Actor-producer Sohum Shah, who had produced the most loved film Tumbbad, is a happy and relaxed man. The movie, which was re-released in theaters last month, has done very well at the box office.
Sohum Shah is ecstatic with the numbers and says though awards do matter, but at the end it comes down to business, and only then will big production houses get ready to invest money in you.
In an exclusive conversation with MoneyControl, Sohum spoke about the time when nobody was ready to produce the idea, and it was then that he decided to step in as the producer.
Sohum, who hails from the border town of Sri Ganganagar, said initially he did have problems settling in a metropolis like Mumbai due to his lack of knowledge of the English language. But the actor says he has now fit in and likes to be a part of this city.
The actor, who isn't from any known acting institute, like NSD or FTII, says he considers the late Irrfan Khan as his mentor and believes he is the best industry could ever get.
Sohum Shah also revealed that he is now ready with Tumbbad 2, which is going to be bigger, and his next film, titled Crazy, is also in postproduction.
Sohum recently also released the first post of Crazy on the sixth anniversary of Tumbbad. The film is directed and written by Girish Kohli, and Sohum also said that it is going to be edgy.
Excerpts from the interview:
Congratulations on the re-release of Tumbbad! What was your reason for re-releasing it? Why did you feel it needed to come back to the big screen?
Sohum: Well, I had this thought back in October 2018, after the film was initially released. Although the film didn’t get much love at first, I began getting phone calls from people in the industry, and slowly it started gaining recognition. But I always felt that justice wasn’t done to the film. We had made it with so much love, it took us seven years to make. Everything, like the rain scenes, was done very carefully, and while critics appreciated it, the box office numbers didn’t reflect that.
I always felt that the film deserved more, and it was meant to be watched on the big screen. Yes, many people watched it on OTT, and we made it to be experienced in theaters. Our aim was that when people leave the theater, they should feel as if it had actually rained. I would always get two messages from people: one asking if I was making Tumbbad 2, and the other asking to re-release Tumbbad. Finally, after receiving so many messages, I felt it was the right time to re-release it.
A lot of films are being re-released lately. Do you think it’s the right time to re-release films? What’s the benefit for producers?
Sohum: Re-releasing films is beneficial for everyone, and it’s not a new trend. If you look back at the 80s and 90s, this happened often. In periods where there weren’t many new releases, old films of stars like Dharmendra or Amitabh Bachchan were played. It’s also good for filmmakers, as the film can generate revenue again, and the value of the film’s intellectual property (IP) increases. It’s also great for cinema lovers, especially those who love watching movies in theaters. I believe the rerelease model works for everyone.
You also produced Tumbbad. Is it true that while making the movie, you faced a mental breakdown? Was it because you were an outsider in the industry and no one wanted to support the project?
Sohum: More than that, it was about feeling out of place. There’s a lot of pressure to fit in, and when your dreams are big, you feel like you don’t belong. You start questioning yourself: Should I leave? But all those struggles are part of the journey. Thankfully, the film received love, and that’s more than enough for me.
You’ve also announced Tumbbad 2. Will it be larger than life like many films from South cinema?
Sohum: Tumbbad 2 will definitely be a bigger film, but I can’t share much about it yet. We’ve taken six years to write the script, and the movie will start next year. It’s going to be a very exciting film.
You aren’t from institutions like FTII or NSD. How was your journey, coming from a small town like Shri Ganganagar?
Sohum: Yes, I didn’t study in FTII or NSD, but my father always taught me that hard work is the most important thing. My journey has been about learning by doing, and through perseverance, I eventually found my path.
Is it true that at one point, no actor was ready to work on the film, and you decided to produce and act in it yourself?
Sohum: It’s true that it was difficult to find a producer for Tumbbad; many actors would have readily said yes to acting in it, but we were unable to find a producer. Eventually, I decided to produce the film myself. I believed in the project because it was a simple story about greed, and I knew it was worth making.
What were some of the challenges you faced while producing it?
Sohum: There were many struggles. I had to sell a lot of my property, and there were moments where I even cried. But in the end, the love the film received made it all worthwhile.
Have you had acting mentors? You mentioned that Nawazuddin Siddiqui is a good friend.
Sohum: Yes, Nawazuddin taught me a lot in the early days. Later, I also had the chance to work with Irrfan Khan, and I consider him my true acting mentor. Working with him has been one of the greatest highlights of my career.
As a producer, you mentioned feeling disappointed with the film’s initial performance. Has that changed with the rerelease? Are you in profit now?
Sohum: Yes, we made back the investment in 2018 with OTT and satellite rights. And with the re-release, we’ve tripled the numbers compared to the original release, which is a huge success.
You spoke earlier about the outsider-insider debate. How did it feel to come to Mumbai from a small town like Ganganagar?
Sohum: It was very tough for me at first. People here spoke in English, and I felt completely alienated. It took me a lot of time to understand. There was a time when I couldn't even order capuccino at a cafe. After a decade, I have adapted well, and now it feels like Ganganagar only.
How do you categorize Tumbbad? Is it a horror film?
Sohum: No, Tumbbad isn’t a horror film. It’s a folk story, a new genre in itself. There are no ghosts or spirits. It may have some scary elements, but it’s not a typical horror film.
Do you plan to venture into horror comedy?
Sohum: I’m more interested in making comedy films because I’m a fan of comedies like Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro and Golmaal.
How has the success of Tumbbad changed your career as both an actor and producer?
Sohum: It’s definitely made things easier for me as a producer. People are more willing to work with me now.
You won a National Award for Ship of Theseus. Did that give you the confidence to pursue Tumbbad? Were you expecting the re-release of Tumbbad to do so well?
Sohum: Yes, the confidence came from the love Tumbbad received. Box office numbers matter the most in this industry. I was expecting it to surpass the original box office numbers, but I wasn’t expecting it to triple the original figures.
What are your future plans? Do you want to continue producing or focus on acting?
Sohum: I’m only interested in acting. Producing is very tough, and I don’t enjoy it as much. But I do have a film titled Crazy coming up next year that is in post-production.
Re-released in theaters on September 13, 2024, ‘Tumbbad’ is a 2018 Hindi-language folk horror film directed by Rahi Anil Barve, with Anand Gandhi as the creative director, and Adesh Prasad as the co-director. The film earned Rs 30.4 crore on its re-release.
It is written by Mitesh Shah, Prasad, Barve, and Gandhi, the film was produced by Sohum Shah, Aanand L. Rai, Mukesh Shah and Amita Shah, starring Sohum Shah in the lead role as Vinayak Rao.
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