The mythological period fantasy horror film is a pleasant surprise, becomes a stand-alone with its unique plot and impressive story telling...

The Goddess of prosperity (poorti ki devi) created the universe and gave birth to 16 crore Hindu deities. Among them, the voracious Hastar (her 1st born) was her favorite and wanted authority over all of the Goddess' gold and food (grains). In a desperate attempt, while he managed to gain power over all gold, the other Gods attacked him almost to his demise. Saved by the Goddess, he was cursed and banished back to her womb, never to be worshiped again by any mortal. The curse being that he could touch food (grains) only when offered, if not a single grain can incinerate him, also any contact with Hastar would turn a mortal into nightmarish-undying creatures. Centuries after, the people of Tumbbad village build a shrine, and woke Hastar for his immense treasure, only to aggravate the Gods whose wrath forged in the form of eternal thunderstorms over the village.

The story is set in 19th century India where Vinayak (Sohum Shah), has grown up listening to these stories and hoping someday he will claim the wada's (shrine) unbound treasure. Tumbbad is a genuine masterpiece, where viewers are constantly reminded of what greed can lead up to. The film is conveniently split into chapters, where we are introduced to 4 generations of a family, and how materialism leads to their end, that to within a minor run-time of 1hr 43mins. Directors Rahi Anil Barve and Anand Gandhi (Ship of Theseus) have convincingly given life to the fictional village of Tumbbad and its eerie atmosphere. The supporting ensemble cast have put forward commendable performances adding even more to the cinematic experience. 6yrs in the making, the somewhat rock-bottom Vfx however do not hold the movie back by any means.

Final verdict: Tumbbad is a cinematic distinction capable of lifting the spirits of any passionate movie buff. Viewers immediately find themselves entangled with the plot and the mysterious ambiance of Tumbbad. Brilliant sound design and unique color palette adds on to the movie. In short, Tumbbad is more of an experience than merely a movie, that viewers will bear long after leaving theaters. An absolute must watch in theaters or at least in blu-ray.

Stars: 4/5