Interesting facts. It took more than 6 years to make this movie. It is not made by the director of Kaal- Soham Shah. The Ship of Thesus actor- Sohum Shah is the protagonist and the producer for the film. And the most important fact of them all- it is definitely one of the best horror/thriller movies made in the recent times. I was actually about to write after Bhoot but that might be a stretch. But it is that good.
It is a simple story spanning over 4 decades and stressing on just one message- Greed is bad. But that simple idea is interwoven with a historical setting, mythisicm of a fable and the elements of fantasy with such excellence that you are literally on the edge of your seat especially in the first half. Oh the interval moment. My god!
Directed by Rahi Anil Barwe, the movie has some very atypical moments that make it quite unique and a stand out from a typical bollywood mould. The impact with atmospherics that the movie is able to achieve from the first shot is something that the director has to be credited for. The shots play with light, shadows, intricate set pieces and the setting beautifully. I dont think I have seen such well crafted shots in a long time. Oh and I can only imagine what a production mess it would have been to deal with that much rainfall as a part of the story. It had to be raining in almost every scene of the movie and that is no easy task to shoot an entire movie with that backdrop.
The actors and their performances are servicable but not the best that you have seen. It is truly the story and direction that take the cake. The film drops a little in parts and these are the points where you start noticing the inadequate charm and character development for the actors in the film. You might also witness the film inducing some unintentional laughs among the audience and you might wonder if they took it too many notches up than required. But again these are some of the cynical observations and are not apparent to the overall viewing experience of the film.
If you are a fan of thrillers and horror flicks and really miss some good ones coming out of Bollywood, you will be happy to watch Tumbbad. And you know the CGI, wherever present is not bad at all- which is such a relief. The halloween month couldn’t have gotten better!
Hits- Originality, Direction, Production Quality, Storyline
Misses- Editing, Acting in some cases, less layering of side characters
(Photo Credits- Wikicommons)
Entertained for Life 