Years after its release, Tumbbad continues to surprise audiences, along with its director Rahi Anil Barve. As he prepares for the release of his upcoming film Mayasabha starring Jaaved Jaaferi, Barve recently spoke about an ambitious older project that remains unreleased.
Since Tumbbad released eight years ago, Barve has worked on multiple projects. One of them was a comedy-period drama series titled Gulkanda Tales for Amazon Prime Video. Backed by Raj & DK, the show featured Kunal Kemmu, Patralekha, Amit Mistry, and Zakir Hussain.
Amazon announced Gulkanda Tales in 2022, but the series has still not reached audiences. Despite strong backing and a notable cast, the project has remained in limbo. No official release update has been shared so far.
In a recent interview, Barve revealed he spent five years creating the show. He described it as an attempt to build one of Indian OTT’s biggest series. He added that he is currently unable to even share a single image from the project.
Barve explained that Gulkanda Tales was initially planned as a two-part feature film. The shoot began in 2019 but was delayed due to COVID-19. Production later resumed and continued until 2023.
Calling the project a laugh riot, Barve said he created a four-thousand-year-old and extremely bizarre world. He believes the show is unique and cannot be recreated. According to him, it is something that has never been made before.
Last year, reports claimed that the streaming platform had shelved Gulkanda Tales. The decision was reportedly linked to concerns about how the content might be perceived in the current socio-political climate.
Barve also stated that a show like Sacred Games would likely not be made today. He felt such content could face cancellation even before release due to audience sensitivity. These remarks sparked wider discussion around creative risks on OTT platforms.
While Barve is now preparing for the Tumbbad sequel titled Pahadpangira, fans remain disappointed. Many feel they may never get to see what could have been one of India’s most ambitious OTT shows.
