“Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's needs, but not every man's greed.”
Tumbbad was recently re-released in India, and of course, we had to rewatch it. Seeing it on the big screen was an entirely different experience (we had watched it for the first time on Amazon Prime Video). This film is a true blend of Indian mythology and horror, something that’s still pretty rare in Hindi cinema. The story follows generations of a family cursed by greed, revolving around the legend of Hastar, this forgotten god of wealth and gluttony. The visuals, especially the constant rain in the village and those claustrophobic tunnels, still managed to give me chills.
We’ll admit, during the rewatch, we did notice the pacing in the middle drags a bit. The story slows down just when we wanted it to pick up, and some characters didn’t get as much depth as we would’ve liked. But that’s easy to overlook because the overall atmosphere and the unique story hook you in. It’s one of those films where you appreciate the mood and themes just as much as the plot itself.
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Sohum Shah, who plays Vinayak, did a great job portraying someone driven by greed. He’s not your typical hero, and that made watching his downward spiral all the more interesting. What we loved most was how the film handled greed, not just as Vinayak’s problem, but something that spreads like a virus, affecting everyone around him. The final act, especially, was intense, and those visuals stick with you long after.
One of the highlights for us has to be the background score by Jesper Kyd. Being a huge fan of his work, he absolutely nailed it here too. The music was hauntingly beautiful, adding so much to the eerie vibe of the film. It perfectly complemented the dark, moody visuals, making the whole experience even more immersive.
TSHC Score: 7.8/10
Tumbbad may not be flawless, but it’s a film we’d recommend to anyone who enjoys atmospheric horror with a twist of mythology. It’s bold, ambitious, and worth every second of that rewatch.
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