1
The Goddess of Prosperity ...
is the symbol of
unlimited gold and food
And this earth is her womb
When the universe was created...
she gave birth
to 160 million Gods
But the Goddess loved
her first child above all ...
Hastar
But today, you won't find his
name in any ancient scriptures
Why, father?
Because he wanted all of
the Goddess' gold and food
He managed getting the gold ...
but just as he went
for the food ...
all the other
Gods attacked him
With every blow, Hastar
shattered into fragments
But before he could
dissolve into stardust,
The Goddess saved him
But on one condition
That he will never be worshiped
and be forgotten for ever
For aeons, Hastar
slept in his mother's womb
But one day, our
ancestors invoked him
And built a shrine in his name
They say, since that day,
all the Gods' wrath ...
has been raining on Tumbbad
Why did we even wake him up?
Because Hastar's curse
is a boon for us
What do you mean?
You'll know ...
when you go inside
Inside where?
In the Goddess' womb
Please, hurry up
It's about to get dark
It'll take the time it takes
I am terrified of not feeding
that old hag on time
What if she wakes up?
Don't say such things
at this dark hour
She won't wake up
If you want to leave in time,
then come early
You'd promised me that
gold coin, after this new moon
The coin is not a joke!
One has to earn it
-Where's mother?
-Wait here
Where is she?
Where else, must be
at Sarkar's mansion
Who will feed the old woman?
Mother will, once she returns
-What if she's late?
-Shut up!
What if the old woman
wakes up?
She eats while
she's asleep?
You put it in her mouth,
bit by bit, she swallows
Does she ever wake up?
No
Have you ever fed her before?
No
What's this?
I cooked, so
you go feed her
Go on.
Else she'll wake up
Go, don't be afraid
I say, go on!
Sadashiv!
Did he give you the gold coin?
It didn't come up
That bastard will never bring it up
You dare to swear at your father?
Tell him ...
We won't look after his old hag
unless he gives us the coin
No one else in the village
would dare to go close to her
The gold coin is not a joke
One has to earn it
Being his mistress for 12 years
hasn't earned it?
Mother!
Let me go
I don't want it
I don't want the treasure
Let me go
Come in
Sleep, else Hastar will come for you
Mother?
Sarkar is dead
I know
After dinner,
we'll start packing
We are leaving Tumbbad
-There is nothing left for us here.
-Why?
Don't we inherit the mansion now?
There's no one else
And starve to death
in that ruin?
It isn't worth a penny
For the village, we are
as good as outcastes
And the mansion's hidden treasure.
Isn't that ours now?
Sarkar searched all his life
but found nothing
Squandered all his ancestral wealth as well
What about the old woman?
Why should we care now. Let her rot
Shall we wake her up?
She's Sarkar's great grandmother
I'm sure she knows something
about the hidden treasure
Go!
Go ahead
Wake her up and ask
We leave at dawn, tomorrow
And head to 'Pune'
Even mentioning the treasure
brings ill fortune
So, I didn't
What is 'Pune'?
It's a very big city
Where carts move on their own,
without horses or bulls
I don't believe anything
you say, nowadays
Fine.
Sadashiv!
Mother!
Sadashiv, don't sleep.
I'll be back home by morning
What about the old woman's food?
-You'll have to feed her tonight.
-What if she wakes up?
If she wakes up, say ...
"Sleep, 'Hastar' will come for you."
Who is 'Hastar'?
Hurry up. Let's go!
-Mother?
-You go!
Go!
Sadashiv, I am here.
Everything will be alright, son
Sister?
Do you still want to go
to the doctor?
Or should I take us
to the graveyard?
Take me to the mansion
Who is this little prince?
Come here, my child!
Open the door, my child
I am so hungry...
I need to eat something
Treasure!
Do you want it?
Treasure!
Come.
Come now.
Open it.
Put that light away, moron
Have you no brains?
It's hurting me
Grandmother ...
Son ...
Grandmother ...
Sorry, my boy.
Seeing light after a long time
Ah, butterfly ... another one ...
come here, my love
Where's the treasure?
-Grandmother?
-Look how they treat your grandma
Locked my jaw with sharp nails
Please put some food in this tube
Is it in the mansion?
Is it in the mansion?
I am hungry
Feed me and I'll
tell you everything
Or should I just eat you?
Sleep or else ...
What was it?
Sleep or else ...
'Hiran' will come.
Sleep or else ... Magar will come ...
Sleep or else ... Hachkar will come ...
'Sleep or else ... Haathi will come'
Sleep or else ...
'Sleep or else, Haathi will come ... Hiran ...'
Sleep or else ...
You forgot 'His' name, huh?
Mother!
I'll sing you a lullaby
Let me go!
Tonight I'll taste your flesh
Brat! Don't act smart
Grandmother, sleep or else ...
Go to sleep ...
Sleep or else 'Habbad' will come
HASTAR!
Grandmother, sleep or 'Hastar' will come for you!
Vinayak! Open the door
Mother ...
Mother ...
where is Sadashiv?
There's still time.
Let's go back
We'll tie her up and
get it out of her
We won't feed her
till she tells us
I know how to handle her now.
-Let's go back, mother.
-Shut up!
You little rascal ...
This is all you care for, right?
Keep it and shut your gob
It's just a single coin
Let's turn the boat around
We'll torture her
till she tells us, okay?
Keep quiet!
You're just like that serpent,
your father
I'll kill you,
if you ever return to Tumbbad
Understood?
Say it. Say you'll never
come back to Tumbbad!
Mother!
I'll throw it!
Do it!
-I'll do it!
-Go ahead!
You don't have the balls to do it
You're a greedy bastard
I will kill you! Swear you'll never return to Tumbbad
Swear on me!
I will kill you! Swear you'll
never return to Tumbbad
Or else I'll kill you right here!
I wish you had died
instead of your little brother
Have you lost your mind?
I will throw you in the river
Swear you'll
never return to Tumbbad
Are you crazy?
Swear!
Quiet!
Calm down!
I'll never come back
to Tumbbad!
Grandmother ...
Grandmother ...
My child ...
You came back!
Grandma, a tree grew out of you!
Why didn't they banish you,
after your husband's death?
Because they needed me
I was the fastest
climbing down the well
-Is treasure in the well?
-Don't go there!
Save yourself from this curse
The last time it ended with
me turning into a monster
Don't start the cycle
of destruction again
I won't go there, grandma
Don't try to fool me.
You're my blood
Bastard!
Tell me where it is
and I'll give you half of it
I don't want the treasure
Then, what do you want?
Freedom!
Give me that fire
You can't end my eternal hunger
but you can make this pain go away
I've waited too long, my child.
I can't take it anymore
Entering those gates is your choice,
after that nothing else will be
Not everything you inherit
should be claimed, son
If I won't,
someone will
You're a greedy bastard!
It's my only quality
Are you sure you want this?
Just do it, my child
Do it, now!
'We sell freshly ground wheat'
Who is he?
Hey! What do you want?
Who are you?
Who is this man?
I don't know.
Let me call father
Thief!
Thief! Thief!
Shut up!
It's Vinayak Rao
Her husband.
Looks like a beggar now
Where were you?
I had no money left ...
people were saying all
kinds of things ...
So I started this business to survive ...
You want to be an
independent woman now?
You want to be free?
Sorry, my mistake
-I shouldn't have ...
-Come here!
No, please...
You want tp grind
flour, don't you?
Grind it for me from now ...
and see how
I'll make you a queen
Let me go
Let me go!
-It will tear.
-I'll get you more, madame
Where were you for
so many days?
Wait! Neighbors will hear us
Let me shut the door
Ring the bell only once.
I'm not deaf
I've been saving money
for an opium permit
Been in talks with an officer too
Once I am rich ...
I'll need a clever assistant like you
Hope you don't charge for compliments
Your overdue interest is now
higher than the principal
How will you repay me?
Work 3 months for me,
we'll be even
I have a gold coin.
Want to buy it?
Let me see
Where did you find it?
Why do you care?
I'd like to know if it is stolen
I'd tell you if it were
It's ancestral
Times have gone so bad, huh?
It costs 100 rupees.
I owe you 38 rupees
-That leaves 62 rupees.
-Yes, right
I have three more.
Interested?
Each particle shines, with a sheen of gold ...
every ear listens
To this splendid song, to this tune of wealth ...
I searched the entire earth
Are you from Tumbbad?
They say there's a treasure
hidden in Sarkar's mansion
Is it true or just a rumour?
It's true
Go
Loot it!
To this splendid song, to this tune of wealth ...
I searched the entire earth
Come, come conquer Tumbbad.
Just two?
Can't you get all
the coins together?
The clouds erupt, yet my soul
Burns like an ember
16?
I don't have enough cash for this
Now you owe me money
Hope you aren't killing
anyone for these
Consignment for Rajaji?
Gift for my girlfriend
Never known you to be so generous
Hey Raghav!
-Does he work for you?
-Who?
That little bird who's been at
your house these past weeks
Oh! He doesn't work for anyone
He is his own master
Raghav!
Who is he?
A man of small stature.
He is a nobody
You better hurry up with
whatever you're planning to do
That opium permit is yours for
the taking, but only for now
It won't remain that way forever
But my days are going
to change soon
Listen
I am getting promoted in a month
I'm getting out of this Jungle Book
There won't be anyone to link you
with Superintendent Sahib then
You have one month!
And I got angry ...
I wished
mother would just die
Then it so happened ...
mother died the very next day
I even had a brother
who died young
I felt anyone who ill-treated me,
would just die
I mean, that's what I used to think
Where is Vinayak Rao
getting these coins from?
I don't know
-You don't know?
- No.
Don't ever feel I wish badly upon you.
Or I too will ...
No, no! That was just
a childish thought
Right, no?
Namaste Vinayak Rao
Weren't you supposed to
come tomorrow?
Yes ... no, I was just passing by
So I thought ...
Your consignment arrived.
So I thought I should get it
Very good!
It's like magic!
How did you hurt your leg?
I fell down ...
-Whom were you running from?
-Play an Indian song
Oh! We'll need another
record for that
Another record?
-So this is of no use?
-No, that's not the case
All of this is good
This is what you call a record
Oh, okay
The injury looks bad. Hope your
husband is not a freedom fighter
No, but I am
Our neighbour took me to the
civil disobedience march
She asked me to bring
all our English goods
I took just that old English doll,
to throw in the bonfire
Excellent!
It was only for 10 rupees
-May I say something?
-Sure
You should buy yourself a motorbike
Travelling in buses
doesn't suit you anymore
-There's one motorcycle ...
-Come now, let's go
Yes, let's go.
You must be tired
-I'll take your leave, dear.
-Yes, but visit again
It's like my own house,
why wouldn't I come?
Of course.
Your tea
Go inside
Say, why don't you make me
your business partner?
Half the risk,
Double the profit
Why do you want any risk at all?
-You already have a good business.
-No...
I just worry about you
You deal in so much money
Do you even keep accounts?
You keep your accounts,
I'll keep my courage!
Okay?
Okay
Raghav ji, listen ...
If you ever need anything,
please don't hesitate ...
Even if you need money.
I won't charge interest
You look worried today
No, it's nothing.
- Huh?
It's nothing
Is everything okay?
Yes
-Goodbye.
-Goodbye
This madman roamed around like a fool
Fighting for days, he fell into a dark night
Wrote his own unwritten destiny
Once unstoppable, his mind trapped in luxury
You look like royalty.
The darkness was in the past
A bright future beckoned
My ambition shined through
It purified my soul
I wandered destitute,
extracted gold from dust
Hey Raghav!
I've reduced my cut to 2000
My promotion came through
This is your last
chance to be rich
Hey Raghav!
Cooper Sahib!
Hey... move fast!
Who is she?
Daughter-in-law!
Two days ...
I owed you 803 rupees ...
I got her for 800
800?
Is it too much
or too less?
Too much, of course
She was to be burned
on her husband's pyre
Had to pay them well
But I didn't let
them shave her head
And the balance 3 rupees?
I could have said she
cost me 803 rupees, no?
Look at this.
It costs 7 rupees in the market
I got it for 3,
so you take it for 3
This cargo was headed to America
but was sent back here
There's widespread poverty.
People have no money there
Bad times!
Keep this as a gift
It's too good to
give away for free
Want to see a parrot?
There's one here, look
Who is she?
Didn't you want a maid?
Yes. But how do you know
she's any good?
-I've checked, she's good.
-See, he knows
Where will she stay?
-How about upstairs?
-She'll stay anywhere
Show her upstairs
How are times any better here?
It's that Gandhi's undoing!
-Listen
-This "Women Empowerment" speech ...
has brainwashed them
The British government is great
Sure, they interfere with
our religion ...
But, what can you do?
What is it?
If you give me another 50 ...
I'll tell you where
I got this 50 from
What if your information
is not worth 50?
What if it's worth millions?
Take
He asked me ...
to spend the night with you
-What did he say?
-For two nights ...
and two days ...
not to let you
leave town
To make sure ...
for next 2 days ...
you don't leave the town
Go to sleep, Raghav ...
Go to sleep or else 'Hastar'
will come for you!
Hastar!
I know what you've been up to
Right under my nose?
How dare you, you?
Sister, I haven't even
touched your husband
I know all your tricks,
you dirty, lying witch!
I'm going to throw you out
What happened?
She stole my brooch
I did no such thing
I didn't choose to come here.
I have had enough ...
Quiet!
I'll break your face
if I hear another word
You won't live here anymore
Get out!
You will not stay here!
What happened?
-She can't live in our house anymore.
- Huh?
Empty, again?
This is the third time in a year
Quiet!
Hold your tongue
Tired of your whining
Seems to have forgotten her place
I say this because I'm
worried about you
You can't run like this
all your life
When will your boy be ready?
He's of no use
Father, training was great today
I picked 8 coins in my 19th attempt
What's the most you've ever picked?
Yes ...
I can't arrange this week either
Let's talk next week
Yes, good night
I'm going to Tumbbad tomorrow.
Keep Pandurang ready
Really? Father said this?
Yes. Tomorrow, you will also
go to Tumbbad
It's time you start
helping your father
What happens there, though?
I don't know
What do I have to do?
You'll know soon ...
then, you tell me
You'd said you'd take me
when I am 16
-But I learnt quickly ...
-Speak softly, I'm not deaf!
When were you ready?
At my age or at 16?
You are not ready yet!
What's in Tumbbad?
If there was a god
whose mere touch ...
would turn you immortal ...
letting you live for centuries ...
and you'd know where
the eternal treasure is
All you have to do
is eat and sleep
Would you want that?
Who wouldn't want
such a blessing?
One knows it's not a blessing ...
but a curse worse than death!
I think I'll be coming
back home alone today
Why, father?
Father, I'm just like you
I'm not afraid of anything!
I'm not scaring you ...
just preparing you
for what lies ahead
Is that God the same one ...
"Sleep or else Hastar will..."
-Shh ...
Don't utter his name
He appears even if you
take his name?
Since that day, the Gods' wrath
has rained on Tumbbad
But why did they wake him up?
Because Hastar's curse
is a boon for us
What do you mean?
You'll know when you go inside
Inside what?
The Goddess's womb
Mix in these pebbles.
He chews through them
It buys us more time
Listen ...
We here just to practice today.
We won't need these inside
Scared already?
We haven't even begun
Make a circle. It keeps us safe.
He cannot enter it
What if he tries to?
It will destroy him
Remember, he took the gold,
but couldn't get the grains
Hence, he yearns for
flour and dreads it too
But what if Hastar bites you?
You'll be cursed like grandmother.
Get it here
Is that the grandmother?
No, he was my friend
Did Hastar do this?
Yes
When will Hastar come?
When we offer him the dough doll
But we're just practicing,
that's why we didn't bring it
Pull this from here
But I got the doll
Run, you fool!
Father!
Wait for me, father
You, greedy scum!
Didn't I ask you to
not get the doll?
Didn't I?
Sorry ...
Stay here.
Or I'll chop your head off!
Look over there
Has gone even blind now
Keep it safe,
It's your first earning
How much will I get
if I sell this?
Give it back ... quick!
I'll keep it safe
Until I don't ask for it
Tell me, what was there?
That's between father and me
You focus on household chores
Unwrap it
Eat it
Your father gave this to you?
Does he like it too?
He doesn't like anything
Then what's the point?
What do you mean?
Mother, what do you mean?
Greetings to the free
citizen of free India
Welcome Raja Sahib
This is for the
new water station
Name it after my wife
Now that India is free,
how will you keep busy?
You think our freedom struggle
was to keep us busy?
No?
You're insulting me
This land they looted and
partitioned is yours too
That's why we seek your donation ...
and your sympathy
Forget sympathy,
take more donation
Your house is decaying.
Doesn't match your stature
It's time you buy a grander mansion
-I have one in Tumbbad ...
-Tumbbad?
Tumbbad has been given away last week
What?
If only you'd listened to me
We would've drawn out legal papers
and it would have been yours
Tumbbad is under the
lordship of 7 barons
I take good care of each of them
-That's between you and the barons.
-Whom did they give away Tumbbad to?
To the new Sarkar
Who is this Sarkar?
The Indian Government
It's a decrepit mansion anyway
They'll build a new village there
I'll look for something else
that matches your status
Namaste
What is it?
Why are you standing
like that?
What are you staring at?
Should I wake up everybody?
Father tells you everything,
doesn't he?
He must've told you
about this as well
I'm his partner now
And soon I'll be the only one
running the show
You do know what I mean, right?
Father has kept you
as a mistress ...
No big deal in that.
Everyone has one
But when I grow up,
I'll marry you
Are you crazy?
How old are you?
Does that matter to you?
If not Tumbbad, at least
the mansion is ours, right?
The government will lock it up too
But why?
You fool
Come here
Idiot
Take the keys, stupid
Here
Open
Pull harder
So much gold!
This will last a lifetime
You're just like my mother
She thought a coin
would last a lifetime
Mother!
Father!
Wake up, father!
Father ... wake up please
You want to be a man, huh?
I'll break your other leg too!
Bastard!
Just because I spoke to you,
you think you can fool me?
What are you looking at?
Want to gift her a coin, huh?
Stop!
Where are you going?
-To get my coin back
You want your coin?
Let me give you one
-MOTHER!
-Today you'll die
I'm going to wring your neck
Tie you to a rock
and throw you in a river
That should take care of you
Mother!
You've been doing it
the wrong way all along
You will teach me what
is right, huh?
The coins are in its loincloth,
so why not just steal the loincloth?
-What?
-Let's steal 'Hastar's' loincloth
You want 'Hastar's' loincloth, bastard?
How much time can we buy with that doll?
We pick what we can and run!
We will take many dolls
As soon as he picks one,
we'll throw another and so on
Father ...
it won't take us long
to steal the loincloth
Will he eat so many dolls?
Didn't you say
he's always hungry?
I know it's difficult
But it's possible
Come here
Father, I am sorry.
I will not do it again
Remain in your pants for a few years.
We'll get you married soon!
And till then?
And till then!
He plays hide and seek, like the Reaper
Spins a web of laughter and cries
He stares into your soul with lust
Hits you at every turn, like kingdom come
For ages he has starved
Waiting unfulfilled, unnourished
He endlessly eats stones-pebbles-wheat
Eternally thirsty, drinks with gruesome greed
Ears quiver, bearings adrift
He's the god of death,
life and heart shiver
Come, come conquer Tumbbad.
Go, go revel in Tumbbad
The clouds erupt, yet my soul
Burns like an ember
Every moment, my mind splits, my body
is pierced . The world is up in the air
Come here
Hold this
Shall we begin, father?
Stop! Put the dolls back!
Father!
Father! Please, no
We'll find another way
Father, don't do this please
Take the dolls off, father!
Father don't do this.
Father!
Father?
Take it
The loincloth!
Come
Take it
Take it!
Didn't you want this?
Didn't you want this?
-No
No!
-Take it!
-No.
Father, go to sleep ...
Father, sleep or 'Hastar'
will come for you