Thamma (2025) Movie: Why This MHCU Entry Forgets the Horror in Horror-Comedy
Thamma is the latest from Maddock’s horror-comedy world, bringing Ayushmann Khurrana and Rashmika Mandanna together for the first time. Directed by Aditya Sarpotdar, this Diwali release tries mixing vampires with romance and comedy. Nawazuddin Siddiqui plays the bad guy, while Paresh Rawal adds support. Unlike Stree or Bhediya that scared and tickled us, this one leans heavily into love story territory.
Shot across Delhi, Mumbai, and Ooty, the 150-minute film has music by Sachin-Jigar. The story comes from writers Niren Bhatt, Suresh Mathew, and Arun Falara, who wanted to bring Indian vampire lore called Betaals to the big screen. Released in IMAX and 4DX formats, the makers clearly had big plans.
The Story Setup
Things start in 323 BC with Alexander the Great getting killed by Yakshasan, a blood-drinking Betaal, in an Indian forest. This creature lives through centuries, feeding on British officers during India’s freedom movement. His own people eventually lock him away when they see he’s just masking his monster side with patriotic talk.
Jump to today. Alok is a Delhi journalist who acts tough but isn’t really. During a forest shoot, a bear goes after him, and Tadaka comes to his rescue. She’s a Betaal surviving on animal blood. Alok falls hard for her, and she brings him into her secret world. Her community isn’t happy about a human knowing their existence.
The plot shifts when Yakshasan breaks free and kills Alok. A miracle brings him back as the new Thamma – their leader with a beating heart. He takes down Yakshasan and becomes a guardian figure. The ending drops hints for future films with Sarkata from Stree 2 appearing, suggesting Alok needs Bhediya’s blood for extra powers. Varun Dhawan shows up, and that’s when the crowd really reacts.
Cast Doing Their Job
Ayushmann gives it his all. His comic timing stays sharp – I laughed at several of his reactions and one-liners. But the romantic angle didn’t work for me and critics at bappam one also criticised it as well. The chemistry between him and Rashmika felt forced rather than natural. When he transforms into this powerful being in the climax, it looked unconvincing. Maybe because we’re used to seeing him as the everyday guy. Still, his presence keeps things watchable.
Rashmika surprised me here. Playing Tadaka gave her something different to do, and she grabbed it with both hands. The fierceness she brings, mixed with moments of softness, makes the character believable. I’d say this is her best Hindi film work yet. Whether it’s fight scenes or emotional beats, she handles both well. The dance bit at the end showcases her star power, though I wondered why it was even there.
Nawazuddin got the short end. This man can act circles around most people, but here he’s stuck doing over-the-top villain stuff. Yakshasan could’ve been layered – a nationalist who’s actually a monster in disguise. Instead, he gets reduced to funny dialogues and theatrical expressions. I felt bad watching such talent go to waste.
Paresh Rawal brings his usual reliability. As Alok’s protective dad, he adds heart to scenes that needed it. His timing with comedy remains perfect. Faisal Malik does good work too in his cop role. The Varun Dhawan bit works because it connects organically to the universe, not just thrown in randomly.
What Worked For Me
The attempt to use Indian vampire mythology deserves credit. Instead of copying Hollywood’s Dracula stuff, they went with Betaals from our stories. The link to Goddess Kali and Raktbeej gives it a cultural foundation. I wish they’d explored this angle deeper.
Production quality looks expensive. Visual effects, especially vampire transformations and forest sequences, are done well. Maddock clearly invested in making this look like a proper franchise entry. The sound design in Dolby Atmos theaters adds punch to action scenes.
Comedy lands often enough. Several moments had me chuckling, mainly because the actors know their craft. The first half keeps your attention while building the Betaal world and their community rules. For people tracking MHCU, this adds new threads that upcoming films can pick up.
Rashmika really commits to her role – that energy is visible on screen. Ayushmann uses his natural likability to carry weaker portions. When both get decent material, they deliver solidly.
Where Things Go Wrong
Pacing kills this film. At 2.5 hours, it drags terribly in the first half. Way too much time on romance and jokes, not enough on the vampire angle that’s supposed to be the hook. I kept checking my watch waiting for Ayushmann’s transformation. Many comedy bits could’ve been chopped without hurting anything.
Here’s my main issue – where’s the horror? This is supposed to be horror-comedy, right? But there’s basically zero scary moments. Stree knew how to make you jump before cracking jokes. This one forgets that balance completely. It’s just comedy with vampires standing around.
The songs interrupt constantly. Tum Mere Na Huye, Poison Baby and others just pop up, stopping everything. They feel inserted for streaming platforms rather than serving the story. None stuck with me after leaving the theater. I genuinely wanted to skip them.
The romance between Alok and Tadaka never feels real. It happens too quickly, stays surface-level, lacks depth. Why do they love each other? The script doesn’t really show us. That’s a problem when romance is your main selling point.
Characters barely develop. Alok goes from nervous to powerful in what feels like five minutes. The screenplay needed more time showing his journey. The climax battle looks okay but doesn’t match the spectacular endings Stree 2 or Bhediya gave us. It feels like they cared more about teasing future films than finishing this one properly.
Critical Reception
Reviews have split pretty badly. Bollywood Hungama went with 4/5, calling it solid entertainment that shows MHCU still has value. They thought the Diwali release and holiday mood would push collections up.
Hindustan Times gave 3.5/5, suggesting this might be when the universe finds its footing. But other critics weren’t as kind. Hollywood Reporter India said it has no heartbeat, prioritizing franchise-building over individual storytelling.
The Week dropped to 2/5, calling it instantly forgettable. They questioned why we should care about characters the film doesn’t invest in emotionally. Greatandhra handed out 2.5/5, specifically noting forced comedy and missing horror elements.
News18 rated it 3 stars but expressed disappointment after previous MHCU films set higher standards. Firstpost also went 2.5, pointing out the film drags despite having ambition.
Audience scores on IMDB sit at 6.5/10. Fans who follow the universe liked the cameos and lore expansion. Varun Dhawan’s appearance got the biggest response. But complaints stayed consistent – no scares, too many songs, slow movement, wasting Nawazuddin. Many brought up the Malayalam film Lokah Chapter 1 Chandra that covered similar ground much better just weeks earlier.
Overall feeling? Thamma looks good and has capable actors, but doesn’t hit the marks fans wanted. It entertains somewhat while showing the franchise might be getting tired creatively. Die-hard MHCU followers will watch for connections and setup. Regular moviegoers might leave feeling let down.
Rating: 3/5
Thamma delivers visual polish but storytelling stumbles. Rashmika and Ayushmann perform capably, production values stay high. But pacing drags, horror is missing, songs interrupt needlessly, and writing stays average. It expands the universe and offers moments for franchise fans, but falls short of Stree or Stree 2 quality. Worth seeing once if you’re tracking the larger story, but won’t become a favorite in this series.
