‘Tumbbad’ is doing great at the box office and the collection stats reflect the same but this re-release is much more than just a simple reignition of the admiration of this cult masterpiece.
The official announcement for ‘Tumbbad 2’ has further increased anticipations and more cinephiles are flooding the cinema halls after the reveal to revise this phenomenal film before the sequel. According to actor-producer Sohum Shah, ‘Tumbbad 2’ will follow Pandurang and what happens with him next.
But we aren’t here to discuss ‘Tumbbad 2’. Our focus is on the director who helmed the original ‘Tumbbad’ and made it what it is today. Rahi Anil Barve’s vision, his narrative and the way he brings ideas to life on screen is commendable. With ‘Tumbbad’, it became very clear that Barve is an auteur with storytelling depth that goes beyond a single film.
In today’s time where filmmaker’s are struggling with new releases, the success of ‘Tumbbad’s’ re-release solidifies Barve’s ability to merge mythological grandeur with psychological horror. Most importantly it perfectly sets the stage for ‘Rakt Bramhand’ and ‘Gulkanda Tales’ to become equally ambitious and eagerly awaited.
What takes the excitement a notch higher for these upcoming ventures is Barve’s association with Raj and DK for them, the filmmaker-creator duo known for ‘The Family Man’, ‘Guns & Gulaabs’, ‘Farzi’, ‘Stree’ and more.
If ‘Tumbbad’ tapped into the potential within folklore, ‘Rakt Bramhand’s’ fantasy kingdom theme further pushes the boundaries. And this latest re-release success couldn’t have had a better timing to raise interest in this Netflix project which can directly benefit from the spotlight currently shining on Barve. ‘Tumbbad’ fans will have this natural inclination and eagerness toward this new project from him, who will be waiting to see how he expands his mythological world.
The challenge though is to maintain the momentum and keep the conversation alive so that ‘Rakt Bramhand’ can reap all the benefits and isn’t just seen as another Barve project but as the next step in a legacy he’s slowly building.
As for Prime Video’s ‘Gulkanda Tales’, a unique and visually delightful satire set in the fictional land of Gulkanda, it shows how Barve can be versatile. The whimsical, quirky, offbeat tone of this project shows Barve’s range as a filmmaker. If the re-release of ‘Tumbbad’ is a reminder of his mastery of dark, atmospheric narratives, ‘Gulkanda Tales’ will demonstrate his ability to be playful and pivot genres while not losing his signature style.
‘Gulkanda Tales’ needs to be marketed in a manner to show that Barve’s talent isn’t limited to a genre. It will be both challenging and exciting but if done right it can pay off really well and for that the marketing strategy should be devised in a manner that it continues to leverage the recent surge in interest.
As ‘Tumbbad’s’ re-release racks up stellar box office numbers, it’s hard not to see the perfect storm brewing for Barve’s above mentioned projects. There’s this renewed wave of enthusiasm that the re-release has brought and ‘Gulkanda Tales’ and ‘Rakt Bramhand’ are poised to ride it. But that will be possible only if this momentum is maintained effectively.
Raj and DK have a created a legacy of their own over the past few years and combine that with Rahi Anil Barve’s revived fame, both ‘Rakt Bramhand’ and ‘Gulkanda Tales’ have massive potential to become another masterpieces.
(P.S.: Just after ‘Tumbbad’s’ release in 2018, Rahi Anil Barve had announced ‘Mayasabha’ with an intriguing first look poster but the project is yet to see the light of the day. It stars Javed Jaaferi and Mohammed Samad.)
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