The Puzzle In Tumbbad

What is special about the movie Tumbbad?

Warning: Spoilers ahead - a crucial puzzle piece.

I had the opportunity to watch Tumbbad twice at the cinema, and it has undoubtedly become one of my top 5 favorite movies. I immediately wrote about it on my blog, recognizing its rightful place as a cult classic.

Besides its exceptional cinematography, captivating story, mesmerizing music, and brilliant acting, what fascinated me the most was that Tumbbad presented its audience with a puzzle to solve. The filmmakers didn't explicitly explain every aspect of the script, trusting the viewers to fill in the details themselves, and it worked wonderfully.

For a long time, I pondered over a particular puzzle: If the curse was eternal, how was death possible?

In a way, the death of Vinayak's grandmother offered her redemption from the curse. Or did it? No, the answer lies within the movie itself.

Despite Vinayak killing his grandmother after she revealed the secret of harvesting gold from Hastar, the curse persisted. And here comes the revelation... Vinayak's son, Pandurang, was the reincarnation of the terrifying grandmother.

This deduction can be made from a brief scene during the baby's naming ceremony, where Vinayak observes the birthmark on the baby's ankle. This mark originates from the baby's previous life as the cursed grandmother, who was kept captive with chains around her ankle.

Hence, anyone who fell victim to the curse of Hastar had no possibility of redemption. They would continue to repeat the cycle, just as Vinayak's son eventually did. This explains why the son displayed even greater greed than Vinayak himself.

While the filmmakers didn't explicitly show this connection, it forms an intriguing fan theory. After all, what else could explain the child actor who played Vinayak's son also portraying the role of Vinayak's grandmother?

I eagerly await more movies from the Tumbbad team. I recently heard in an interview with director Rahi Anil Barve that their upcoming project, Maysabha, explores a similar theme. I'm filled with anticipation and can't wait to experience it.

_*_

references - Tumbbad Child Actor Mohammad Samad's Interview