Powerful stories have a way of transcending time. This is evident with Tumbbad (2018), which enjoyed a strong run upon its re-release on September 13. However, Anand Gandhi, the horror movie’s creative director, has been conspicuously missing from the re-release promotions. Last month, actor-producer Sohum Shah announced the film’s sequel under the direction of Adesh Prasad. When we contacted Gandhi to understand why he hasn’t participated in the project’s promotions, he said, “I thought I’d let the film take centre stage. After all, it’s the real star here.”  

Tumbbad’s story was rooted in Indian folklore, giving Indian audiences a satisfying horror film long before their fascination with horror comedies began. In a year when Stree 2 and Munjya’s success has shown that horror sells at the box office, does Gandhi think the genre might lose its charm due to over-exposure? “Horror, at its core, allows us to process and externalise our collective anxieties. Today, our anxieties are [about] social injustice, systemic oppression, disease. When horror films are an extension of these shared experiences and offer warnings about paths we should avoid, they resonate with people. However, when horror is used superficially, it’s like a theme park ride. Once the ride is over, the thrill fades. This is what happens when trends emerge in the wake of a successful film; they linger for a while, then disappear. But when [filmmakers] use horror as a medium to articulate meaningful insights and engage in deeper conversations with the audience, those films stay with us. No matter how it’s used, whether as a superficial thrill or a meaningful exploration, the genre of horror isn’t going anywhere. It will always have a place in storytelling.”