Tumbbad Re-release: Blockbuster Opening, Sequel Announced

New Delhi, Sep 14 (PTI) Actor-producer Sohum Shah's "Tumbbad" made a stellar return to theatres, earning a net box office collection of Rs 1.65 crore on the first day of its re-release, nearly three times its original opening six years ago.

Directed by Rahi Anil Barve and produced by the actor under his banner Sohum Shah Films, the atmospheric horror drama received critical acclaim when it released in theatres on October 12, 2018.

At the time, the film had earned Rs 65 lakh on the opening day and eventually ended its theatrical run with a net collection of over Rs 12 crore.

On popular demand, Shah re-released the movie in theatres across the country on Friday and fans didn't disappoint the actor-producer.

In an Instagram post, Sohum Shah Films said the movie earned Rs 1.65 crore net at the box office.

According to the film's team, the day one collection of "Tumbbad" surpasses the re-release numbers of "classic films such as 'Sholay', 'Mughal-e-Azam', and 'Rockstar'".

"'Tumbbad' has been a special journey and a labour of love for us, and to see the love it continues to receive is overwhelming and only ratifies our belief and ethos of Sohum Shah Films that content is king," Shah told PTI.

Set in a Maharashtra village, “Tumbbad” explores Vinayak Rao's (Shah) descent into greed and obsession as he seeks out a mythical treasure guarded by the malevolent entity Hastar.

The box office performance of "Tumbbad" on re-release has also surprised cinema exhibitors.

Kamal Gianchandani, CEO of PVR INOX Pictures Limited, said he is confident the film will have a "very long run" in its second innings.

"It's a blockbuster in the re-release category. We are happy with the producers, and they did a fantastic job of positioning and timing the re-release well. We believe it will have a very long run at the box office.

"Many re-released films have done well like ‘Rockstar', ‘Laila Majnu', ‘Rehna Hai Tere Dil Mein' but this one (‘Tumbbad') is on another level in terms of business. It's been a cult hit, a lot of people have seen it on TV and streaming platforms... We had thought it would do well but the numbers have exceeded our expectations," Gianchandani told PTI.

Akshay Rathi, who owns theatres in central India, said the response to "Tumbbad" this time around has been "very encouraging".

"It is one of those movies that didn't get its due in true sense at the box office when it was released. Through its release on TV and streaming platforms, the movie found an audience that fell in love with it, and regretted the fact they couldn't experience it in cinema halls.

"To be able to experience it in theatres, they all are coming in encouraging numbers," he told PTI.

Among all the re-releases, the film could end up being the highest grossers, Rathi added.

"It's difficult to put a number to the film, but it has sold over 20,000 tickets in advance booking. Even in the limited release, the film will grow strength to strength. It might make Rs 4 to 6 crore at the box office, anything is possible," he said.

On Saturday, Shah announced a sequel to "Tumbbad", a long-standing demand from the film's loyal fanbase.

The actor-producer assured fans that the sequel will dig deeper into the theme of greed.

“With ‘Tumbbad 2', we want to push the cinematic experience and boundaries even further. ‘Tumbbad 2' will take audiences deeper into the world we've created, with bigger twists and a more intense exploration of what happens when greed knows no limits,” Shah said.