Filmmaker Aanand L Rai expressed his happiness over the response of the audience towards his film Tumbbad after its re-release in theatres. He said that it proved “good stories get its share of love”.
In a conversation with ANI, he said, "Tumbbad got a very good response. I have become more convinced that every story gets its share of love. When it was released for the first time in 2018, it received a lot of praise. And I was very happy about one thing, that I am a part of a story like this, a part of a film like this. I understood that this is a creatively correct film, made passionately, and people will like it.”
However, he added that there was a regret that the film "didn't get as much audience in theatres as we were expecting."
He continued why the movie was re-released in theatres this time, "But, yes, it was on OTT, so people liked it. And they were saying, we missed it, we didn't watch it in theatres. So, this time, there was a slight phase where we felt, we had made fewer films in the last 1-1.5 years, so we thought this was a very correct opportunity to bring 'Tumbbad'. And the response is very overwhelming and lovely."
While speaking about his upcoming film, he said that he is working on a story with a writer and producer Himanshu Sharma and actor Dhanush. "I am working on a story with Himanshu. I'll start shooting in January. It's called 'Tere Ishk Mein'. I'll work with my favourite actor Dhanush."
Announcing the film on Raanjhanaa's 10th anniversary in June, Rai dropped an intriguing promo for the film. Sharing it on Instagram, Rai wrote, “Kuch kahaniyan kisi purane dost jaisi mil jaati hain! Jo haath nahin milaati, seedhe aake gale lag jaati hain…10 saal pehle ek aisi hi kahani mili thi humein… Kundan ki kahani. Dost tha mera, par jee naa saka… uska mood nahi tha jeena ka! Ab 10 saal baad phir ek kissa aaya hai; Kundan aur ye ladka ek se hi hain, bus iska mood duniya phoonk dene ka hai!Sirf aapke liye…’Tere Ishk Mein.’
The video has Dhanush running in dark alleys with a Molotov cocktail in his hand. At the end of his monologue, he says, "Pichli baar toh Kundan tha, maan gaya. Par iss baar Shankar ko kaise rokoge? (Last time it was Kundan, he agreed. But how will you stop Shankar this time?)" Dhanush also expressed excitement about the film. "Har har Mahadev… My next Hindi film," he tweeted.
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Talking about Tumbbad, the movie which graced screens in 2018, returned to theatres on September 13. It features the protagonist, Vinayak Rao, portrayed by Sohum Shah, navigating through the ominous night, lantern in hand, alongside his young son. The two are seen on a perilous journey, hinting at the dangerous quest that drives the narrative.
Directed by Rahi Anil Barve, with Anand Gandhi as the creative director and Adesh Prasad as the co-director. Written by Mitesh Shah, Prasad, Barve, and Gandhi, the film was produced by Sohum Shah, Aanand L Rai, Mukesh Shah, and Amita Shah. The story follows Vinayak Rao's descent into greed and obsession as he seeks out a mythical treasure guarded by the malevolent entity Hastar.
Tumbbad was a critical success, earning eight nominations at the 64th Filmfare Awards and winning three for Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction, and Best Sound Design.