Tumbbad

In the quaint and rural town of Tumbbad, situated on the outskirts of a vast and mysterious forest, lies a tale of greed, family loyalty, and the unrelenting pursuit of an ancestral treasure. The year is 1918, and the climate is oppressive, with a perpetual downpour that casts a gloomy veil over the village. It is amidst this backdrop that we are introduced to Vinayak, a young and ambitious boy, who shares his life with his mother and brother in a small, quaint home, lovingly tended to by an enigmatic old woman named Raheny. The old woman is as mysterious as the treasure that has been passed down through their family for generations. Raheny is more than just a kindly old lady, who cooks and cleans for the family, but also she is the guardian of a sacred secret, hidden from the prying eyes of the world. This secret is the location and source of a treasure so grand, so fabled, that it is palpable in the mere whispers of its mention. This family history of a treasure trod by bloodline in Raheny's household hangs over Vinayak's head like an unceasing mantra, echoing the dreams of the elder generations that have gone before. In this era of war and societal change, in a village still stuck in the past, the allurement and mystique of this treasured possession is practically smoldering in Vinayak's imagination. And with every day, his brother's grip tightens around an age-old family mantra telling that "once finding the treasure, you will lose your mind and soul to never come back." Vinayak has never given the 'boleyn' the latter much heed, the idea has only strengthened his fixation with his forefathers' artifact and further heightened his resolve to claim it fully. The passing days see Vinayak not only grow older but become more withdrawn, with brooding hours spent away in introspection and concentration, piecing together fragmented memories passed down through family lore. Raheny continues watching over Vinayak's journey, ever the calm background note behind every key moment unfolding in their lives. Her wisdom has earned her a close friend of Vinayak's mother, together they share whispers in the dead of night, in languages foreign to Vinayak, whose innate understanding of either being far-fetched. The stage set for Vinayak's quest is ultimately defined by no specific design or even setting forth. The seeds of his journey appear to sprout when fate drops an unsuspecting man named Bhanji on their front door. As unsuspecting as he could be, Bhanji bears news that Vinayak's forefathers spent an incredible amount of time to preserve with painstaking dedication - that the wealth he seeks so passionately has always laid outside, just beyond the forest lines of their village home. When it appears too baffling in relation to just one straightforward scenario to come to an answer, an all-knowing voice breaks the uncertainty, echoing Vinayaki's inner thoughts. And according to the wise guidance of this voice that came down to him once via tree wisdom during thunder, the line makes unimaginable clear. It is not just straightforward - Vinayaki just needs to travel the path of an incomplete lineage having been done many long years ago to find his ultimate goal and live the dreams of generations that all had to settle. Out into the endless stretch, though, goes Vinayaki who appears on the precipice of setting fire to every soul left behind to win. His reckless determination finds him across an endless period in wild isolation up against unsaid faceless souls all set to become parts of an unholy marriage - Vinayaki the prodigal of Raheny's family and his new malegolas friendship, with time on his side. It is not long before they see the darkness envelop their lives as they step deeper into uninhabited tracts. The village holds Vinayaki with all that it has to - without making him realize that from its ground every tale of him goes extinct, with truth just standing beyond a glance or a breath further away.