Subhodeep Mukherjee

I saw the movie today in the theatre after hearing a lot of good reviews about the movie and boy, both my time & money were well spent. Frankly, I haven't ever seen a movie like this in Bollywood. The movie has a Hollywood feel to it though its story is steeped in Hindu mythology (though I am not an expert to confirm the veracity of the mythology). The movie is divided into 3 chapters which trace the story of the protagonist from childhood to his ultimate fate. From the very opening scene, a gloomy atmosphere (it rains throughout the movie) remains which heighten the tension. The movie has been shot totally in natural light which makes most of the scenes dark, making viewing in a theatre mandatory. The DoP has done an outstanding job in capturing the locations of Tumbbad & Pune, which look like they have been shot for a NatGeo documentary, giving beautiful picture perfect black & white postcards. Coming to the acting, every character has portrayed his/her role exceptionally, especially the two kids, one portraying the lead character's younger self, the 2nd one his son. The overall theme of horror and greed has been wonderfully portrayed. There are no unnecessary dialogues, funny moments or even songs that dilute the sombre atmosphere of the movie. Once you start watching, you will be totally glued to the screen, trust me. However I warn you that this movie is not for the weak hearted. Though this is not a conventional horror movie, the monsters shown will give you the creeps, especially the deformed dadi who reminded me of Gollum, though infinitely more repelling & wicked. The music by Jesper Kyd (who has given the music for the Hitman series of videogames) is just perfect & truly ominous. The overall theme of the movie - that greed trumps fear and greed is destructive - has been brilliantly portrayed. The climax scene is top notch and will leave you thinking long after the completion of the movie. & one name that you will remember for long is Hastar. Go and watch the movie in theaters. You will not regret. You will definitely see something new.