Legend of Hastar: The Cursed Womb Dweller Of The Village Tumbbad
Who is Hastar in Tumbbad Movie?
In 2018, Rahi Anil Barve, a relatively unknown and new director with no prior commercial portfolio experience, helmed the film Tumbbad. The film was distended to be a flop, 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.
Is Hastar a Real God?
According to the folklore of Tumbbad, Hastar was the first born from the eternal goddess of prosperity, “Devi,” and was given the responsibility to maintain the balance of wealth and grains. Though initially he did his duties with righteousness, but soon greed took over his mind, and he desired to possess all the gold and grain of the universe. This situation made the entire universe lose its balance, as he was attempting to still the grains; all the gods of Hindu pantheon attacked him, as a result of which Hastar was badly defeated; it almost took his life. However, her mother, the goddess, saved him from the oblivion, but with the cost of an eternal curse. The existence of Hastar was forever removed from heaven. Though he gained the power to summon gold, he was forever abundant to have the taste of grain. Lastly, he was kept inside the mother’s womb, in the cursed village of Tumbbad. As a result, the rest of the world is unaware of him, and he has never been praised or worshipped.
The Cursed Deity of Hunger: Legend of Hastar
According to the legend of Hastar was trapped in his mother’s womb for the betterment of the universe. Though he gained the power to summon wealth, it had no use as he was there devoid of any food or grain. This made Hastar a thrustful deity who always wanted to have a taste of grain. This set of curses was given to Hastar to make him realize his sins. It is believed that Hastar still resides on the womb, which is situated in the village of Tumbbad, and often tempts people with his wealth in exchange for grain whenever he manages to encounter anyone. But beware! One single scratch of him may permanently curse someone like him to be a thrusting undead.
Depiction Of Hastar
Hastar is depicted as a bloody disfigured zombie-like humanoid who roams around his mother’s womb as a gatekeeper of his own wealth, wondering to just taste a pinch of grain. Unlike other folklore where these types of entities are usually associated with ancient or forbidden treasure, Hastar can summon wealth on his own will, making his mother’s womb an infinite source of gold. As the film progresses, it is shown that few people tried to gain from this loophole, attaining Hastar’s wealth in exchange for grain. But as fate prevails, every time anyone tries to be too greedy, one terrible accident always makes them an undead like him, forever wondering to be killed.
Impact Of Hastar And Tumbbad
Initially the film failed to recover its budget at the box office, but as it got released on OTT and digital, the film’s extra ordinary visuals and super narrative spread like forest fire, and people started to curse themselves for not seeing this excellent level of cinema on the big screen. Especially when they started to dig out the story behind Tumbbad and how the director faced many troubles while making this film, almost making him and his producers bankrupt. Many petitions were made to re-release the film, but as an independent maker, Rahi Anil Barve’s magnum opus lacked the funds to release it once again. The story of Tumbbad is not just a case study of a well-executed horror film done right but a sad yet virtuous tale of a film maker who worshipped his artistry till its very end. But as it’s all written in fate that true worship grants one virtue, Tumbbad is re-releasing on cinema after six years on September 13, 2024. As re-releasing of old films is a new trend around the globe, the makers have managed to redeem to take their toll once again.
Conclusion
The story of Tumbbad is not merely a horror story, but it delivers the classic tale of how too much greed ends up with destruction. Whether it’s the folklore of Hastar or by Vinayak Rao (Sohum Shah), both the characters symbolize themes of greed, myth, and unchecked desire, making them the epitome of avarice. It’s no doubt that Tumbbad is the best horror movie and one of the best movies in general, produced by Indian cinema. It’s just as terrifying as the first time you see Hastar on screen. Certain films are experiences rather than merely films. Undoubtedly, one of them is Tumbbad and the story of Hastar.