While everyone spoke about Tumbbad, actor Soham Shah revealed why it worked with the Indian audience and how difficult it was to make the film. Sohum, known for some impressive films like House of Theseus, Simran, Talvar and Baabarr, recently featured in Rahi Anil Barve’s Tumbbad and his performance was undoubtedly unmissable. The actor who is known for picking unique films yet again brought to us a never seen before story - Tumbbad.

Right after the success of this unconventional film, Team PeepingMoon got a chance to get on a call with Sohum and here’s what the Tumbbad star had in store for us:

Q. Didn’t it feel like a risk to make a mystery based film considering the Indian audience. Tumbbad also had horror and thriller in it. 

A. I didn’t feel this way ever because for me it felt like an Indian story. We’ve grown up listening to such stories, "vo dadi ki kahaniya and all". For me, it was a very sensible film with larger than life characters. There’s drama, and there are a lot of elements in it. And I didn’t think categorically about the film that it’s a horror or a thriller. I just thought that this film will receive the audience’s love. I never thought it was a risk.

Q. If we look at other horror films, they sometimes lack the practicality and logic but Tumbbad was on the right track and it was unique, so did you know since the very beginning that the film will work?

A. Yes, the word unique which you used is exactly the word I would want to describe the film in. I thought this film had something which people haven’t seen before and mostly Indian horror films are about taking revenge but Tumbbad had no idea of revenge. It was a never seen before the story, it was based on greed. This is the reason I waited for 6 years for this film because I had the trust in it. Because it was a unique story I waited for it.

Recommended Read: Tumbbad Film Review: Adventure and thrill up to the brim

Q. Was acting in Tumbbad difficult?

A. Yes, definitely. If you meet me you will see how different I am but my character Vinayak was totally different. So I’ve received many compliments for my acting. It was a different character and I had to go through a lot of hard work to play it because you don’t often get such opportunities in life to play such characters.

Q. 6 years is a long period, so what made you so dedicated and wait for Tumbbad for so long and not give up?

A. The film has madness, it is like a Roller coaster ride, it is contemporary and something which the audience would like. It is a never seen before the story and that’s what made me wait for such a long period of time. The premise of the film was so strong that we waited for 6 years or else there were 1000 reasons for the film to be shut.
There were so many problems but we didn’t give up.

Q. Who developed the idea of the famous line from the film, ‘Soja warns Hastar aajaega’

A. Our director Rahi Anil Barve had got it with him only and this line was already in the script so it wasn’t something we added or thought of. It wasn’t like we wanted to make something like ‘Soja Warina Gabbar Aajaega’. It just happened naturally. Rahi must have thought something, maybe according to the story it matched but it was totally Rahi’s idea.

Q. The film released on October 12 along with along with Helicopter Eela and Jalebi, did you have a fear of competition in your mind?

A. No, I had no fear because Tumbaad is a different film and the other two were different. 7-8 films were released that weekend but we had that faith and surety. The film must have the strength and if it has then no matter what, the film will work and that’s why I had no fear at all. The audience finds the right film automatically.

Q. After Tumbbad, which particulate genre would you want to try?

Q. I would like to try Dramady which is drama, comedy, and romance. Definitely something fun, and comedy.

While the actor is currently enjoying the appreciations coming his way, we cannot wait for him to try his hands on more such genres and give us all such unconventional films.