Thamma (2025) Bollywood Movie Review

The film “Thamma” was released as the latest addition to Maddock Film’s (MACU) expanding horror-comedy universe. The film stars Ayushmann Khurrana, Rashmika Mandanna, and Nawazzuddin Siddiqui, which is the the latest installment of MACU after Stree 2 released last year. Audiences had high hopes of seeing the chemistry between the three develop in a different way, as well as see the development of the lore of this universe. However, the film, although provided a few intriguing and fun moments, was somewhat inconsistent in terms of storytelling and development of the plot.

Developing the Storyline

Although the teaser and trailer for “Thamma,” hinted at the idea that the film may not be exactly what it appears to be, the end result confirmed this suspicion. Maddock Film’s has been developing its universe since the release of Stree (2018). Stree was followed by the releases of Bhediya, Munjya, and Stree 2. Each film connected to create a first-of-its-kind horror-comedy connected universe in Indian cinema. The film “Thamma,” attempts to continue the momentum of the previous films while introducing the new mythological concept of the “Baital.”

The film starts off simple enough. The lead character, played by Ayushmann Khurrana, goes on a trek in the jungle. At some point during his trek, he encounters a bear and is subsequently injured. After being rescued, he meets a woman (played by Rashmika Mandanna) who takes him to a group of people. At this point the story transitions from an adventure into a supernatural fantasy.

The Twist: Baitals Instead of Vampires

In many ways, the twist of the central concept of “Thamma,” is quite surprising. One of the biggest assumptions made about the film was that it would center around vampires; however, the filmmakers flipped that assumption. The film develops the mythology of “Baitals,” an ancient supernatural creature type that is completely unrelated to vampire types of creatures, ghoul types of creatures, etc. In fact, the film develops an entire section explaining why the Baitals are unique, using a humorous approach.

Each of the Baitals has their own set of specific characteristics that differentiate them from humans. They have abnormally long teeth when they hiss, they say “Hai! Raktatramba!” followed by a series of “Hai!’s when greeting each other. These quirks provide both humor and oddity to the world of Baitals. There are times where these idiosyncrasies are fascinating, and there are times where they are unintentionally comedic. The Baitals’ quirks are meant to create a new mythology that could be developed upon in later films in the MACU.

Story and Screenplay: Straightforward but Unstable

For the majority of the first half of “Thamma,” the focus is on developing the mythology of the Baitals. Developing this mythology is crucial to creating a rich world for the characters to inhabit; however, the pacing suffers due to the extensive amount of time spent on world building. The tone of the film fluctuates wildly from a sense of mystery to a sense of humor to a sense of melodrama, leaving the viewer questioning how they should feel. Although the storyline is relatively simple, and the mid-section shakes things up a bit, it does little to add to the overall story.

Although “Thamma” has created a living world that draws the viewer in, there are instances where the filmmakers try too hard to explain the mythology of the Baitals rather than letting it evolve organically. As a result, the first hour of the film feels like a tedious lecture rather than an adventure.

Fortunately, the second half of the film helps to correct this problem. When “Thamma” begins to connect itself to the larger timeline of the MACU, the film becomes far more engaging. Small easter egg appearances – connections to Stree, Bhediya, Munjya, and Stree 2 – begin to reveal themselves, providing context and adding depth to the film’s connection to the larger universe, rather than just being another stand-alone film.

Expanding the MACU

Audience members familiar with the MACU will likely find much to appreciate in the latter half of “Thamma.” Small references – such as a telephone call from a popular character or a casual reference to Chanderi – show the continuity of the universe and the ways in which it is evolving.

Nora Fatehi makes a particularly enjoyable appearance as the “Queen of Chanderi,” in a peppy item number. Her role is symbolic – she also appeared in Stree in a musical sequence – and ties the two films together neatly. Moments such as this remind viewers of how large and interconnected the world of Maddocks’ supernatural movies has grown.

Performer(s): Ayushmann Brings All the Goods

Ayushmann Khurrana carries much of the film’s emotional & narrative weight. The development of Ayushmann’s character – from a young man who wants adventure into a person torn between the worlds of humans & supernatural beings – is relatable and authentic. Ayushmann combines humor & vulnerability with his signature casual charm to bring his character to life and even with a weak script he still shines.

Rashmika Mandanna is the enigmatic woman who helps Ayushmann find his way in the Baital world. Her presence is serene and she and Ayushmann share a pleasant connection. The romance between the two isn’t evocative; however, they do deliver a passable, albeit forgettable, performance.

On the flip side, Nawazuddin Siddiqui is woefully underutilized. He has less than 20-25 minutes screen time, while the influence of his character looms heavily. Nawazuddin’s appearance is unfulfilling until the post-credits scene (the first of what will hopefully be several) where the audience gets a glimpse of what the rest of the series will look like and how important his role will be. I can already imagine how important Nawaz will be in the future installments of this universe and how effectively Thamma sets that up.

Paresh Rawal & Prahlad Cha (of Panchayat fame), who play supporting characters, provide some light-hearted comedic relief. Their timing does help lighten the mood when things get serious or absurd. Unfortunately, these moments occur infrequently, and Thamma never really finds a good balance between the comic & horrific aspects of a “horror-comedy.”

Horror & Comedy: Both Lackluster

Thamma’s two defining genres are horror and comedy and Thamma does neither very well. The horror elements of the film are sparse. There aren’t many scary moments in the film. A couple of jump scares with loud music are the extent of the horror elements in the film.

As for comedy, the jokes are fairly mild. Some of the interactions between the characters do elicit laughs, but there are no major laugh-out-loud moments. In fact, based on reports from multiple audiences, many people were silent for more of the film than they laughed. The film seems to want to be both scary and funny at the same time, but it ultimately fails to be either.

Visuals & Production: Visually Appealing Though Unbalanced

Technically speaking, Thamma does deserve some recognition. The cinematography of the forests and ancient ruins are visually appealing and the color palette changes from earthy tones of green & brown to dark ominous tones of blue and red, which helps to create the correct atmosphere for each moment in the film.

The VFX in the film are adequate; they’re actually superior to Munjya and possibly equal to Bhediya. They’re not perfect, but they do accomplish what they need to. The headless sequences and transformation scenes are particularly effective.

Considering the film had a lower production budget of $5 million-$7 million, the visual team did a fantastic job of maintaining quality without going over-the-top.

The background score also successfully heightens tension and effectively creates suspense, although it occasionally drowns out the quieter emotional moments of the film. The songs in the film, particularly Nora Fatehi’s song, are catchy and are effective in their purpose, although they may not stick in your mind once the credits roll.

A Love Story at Heart

Ultimately, Thamma is a love story. The relationship between Ayushmann and Rashmika is the core of the film, even during the midst of supernatural chaos. The relationship between Ayushmann and Rashmika drives the emotional beats in the film, although it’s not necessarily original. The relationship between the two does add a warm element to the film’s overall tone, which is otherwise eerily dark.

The chemistry between Ayushmann and Rashmika is organic, but the script does not delve deeply into the characters’ emotions. The romantic scenes between the two are functional instead of passionate – sweet, but lacking in intensity. Nevertheless, it provides a human element to the overall mythology of Baital.

Post Credits Scene & The Future of The MACU

When you think the film is over, Thamma brings you right back with a significant post-credits scene that involves Nawazuddin and clearly teases what is to come in terms of the Maddock Horror Comedy Universe. The final tease of Thamma feels like a promise: something greater is coming, and Thamma is merely one piece in a larger, interconnected tale.

It’s a “Time-Pass” Movie; With a Storyline

Thamma is going to disappoint you as a movie alone; it’s just a little bit of something to add to an overall storyline Maddock is creating.

The first part is slow with all the back-story; however, the second part is very good and really sets up the entire series of movies (horror- comedy).

Light hearted love story, some fun, and average special effects create a solid “time pass” type movie.

A family could also see this movie, although I think there may be one or two kiss scenes where people may get a little uncomfortable.

Overall, this is a good movie to watch during the Diwali holiday season – not great, not memorable, but not horrible.

If Stree was the base, Bhediya was the experimental movie, and Munjya was the fill-in movie, I would say Thamma is the connecter movie (connects the past and future of India’s first horror-comedy movie franchise).

Final Verdict: A somewhat disappointing chapter in MACU, and while visually appealing and interesting in terms of concept, Thamma is emotionally empty. I recommend watching this movie for Ayushmann’s acting, the world building, and the second half connections.

Rating: 3/5