FolknHell Score 21/30
The hosts strongly praised the cinematography, production design, oppressive rainfall, underground womb imagery and the film's dark, unusual atmosphere. All recommended it. Andy felt the first chapter could have been tighter, while the contained, relatively linear nature of the story kept the overall enthusiasm from moving higher.
FolknHell verdict: Folk horror
FolknHell considered the classification unusually clear. The supernatural threat is tied specifically to Tumbbad, the village and surrounding environment bear the effects of its curse, Hastar exists literally beneath the earth, and the danger belongs to an ancient belief inherited across generations. The mythology may be constructed for the film rather than straightforwardly adapted from traditional folklore, but the hosts did not regard that as preventing it from functioning as folk horror.
Tumbbad is central to the supernatural threat rather than merely its setting. Constant rain is associated with the curse, the settlement is increasingly abandoned and decrepit, and Hastar's realm exists physically beneath the old family property. The ruined environment makes the curse feel attached to the land itself.
The episode discusses Hastar as an ancient god associated with a myth of birth from Mother Earth, taboo knowledge, inherited family secrecy and ritualised methods of keeping or distracting supernatural beings. The hosts also discuss the possibility that this is manufactured folklore created for the film, while agreeing that it functions convincingly as folkloric belief within the story.
The episode does not identify a conventional outsider entering a closed community. Vinayak instead becomes an outsider to his mother's attempt to abandon Tumbbad, returning deliberately to the place and knowledge she rejected. His son subsequently inherits that forbidden knowledge and extends the cycle.
Andy loved the film and considered it a clear example of folk horror. He particularly valued its discovery of another culture's folkloric territory, the effectiveness of the underground womb imagery and the way the film ultimately delivered on its early setup. His main reservation was pacing in the first chapter, which he felt could have been shorter.
Dave found the film captivating and particularly praised its production design, cinematography, music and ancient-looking locations. He drew attention to the womb-like construction of Hastar's underground realm and its Lovecraftian qualities. He regarded the folk horror classification as clear, while noting that the film was more linear and less uncanny than some other folk horror.
David considered the film an “absolutely smashing” watch and immediately wanted to see it again. He was particularly taken with the old locks and the way they made the world feel far older than the nominal historical setting. His discussion of Hastar focused on the odd limits of the god, including whether something so dangerous could nevertheless remain physically contained by Tumbbad. He briefly considered scoring the film 8/10 before settling on 7.