Last week, Prime Video India revealed its big fat list of releases for 2024 – 2025. Out of the 69 titles announced by Prime Video India, one stood apart from the rest, owing to its illustrious pedigree. We’re talking about ‘Gulkanda Tales’, the much-awaited series from Rahi Anil Barve, the maker of the cult favourite horror movie ‘Tumbbad’.
Gulkanda Tales has been on Prime Video India’s upcoming shows list since last year. The streaming giant had revealed the title of the upcoming show at its content reveal event in 2023. Even then, the series had whipped up considerable buzz, again owing to its association with the name of Rahi Anil Barve of Tumbbad fame.
Tumbbad has enthralled viewers with its stunning atmospherics and gripping narrative ever since it released in 2018. Fans of the movie have been in a state of rapturous delight since they realised that Gulkanda Tales comes from the creator of the stellar Tumbbad. Sadly, Prime Video India has been disgustingly stingy regarding any details regarding Gulkanda Tales.
Nothing much has been forthcoming about Gulkanda Tales from the streaming giant. Even the couple of BTS pictures we’ve got from Gulkanda Tales have been posted by Rahi Anil Barve himself on his social media handles.
The topmost query on the minds of every Tumbbad fan is whether Gulkanda Tales is a horror series like Tumbbad. And will Gulkanda Tales also have visuals as mesmerising as the visuals of Tumbbad that have made the film so iconic in film circles.
Well, we at Binged have got you answers to the most pressing questions about Gulkanda Tales.
First out – no, Gulkanda Tales is not Tumbbad-like horror. On the contrary, Gulkanda Tales is a comedy, a satirical black comedy, in fact. It is a period drama, set in the times of the Kama Sutra. Even the tagline of Gulkanda Tales — “It’s kinda epic!” — points to the fact that the series will draw heavily from Vatsayana’s epic text on lovemaking – the Kama Sutra.
Since the Kama Sutra was purportedly written between 400 BCE and 300 CE, Gulkanda Tales will likely be set in those times. Or maybe, in the medieval ages from the 16th to the 19th century. The makers have definitely declared that Gulkanda Tales is a period drama, so let’s see what era they will set the story in.
Fancy that! A black comedy on the Kama Sutra from the director of Tumbbad – obviously, we just can’t wait for this one! Interestingly, Gulkanda Tales was earlier titled ‘Ashwalinga’, which again has strong sexual connotations. The makers likely changed the title to avoid controversy regarding our ancient, illustrious mythology.
Another exciting reveal about Gulkanda Tales that many seem to have missed is that Rahi Anil Barve himself has promised that the visuals of Gulkanda Tales will be even more breathtaking and arresting than those of Tumbbad. Larger than life, evocative and spellbinding – that’s what the visuals of Gulkanda Tales will be. The series is being shot in places as diverse as Ladakh in Kashmir, to the Ellora Caves in Maharashtra. So one can expect the visual tapestry of Gulkanda Tales to be seminal.
That said, other details on Gulkanda Tales are more commonly known. The series is produced by Raj & DK of The Family Man fame. It stars the excellent Pankaj Tripathi and Kunal Kemmu, along with Abhishek Banerjee and Patralekha in pivotal roles.
Double delight: Mitesh Shah, writer of Tumbbad, is also the writer of Gulkanda Tales.
Stay tuned to Binged for further details on Gulkanda Tales on Prime Video India.