Friday the 13th is often considered an unlucky date that is associated with bad omens and superstitions. Popular in western culture, this negatively auspicious date had gained huge popularity worldwide. While the date may or may not cause harm to people, for the horror film makers, it is a date that is equivalent to a New Year release. Many film makers often choose this date to release their take on horror. Tumbbad, directed by Rahi Anil Barve, which was previously released in the year 2018, failed to succeed at the box office but managed to become a cult classic over the years, has decided to re-release Tumbbad on 13th September 2024 which is Friday and reclaim its dues from the audiences on the auspicious day of the devil. The article follows the origin of the day and the struggles of the film maker and how he managed to make such a great film, which is often considered one of the greatest films made by India.
According to ancient Norse and Roman beliefs, the number 13 disrupts the 12 months and twelve zodiac signs, making it a digit that is often associated with instability and chaos. Some unverified ancient tales of different cultures suggest that once there was an additional month, making it thirteen in total. But due to inaccuracy in mathematical calculations in terms of astronomy, the additional dates were deducted and distributed in other months, making it twelve in total. While these stories depict the number 13 as unlucky, according to Christian beliefs and religious sentiments, Friday is often considered tragic and unforgiving. While the cultures are different, these two combinations may intertwine in history, forming a different folklore and belief system all together.
Though this day-date combination was an omen for many westerners, it was relatively unknown in the eastern territories. Filmmaker Sean S. Cunningham used this opportunity to make a film by the name of Friday the 13th (1980). The title was intentionally given to create a buzz and negatively cash grab audiences due to its connection with the day, which is associated with fear, death, and the macabre. The film was hugely successful at the box office, not just because of the title but also because of how the story was presented, and the movie industry was introduced with “Jason Voorhees,” one of the classic horror villains of all time. But the filmmaker had no idea that his movie would be a huge hit with eastern viewers as well. As thousands of people in the eastern space viewed the film, the notion of “Friday the 13th” grew increasingly popular and recognizable.
Many people in the movie industry consider proper pre-production as the spinal cord for a good film. Rahi Anil Barve and his co-writer Anand Gandhi were confident in their work, since it took them nearly 9 years to complete the screenplay for Tumbbad, writing and revising it in order to make it real to the viewer. The concept was readily apparent, and their execution was on spot, but the only error they made was releasing Tumbbad at the wrong time! In 2018, Indian consumers chose films based on face value rather than storyline. The film lacked any known face; even the film maker was relatively new, creating no background for the film. Though the horror-comedy genre gained huge popularity due to films like Bhool Bhulaiyaa (2007) and Stree (2018), respectively. Horror films with darker tones were often considered pleasures to watch at home. The film tragically failed at the box office, not even managing to gain the budget back. As the film became available for streaming, fans began to appreciate the director’s vision.
Barve not only had bad luck with his film release, the film maker also faced a lot of struggle while making the film. The fictional village of Tumbbad is afflicted with frequent rains; as a result, the filmmaker had to wait for the monsoon each year to align his vision with the atmosphere and story of the film. To attain perfection, the film crew had to face lots of weathering hardship and trouble. But problems started to appear when the child actors started to hit puberty, making it more challenging for the filmmaker to execute unfinished shots and reshoots.
Raising funds for the film was the toughest challenge for Barve and his team. Though the film was funded by main lead/producer Sohum Shah with an honest heart, the film lacked a huge amount of money to justify the vision. As the film was hugely dependent on realistic sets and visual effects, Barve had to knock many production houses to give his vision justice. Back then, the film was scrapped by many unknown popular production houses due to a lack of star power. Finally, the film was backed by Colour Yellow Production of Aanand L Rai and Eros International and managed to collect a budget of Rs. 15 crore to shoot and edit the entire project.
With a budget of Rs. 15 crore, the film only managed to collect Rs. 13.48 crore at the box office, making it a disaster. The film failed to pull the crowed, but those who saw, according to them, it was something that was never seen before in Indian cinema. A horror tale in which the legend of Hastar is as terrifying as the mythology passed down by grandparents, with a heavy, frightening feel and a symbolic narrative of human avarice. With huge popularity of the film, the makers have decided to re-release Tumbbad this Friday, the 13th, to witness Barve’s vision on the big screen once again with eerie vibes of the myths of the day of the devil.