Tumbbad

Description

Tumbbad isn’t just a horror film — it’s a dark folkloric fable that breaks away from the usual conventions of Indian cinema.

It’s a story about greed spanning three generations. The protagonist searches for hidden treasure in the cursed estate of Tumbbad village, where, according to legend, the deity Hastar is imprisoned. Eternal rain, oppressive gloom, and incredible practical effects instead of cheap CGI.

The film has become a cult classic, receiving high critical acclaim for its unique mythological world and deep philosophical subtext. This is cinema for those who appreciate horror and dark fantasy aesthetics. No song-and-dance numbers here — only chthonic horror and a moral about how bottomless greed leads to ruin.

Now, here’s my personal opinion.

Look, I didn’t like this film. Fortunately or unfortunately, I’m not a professional critic, and I haven’t read enough books to bullshit my way through with fancy words. But you don’t need a degree in philology to feel disappointment.

When you see such high ratings and headlines about what an amazing film this is, you expect something at least worth watching, if not a masterpiece.

Before watching, I read about the production: the film was in development for 10 years, and the screenplay was originally written back in 1993. The film had three directors: one started shooting, another continued, and a third assembled the final cut. Maybe that’s the problem — the film doesn’t feel cohesive. It feels superficial. We’re shown the story from a distance, without ever truly getting to know the characters.

Early in the film, there’s a scene where a woman masturbates an old man. No, not in close-up — from behind. But immediately, you think: if the filmmakers allowed themselves to show this, there’s probably more intense content ahead. At least, that was my impression.

The entire film keeps hammering home that greed is bad. Very bad. But what’s truly disappointing is how the directors conveyed this. We’ve all seen fairy tales with villains obsessed with gold. They were portrayed so vividly that there was no doubt: this character is literally consumed by wealth. In Tumbbad, we’re told this a couple of times at the beginning, but the protagonist is never really developed from this angle.

Part of the financing and visual effects were handled by Swedish collaborators. The score was composed by Jesper Kyd — best known for his work on video games, particularly the Assassin’s Creed series. In

Tumbbad, his music isn’t as memorable — it’s just… meh.
The estimated budget was only around $2 million. By today’s standards, that’s very little. I’d guess this number only covers the cost of the final version, not the entire 10-year production process. Interestingly, filming for the sequel is supposed to begin in 2026, with a rumored budget 30 times larger.

In the end, I’ve seen Indian horror films that far surpass Tumbbad in quality and storytelling. Yet their ratings and popularity are much lower. I won’t even try to understand where these numbers come from, years after the film’s release when it got a second theatrical run.
But objectively, it’s good that this film became popular through audience love, not multi-million dollar marketing from major studios.

Below, in the Vegan Vampire Recommends section, I’ve added Indian horror films that I liked — or even really liked.