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Tumbbad, from an underrated gem to a record breaking re-release
Revisiting Tumbbad’s re-release a year ago and the mayhem it caused.
Exactly a year ago, Indian cinema witnessed a rare cultural phenomenon when Tumbbad returned to theatres and rewrote the rules of Bollywood’s box office. On its re-release in 2024, the film not only became the highest-grossing re-release in the country’s history but also sparked a new trend, turning re-releases into a powerful business model.
Originally released in 2018, Tumbbad, a visionary epic produced by Sohum Shah (being one of the producers) and also starring him in the titular role, had long been hailed as one of Indian cinema’s most daring pieces of storytelling, yet it never truly got its due during its initial run. Six years later, the re-release gave the film the recognition it always deserved, with audiences queuing up in cinemas despite its easy availability online. The triumph of Tumbbad proved one thing loud and clear: the magic of the big screen still reigns supreme when matched with the right vision.
What made this moment historic was not just the numbers but the cultural shift it triggered. Tumbbad’s return created a zeitgeist, reviving conversations around underappreciated cinema and paving the way for other filmmakers and distributors to reconsider films for theatrical re-runs. Its success opened the door for many titles that didn’t get their moment in the spotlight during their original release, giving them a second chance to shine.
One year on, Tumbbad’s re-release is remembered not merely as a box office event, but as a turning point in Bollywood’s theatrical culture. It changed the narrative around what a re-release could achieve and demonstrated that visionary cinema, no matter how delayed, always finds its audience. As Bollywood looks ahead, the legacy of Tumbbad stands tall, a reminder that great films are timeless, and sometimes, history is written in the second act.
