tumbbad, modeled after real rural locales in Maharashtra's Sahyadri mountains and coast to evoke isolation and monsoon-drenched atmospheres. The team committed to fusing with across three eras (1918, 1933, and 1947), prioritizing atmospheric world-building over conventional scares to underscore the of endless greed. These elements solidified by 2015, paving the way for renewed filming efforts.

Filming and Post-Production

Principal photography for Tumbbad began during the season in 2012 but faced interruptions due to financing issues, resuming in 2015 across four schedules totaling over 100 days. The production team scouted extensively in over two years to select timeless landscapes, ultimately filming in and villages in the for exterior scenes, while studios hosted interior sets, including the elaborate womb-like cave structure. To capture the film's required perpetual rain, shoots relied on natural conditions where possible, supplemented by artificial rain simulations using water tanks, which demanded precise coordination and frequent weather waits. Filming presented significant challenges, including the remote Konkan region's harsh terrain and unpredictable monsoons that complicated logistics and crew safety. Period-accurate costumes for the 1918-1940s setting added to the difficulties, as did the prosthetics for the creature Hastar, which took actors 6-7 hours to apply and limited daily shooting to about one hour. Claustrophobic cave sets posed risks, particularly for child actors portraying young Vinayak, requiring careful monitoring to ensure their safety amid the dim, enclosed environments. Post-production spanned several years, with editing handled by Sanyukta Kaza, who discarded earlier cuts and restructured the narrative to enhance pacing and depth, incorporating montages and symbolic elements while collaborating on dialogue revisions. Visual effects, primarily for Hastar and the treasure sequences, were created by studios including Red Chillies VFX and Filmgate, blending practical prosthetics with digital enhancements; Hastar was largely recreated in 3D due to on-set limitations, aligning with the film's approximately 500 VFX shots. Color grading, aimed at establishing the film's eerie, desaturated palette, was finalized in 2017 to evoke a timeless, foreboding atmosphere. Sound design, led by Kunal Sharma, involved complete recreation of the audio landscape, with foley artists crafting creature sounds for Hastar—drawing from organic and metallic elements—and ambient village noises to immerse viewers in the rural setting. This integrated approach in ensured seamless synchronization of effects, , and score, culminating in the film's release in October 2018.

Music

Score

The original score for Tumbbad was composed by Danish musician , renowned for his work on video game franchises such as and Hitman. Kyd's involvement marked a notable international collaboration for an Indian film, blending Western orchestral traditions with Indian influences to create an atmospheric backdrop that underscores the story's horror elements. The score was released as an album on January 22, 2019, and received a vinyl edition on May 31, 2024. Production of the score took place primarily in at The Canterbury Music Company, with additional sessions in , spanning approximately nine months of iterative development through close collaboration with co-director Adesh Prasad via nightly Skype calls. Kyd experimented extensively with instrumentation, incorporating a 14-piece , Bulgarian choral elements, and unique sounds like the —a large —for a timeless quality that avoids strict adherence to either Indian or Western conventions. Indian percussion inspired by Maharashtrian street celebrations added rhythmic depth, while analog and modular synthesizers, murmur vocals, , , and strings formed the core orchestral texture; the score was finalized with a mix to heighten its immersive theatrical impact. Key motifs include the ominous drones and synth layers in "The Birth of Hastar," evoking a dystopian dread reminiscent of Vangelis's Blade Runner score, and the slow-building, breathing-like crescendos with whisper vocals in "The Greed Manifests," symbolizing the film's central theme of avarice. These elements integrate seamlessly across the film's 108-minute runtime, employing three stylistic approaches—musique concrète with found objects for realism, epic choral swells for mythological sequences, and solo instruments for intimate character moments—without interrupting the narrative flow, distinct from the separate vocal title track. The score's primary role is to amplify supernatural horror and psychological tension, using subtle, weighty cues to manifest the dread of and Hastar's presence, thereby immersing audiences in the film's cursed world and enhancing its allegorical depth.

Title Track

The title track of Tumbbad, known as "Tumbbad Title Track" or "The Tumbbad Anthem," was composed by the acclaimed Marathi musical duo , renowned for their fusion of traditional and contemporary sounds in Indian cinema. The song features powerful vocals by Atul Gogavale, one half of the composing pair, whose delivery infuses the track with raw intensity and emotional depth. Lyrics were penned by , who crafted verses blending poetic imagery with the film's eerie undertones. The lyrics, primarily in Hindi with rhythmic, evocative phrasing, draw on motifs of concealed riches and subtle omens, such as "Kan-kan koi kanak, koi bhanak" (every particle holds gold or a whisper), symbolizing the seductive pull of greed and the hidden dangers within folklore. This structure unfolds through repetitive choruses and building verses that mirror the film's exploration of village lore, invoking the mythical essence of Tumbbad without directly naming its central entity, thereby heightening the sense of mystery and anticipation. Produced during the film's pre-release phase in 2018, the track was released as a single on October 11, just ahead of the movie's premiere, allowing it to build hype through its standalone energy. A remix version was released on September 27, 2024, coinciding with the film's theatrical re-release. Within Tumbbad, the title track functions as an integral narrative device in the opening sequence, overlaying a stylized animated that visually recounts the village's cursed history and mythological origins. This integration pairs the song's pulsating rhythm with fluid 2D and 3D animations depicting ancient tales of and downfall, effectively immersing viewers in the region's atmospheric authenticity from the first moments. The track's folk-inflected enhances the mythological tone, distinguishing it from the film's largely score while echoing the pervasive themes of and .

Release

Original Release

Tumbbad made its world premiere at the on August 30, 2018, opening the sidebar section and becoming the first Indian film to do so. The debut screening highlighted the film's elements, drawing attention for its unique blend of Indian mythology and visual effects. Following the Venice premiere, the film had limited screenings in as part of the festival circuit. The film received a theatrical release in on October 12, 2018, across approximately 800 screens, distributed by . This rollout coincided with the festive season leading into , aiming to capitalize on audience interest in genre films. Internationally, Tumbbad had a limited release in markets including the and through niche theatrical platforms and festivals, expanding its reach beyond shortly after the domestic launch. Marketing efforts for Tumbbad emphasized its folklore-inspired horror through teaser posters featuring eerie imagery of the Hastar and the cursed village, released around Dussehra to build anticipation. campaigns focused on the film's innovative and production design, with promotional materials shared across platforms to highlight its atmospheric dread. The allocated for promotions was strategically timed around the period to align with heightened cinema attendance during the festival. For home media, Tumbbad became available for streaming on starting January 16, 2019, making it accessible to a global audience post-theatrical run. Physical releases, including DVD and Blu-ray, were offered in select international markets to cater to collectors and fans seeking high-definition viewing options.

Re-Release

In August 2024, producer and lead actor announced the theatrical re-release of Tumbbad, six years after its original 2018 debut, aiming to reintroduce the film to a new generation of audiences. The re-release began in on September 13, 2024, distributed across a wider footprint than the original run, capitalizing on the film's enduring popularity. This was followed by its first-ever U.S. theatrical rollout on November 14, 2024, handled by Potente Films to expand its global reach, with additional limited screenings in Europe and Asia in early 2025. The decision to re-release stemmed from Tumbbad's status as a favorite in Indian horror cinema, bolstered by a recent surge in films like Stree 2 and Munjya that highlighted genre demand. expressed that the 2018 launch had not received adequate theatrical exposure, and the 2024 revival provided closure while teasing the upcoming sequel, with an announcement trailer released on September 14, 2024, via . Marketing efforts centered on leveraging to reignite fan enthusiasm, including a new official trailer unveiled on September 6, 2024, and a fresh shared by to evoke the film's atmospheric dread. clips and fan testimonials amplified online buzz, while partnerships like Potente Films facilitated international distribution, including screenings in and select markets in and . The re-release featured enhanced theatrical presentations in select venues, emphasizing the film's immersive visuals, alongside renewed promotion on to attract streaming viewers to cinemas. This strategy not only revived interest but also set the stage for the sequel's development, with production set to begin by late 2025 or early 2026, following backing from announced in September 2025.

Critical Reception

In India

Upon its release, Tumbbad received widespread acclaim from Indian critics for its bold foray into , earning an average rating of around 4 out of 5 stars across major outlets. described it as a that masterfully evokes "Gothic dread and an eerie expectancy of the diabolical," praising its atmospheric depth and thematic exploration of inner demons. Similarly, awarded it 4 stars, highlighting its elements and surreal illusion-building as a refreshing departure from conventional Bollywood fare. gave it 3.5 stars, calling it a "gorgeous looking, intriguing tale" that both entrances and repulses through its visual storytelling. Aggregating external reviews, sites like Wogma reported an average of 4.1 out of 5 from 25 Indian critics, underscoring its strong domestic critical consensus. Critics particularly lauded the film's innovative blending of Indian mythology with horror tropes, positioning it as a pioneering work in the genre. The narrative's focus on and familial legacy, drawn from , was seen as a mature evolution of Indian cinema's horror landscape, with noting its effective use of traditional gore alongside psychological tension. Sohum Shah's central performance as Vinayak Rao drew high praise for its nuanced portrayal of avarice and descent into madness; commended his ability to anchor the film's escalating dread. Visuals and were standout elements, with Film Companion's describing Tumbbad as "the most visually stunning film I've seen," emphasizing its richly imagined fable-like quality and immersive rainy, cursed village aesthetic. echoed this, appreciating how the production elevated arthouse horror into a big-screen spectacle through meticulous . Some reviewers pointed to minor flaws, including slow pacing in the early acts that could test viewer patience before the horror intensifies. Film Companion noted that the film's ambitious details occasionally overwhelm the narrative flow, making it feel self-consciously elaborate at times. Initially, its niche and unconventional structure limited broader commercial appeal, as observed in early coverage that contrasted its artistic merits with mainstream Bollywood expectations. In media coverage, Tumbbad was celebrated by Film Companion as a revival of regional horror storytelling, blending Maharashtra's folk elements with universal themes to reinvigorate the genre in Indian cinema. Following its 2024 re-release, outlets like highlighted its enduring appeal, with reports emphasizing how the theatrical experience amplified its subtle atmospheric details and confirmed its status as a worthy of renewed attention.

Overseas

Tumbbad premiered at the Venice Film Festival's in 2018, where it opened the sidebar section and garnered significant buzz for its atmospheric horror elements and visually rich depiction of greed and obsession set in 19th-century . Critics praised its blend of and terror, often drawing comparisons to del Toro's for its fusion of , historical context, and mythological depth. The film received an 8.2/10 rating on from global users, reflecting broad international appreciation for its unsettling narrative and production design. International outlets highlighted the film's universal themes of avarice and its mythological underpinnings, with describing it as "atmospheric, heavy on mythology and scary as hell," noting how the story of a man confronting a resonates beyond cultural boundaries. Variety emphasized the "richest 21st Century visuals" in portraying a dark tale of obsession, underscoring its appeal to genre enthusiasts. Some reviewers noted that the subtitle-dependent dialogue posed a minor barrier for non-Indian audiences unfamiliar with the Marathi-inflected , though the film's strong visual storytelling mitigated this for many. lauded its exploration of greed as a timeless human flaw, making it accessible and relevant worldwide. Following its 2024 re-release, Tumbbad achieved status revival in the with a limited theatrical run starting , earning for its enduring folk-horror legacy and immersive elements. Outlets like Variety reported on its renewed energy as a favorite, with the film's record-breaking Indian re-release success amplifying international interest. Cinapse highlighted it as an "epic chiller" that continues to captivate, solidifying its position among global horror aficionados.

Box Office Performance

Original Run

Tumbbad was produced on a budget of approximately ₹15 . The film opened with collections of ₹65 in on its first day, October 12, 2018. Its performance saw a decline following the festival in early November, with daily earnings dropping significantly after the initial weeks. Over its original theatrical run, the movie grossed ₹15.5 worldwide, including ₹13.57 in net collections. Despite the modest opening weekend of ₹3.25 in , Tumbbad underperformed commercially, classified as a flop due to its niche horror-fantasy that limited mainstream appeal. However, it achieved status primarily through international , which contributed substantially to the worldwide total exceeding the production cost. The film's release on only 575 screens further constrained its domestic gross, as it competed with higher-profile releases during the pre-Diwali season.

Re-Release Run

The re-release of Tumbbad in September 2024 generated significant earnings, amassing approximately ₹38 worldwide, with ₹32 net in (as of January 2025). The film opened strongly, earning approximately ₹1.6 on its first day and reaching ₹7.34 over the opening weekend, marking the highest three-day collection for any Indian film re-release in recent years. This performance surpassed the film's original 2018 gross of ₹15.5 worldwide, elevating the total lifetime earnings to approximately ₹53.5 . Among 2024 re-releases, Tumbbad ranked as the highest grosser, contributing nearly 50% to the ₹65 total collected by all such films that year. The re-release's success was driven by and hype, resulting in 10.25 tickets sold, particularly strong in metropolitan areas where it sustained collections despite competition from new releases like Devara. The film also had a limited North American theatrical rollout starting November 14, 2024, contributing to its global momentum. Overall, the revival transformed Tumbbad from a commercial underperformer into a hit, with the re-run accounting for over 70% of its cumulative earnings.

Legacy

Accolades

Tumbbad received widespread recognition for its technical achievements following its 2018 release, particularly in categories highlighting its visual and auditory craftsmanship. At the 64th Filmfare Awards held in 2019, the film secured three technical wins: Best Cinematography for Pankaj Kumar, Best Production Design for Nitin Zihani Choudhary and Rakesh Yadav, and Best Sound Design for Kunal Sharma. It was also nominated in eight categories overall, including Best Film, underscoring its critical esteem despite not winning in dramatic fields. The film further triumphed at the inaugural Critics' Choice Film Awards in , earning three honors: Best Cinematography for Pankaj Kumar, Best Background Score for , and Best Visual Effects for Filmgate Films. At the Zee Cine Awards, Tumbbad won Best Production Design for Nitin Zihani Choudhary and Rakesh Yadav, with additional nominations in technical categories such as Best Visual Effects. Although Tumbbad was considered for the in 2019, it did not receive any wins, having been notably overlooked despite its acclaim. The film's 2024 re-release generated renewed interest but yielded no major additional honors for the production itself as of 2025, though its promotional campaign won Best Marketing Campaign at the Adgully Screenxx Awards 2024.
Award CeremonyYearCategoryWinner(s)
2019Best Pankaj Kumar
2019Best Production DesignNitin Zihani Choudhary, Rakesh Yadav
2019Best Kunal Sharma
Critics' Choice Film Awards 2019Best Pankaj Kumar
Critics' Choice Film Awards 2019Best Background ScoreJesper Kyd
Critics' Choice Film Awards 2019Best Visual EffectsFilmgate Films
2019Best Production DesignNitin Zihani Choudhary, Rakesh Yadav
Adgully Screenxx Awards2024Best Marketing Campaign (Re-release) Films

Cultural Impact and Sequel

Tumbbad has significantly revitalized the folk horror genre within Bollywood, blending indigenous mythology with atmospheric dread to distinguish itself from mainstream commercial horror. By drawing on regional folklore and cosmic horror elements, the film paved the way for a surge in similar productions that explore India's diverse mythologies, contributing to a broader wave that includes titles like Bulbbul and Bramayugam. Its innovative approach to horror, rooted in visual storytelling and thematic depth, has been credited with elevating the genre's artistic credibility in Indian cinema. The film's stems from its enigmatic portrayal of Hastar, a fictional demon god inspired by Hindu lore, which has sparked widespread fascination and interpretive discussions around themes of forbidden worship and human avarice. This has fostered a dedicated that engages with the mythology through analyses of its symbolic layers, enhancing Tumbbad's enduring appeal beyond initial theatrical runs. Academically, the narrative has prompted examinations of as a for post-colonial socio-economic dynamics in , linking personal corruption to broader historical forces like and . Scholars highlight how the film's depiction of generational avarice critiques in a transitional society, positioning it as a gothic fable relevant to contemporary Indian identity. Tumbbad also boosted scholarly and popular interest in regional Indian myths, particularly those from Maharashtra's region, by adapting local legends into a universal horror framework that underscores cultural preservation amid modernization. Its atmospheric folk elements have drawn international parallels to global horror films such as , where communal rituals and pagan undertones explore human darkness through cultural specificity. The 2024 re-release amplified this resonance, introducing the film to younger demographics and reigniting conversations on its thematic innovations via broader media coverage. For lead actor and producer , Tumbbad marked a pivotal career milestone, establishing him as a versatile force in Indian cinema through his multifaceted role and subsequent projects that build on its experimental ethos. The film's success has been instrumental in his transition to more challenging narratives, solidifying his reputation for championing content-driven storytelling over conventional stardom. In September 2024, amid the re-release's momentum, Tumbbad 2 was officially announced by Sohum Shah, continuing the story with a focus on Pandurang's pursuit of immortality tied to the lingering curse of Hastar. Backed by Pen Studios with a reported budget of ₹150 crore, the sequel features Shah reprising his role and potentially directing following Rahi Anil Barve's exit from the project, with the script finalized and principal photography expected to commence in late 2025 or early 2026 as of October 2025. The film aims for a pan-India theatrical rollout in early 2026, expanding the franchise's exploration of mythological horror.

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  40. https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/a-year-later-the-music-for-tumbbad-required-experimentation-says-composer-jesper-kyd/article29879460.ece
  41. https://jesperkyd.bandcamp.com/album/tumbbad
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  45. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0K83jxNKkBw
  46. https://open.spotify.com/track/4tApyJYxBOw2W4xf0Pv13S
  47. https://www.musixmatch.com/lyrics/Ajay-Atul-Atul-Gogavale/Tumbbad-Title-Track-From-Tumbbad
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