A very good example of what Bollywood can do outside of its usual norms. A mix of folklore, horror, thriller and historical movie. Vinayak grows up in a manor where a fabled treasure is hidden, though nobody found it. Coming back as an adult he finds it. However he seems to go back and forth between the city and the manor and only brings back a few gold coins at a time. The main story and mystery part focuses on how he's getting his gold coins. And the reveal of the whole ritual is amazing. [spoiler]Get at the bottom of the well in the manor's courtyard. There's a corridor with another fortified well at the end. There you enter the goddess' womb. Get down there, draw a protective salt circle. Bring a doll made of flour. As soon as the doll is revealed, Hastar appears. He can't get into the circle, which is great because a simple touch will change you into an undead. Give him the doll, and while he's eating it, quickly spill some coins from his satch and pick them up, but remember, no touching. Then get the hell out of here before he's finished.[/spoiler] The whole movie looks really good. The light work and almost constant rain creates a great gloomy mood. But the womb part... just amazing. It's just the right mix of creepy, disgusting, fantastic and realistic. It fits perfectly. Not only the decor but also Hastar himself. The rest of the story, with his wife, his kid, his mistress, the opium dealer trying to find the secret are basically fillers here, but it's short and diverse enough to make it an interesting complement to the story and not be annoying. This actualy creates a different focus on the womb sequeces, it's a great choice. The relationship with his kid is weird though. You're not really sure if he's useless and Vinayak is going to sacrifice him, or if the kid will try to take his father's place or whether he will just fuck it up. The final part, when the kids suggests to steal the satchel instead of a few coins, feels a lot like it's going a goose that laid golden eggs way and ends up totally different where [spoiler]every doll they bring generates an instance of Hastar[/spoiler]. That's one of the best twist I've seen in a while. Not only is it surprising and interesting but it doesn't disrupt what we already know, it doesn't come out of nowhere and actually feels quite logical. After all, Hastar [spoiler]only appears when you show a doll, and there's nothng telling that it's the same Hastar every time you get in the womb. After all the satchel is not limitless, maybe it would have emptied by then.[/spoiler]. That's also a strength of the movie. Despite being obviously fantastic, the whole thing is actually coherent and makes sense. Every thing that is done to get the gold has its explanation, as well as the weird monster grandmother, up until the final twist. This is a great, original, masterfully directed and shot story. Incredible for a first film. I'm eagerly waiting for his next ones.

🎬 TUMBBAD (2019) REVIEW 👹 . . 📜 Plot : A mythological story about a goddess who created the entire universe. The plot revolves around the consequences when humans build a temple for her first-born. 👨‍⚖ Review : Tumbbad is dark fusion of fantasy, thriller and horror. The storyline is inspired from Shripad Pendse’s Marathi novel Tumbadche Khot. Rahi Anil Darve's writing is brilliant. The Storyline is intriguing and keeps you interested to know what unfolds next. Sohum Shah as the lead delivers a performance with conviction. Tumbbad is magnificently outlined with a plausible premise. . . 👍 Goods : The Brilliant Cinematography creates an atmosphere to spook anyone out. Fine Performances by all the actors. . . 👎 Bads : Once the mystery is revealed somewhat it becomes predictable until the twist. . . 🔥 Final Rating : 8.5/10 . . ✅ Recommendation : One of the finest movies of this genre produced in India. Treat for lovers of this genre. Watch it for the thrills. . . - Follow for More : @RiteshReviews

Watched it again today on its re-release What a heck of a movie Easily the best Bollywood horror folklore movie

Gem of a movie when it comes to cinematography and storytelling and entirely this movie was brilliant! 9/10

A total package of Horror, Drama, Morale. Loved each shot of cinematography!!! And Really different from any other horror shit you've watched!!!!