Thamma: A Bloody Love Story That Sucks You In, But Doesn't Quite Bite Deep EnoughAs Diwali 2025 lights up screens across India, the Maddock Horror Comedy Universe (MHCU) sinks its fangs into the festive frenzy with Thamma, a supernatural rom-com that promises to blend folklore fangs with heartfelt romance. Directed by Aditya Sarpotdar—fresh off the pint-sized terror of Munjya—this fifth installment clocks in at a vampire-paced 2 hours and 30 minutes, starring Ayushmann Khurrana as the hapless everyman and Rashmika Mandanna as his undead paramour. Released on October 21, it arrives amid a box-office bonanza, grossing over ₹44 crore in its first two days and eyeing a ₹100 crore weekend. But in a universe that's birthed hits like Stree and Bhediya, does Thamma sparkle like a blood moon, or fizzle like a garlic bulb? Let's stake it out.
The title Thamma—evoking the nocturnal vampire spirits of Indian lore, far predating Twilight's sparkle—sets the tone for a tale that's equal parts swoony and spooky. Penned by Niren Bhatt, Suresh Mathew, and Arun Fulara, the story draws from Partition-era myths where betaals (vampiric guardians) swore off human blood after witnessing humanity's horrors. Produced by Dinesh Vijan and Amar Kaushik under Maddock Films, it's scored by Sachin-Jigar, whose tracks like "Tum Mere Na Huye" and "Poison Baby" pulse with infectious energy. At its core, this is a forbidden love saga: what if Romeo and Juliet crashed into a Dracula reboot, but with more dad jokes and cameos?
Our protagonist, Alok Goyal (Ayushmann Khurrana), is a bumbling TV reporter crashing at his parents' home (Paresh Rawal and Geeta Agarwal stealing scenes as the quintessential nagging duo). On a ill-fated trek with friends (Deepak Kalra and Hrithika Kanwar), a bear mauls him—only for the ethereal Tadaka (Rashmika Mandanna) to swoop in, fangs bared, healing him with her betaal blood. Turns out, Tadaka's a rogue from the betaal clan, bound by ancient codes: no killing humans (their blood's "poisonous" post-Partition), no falling in love with them, and no venturing into cities. But love laughs at rules, and soon Alok's sporting subtle fangs, navigating a double life between newsroom deadlines and nocturnal neck-nibbles.
As their romance blooms amid misty hills and moonlit chases, enter the antagonist: Yakshashan (Nawazuddin Siddiqui), the tyrannical betaal overlord enforcing the clan's isolationist dogma. His vendetta against Tadaka's defiance unleashes chaos, pulling in subplots with Alok's skeptical family and a coven of quirky vampires (Faisal Malik and Rachit Singh adding flavor). Sarpotdar weaves in MHCU Easter eggs galore—a Varun Dhawan cameo as Bhediya in a werewolf-vs-vampire rumble that's pure adrenaline, plus nods to Stree and Munjya that thrill franchise fans. The climax erupts in a folklore-fueled frenzy, blending VFX-heavy battles with emotional stakes, ending on a post-credit tease that sets up Bhediya 2's "hunt."
Ayushmann Khurrana is the beating heart here, transforming from awkward reporter to conflicted bloodsucker with his signature blend of vulnerability and vim. His Alok's wide-eyed wonder at eternal love—punctuated by quips like "Vampires don't do cardio, but this chase is killing me"—anchors the film's emotional core. Post-Vampire (his 2023 hiatus-maker), this marks a triumphant return, earning him MVP nods for nailing the rom-com beats amid horror hijinks. Rashmika Mandanna, stepping into Hindi folklore after Pushpa, imbues Tadaka with fierce grace; her betaal is no damsel but a defiant force, though her accented Hindi occasionally jars in quieter moments. Paresh Rawal's exasperated dad steals laughs with deadpan zingers, while Nawazuddin Siddiqui, in a criminally underutilized role, chews scenery as the brooding Yakshashan—his intensity a stark contrast to the film's froth.
The ensemble shines in bursts: Abhishek Banerjee's cameo injects manic energy, and Malaika Arora's special appearance in an item number adds glamour, though it feels shoehorned. Sarpotdar's direction, assured after Munjya, juggles tones adeptly—horror lurks in shadows, comedy crackles in dialogues—but the pacing sags in the first half, bogged by setup exposition. Saurabh Goswami's cinematography paints Vijayanagar-inspired locales in crimson twilight, and the VFX (from the Bhediya showdown to betaal flights) rivals Hollywood gloss on a modest ₹145 crore budget. Sachin-Jigar's soundtrack elevates: "Dilbar Ki Aankhon Ka" is a romantic earworm, but the three item songs disrupt flow, feeling like relics in a modern myth.
Yet, Thamma doesn't fully drain its potential. The screenplay, while witty (one-liners like "Love bites harder than fangs"), falters in the second half—subplots multiply without payoff, and the rushed climax prioritizes spectacle over depth. Romance takes a backseat to universe-building, diluting the "bloody love story" promise; Tadaka's arc, rich with defiance, gets shortchanged for cameos. Hemanti Sarkar's editing trims fat unevenly, leaving lulls where laughs should land. Critically, it's a mixed bag: Bollywood Hungama's 4/5 hails it a "well-packaged entertainer," praising its folklore freshness and twists. Taran Adarsh echoes the sentiment, calling the narrative "engaging till the finale." But 123Telugu dings it at 2.75/5 for pacing woes and sporadic humor, while Rediff notes more laughs than scares, flipping vampire tropes with glee but lacking bite. Audience verdicts on BookMyShow average 3.8/5, with fans raving about VFX and cameos ("Peak cinema!"), but some decry the "cringe" songs and "annoying accents." Buzz mirrors this: "High-voltage Diwali dhamaka!" vs. "Holy cringe—slow and dull."
In MHCU's expanding web—now teasing AI horrors and Bhediya 2—Thamma is a solid link, innovating with vampire lore while honoring roots. It's not revolutionary; the romance simmers but doesn't boil, and folklore fidelity bends under commercial weight. Still, for Diwali crowds craving thrills minus true terror, it's a fang-tastic escape—Ayushmann's charm, Rashmika's spark, and those cameos make it binge-worthy. Sarpotdar proves MHCU's bite endures, but next time, let's hope for deeper veins. Catch it before the credits suck you into sequels.
Rating: 3.5/5 – Fangs for the memories, but room to grow eternal.
The title Thamma—evoking the nocturnal vampire spirits of Indian lore, far predating Twilight's sparkle—sets the tone for a tale that's equal parts swoony and spooky. Penned by Niren Bhatt, Suresh Mathew, and Arun Fulara, the story draws from Partition-era myths where betaals (vampiric guardians) swore off human blood after witnessing humanity's horrors. Produced by Dinesh Vijan and Amar Kaushik under Maddock Films, it's scored by Sachin-Jigar, whose tracks like "Tum Mere Na Huye" and "Poison Baby" pulse with infectious energy. At its core, this is a forbidden love saga: what if Romeo and Juliet crashed into a Dracula reboot, but with more dad jokes and cameos?
Our protagonist, Alok Goyal (Ayushmann Khurrana), is a bumbling TV reporter crashing at his parents' home (Paresh Rawal and Geeta Agarwal stealing scenes as the quintessential nagging duo). On a ill-fated trek with friends (Deepak Kalra and Hrithika Kanwar), a bear mauls him—only for the ethereal Tadaka (Rashmika Mandanna) to swoop in, fangs bared, healing him with her betaal blood. Turns out, Tadaka's a rogue from the betaal clan, bound by ancient codes: no killing humans (their blood's "poisonous" post-Partition), no falling in love with them, and no venturing into cities. But love laughs at rules, and soon Alok's sporting subtle fangs, navigating a double life between newsroom deadlines and nocturnal neck-nibbles.
As their romance blooms amid misty hills and moonlit chases, enter the antagonist: Yakshashan (Nawazuddin Siddiqui), the tyrannical betaal overlord enforcing the clan's isolationist dogma. His vendetta against Tadaka's defiance unleashes chaos, pulling in subplots with Alok's skeptical family and a coven of quirky vampires (Faisal Malik and Rachit Singh adding flavor). Sarpotdar weaves in MHCU Easter eggs galore—a Varun Dhawan cameo as Bhediya in a werewolf-vs-vampire rumble that's pure adrenaline, plus nods to Stree and Munjya that thrill franchise fans. The climax erupts in a folklore-fueled frenzy, blending VFX-heavy battles with emotional stakes, ending on a post-credit tease that sets up Bhediya 2's "hunt."
Ayushmann Khurrana is the beating heart here, transforming from awkward reporter to conflicted bloodsucker with his signature blend of vulnerability and vim. His Alok's wide-eyed wonder at eternal love—punctuated by quips like "Vampires don't do cardio, but this chase is killing me"—anchors the film's emotional core. Post-Vampire (his 2023 hiatus-maker), this marks a triumphant return, earning him MVP nods for nailing the rom-com beats amid horror hijinks. Rashmika Mandanna, stepping into Hindi folklore after Pushpa, imbues Tadaka with fierce grace; her betaal is no damsel but a defiant force, though her accented Hindi occasionally jars in quieter moments. Paresh Rawal's exasperated dad steals laughs with deadpan zingers, while Nawazuddin Siddiqui, in a criminally underutilized role, chews scenery as the brooding Yakshashan—his intensity a stark contrast to the film's froth.
The ensemble shines in bursts: Abhishek Banerjee's cameo injects manic energy, and Malaika Arora's special appearance in an item number adds glamour, though it feels shoehorned. Sarpotdar's direction, assured after Munjya, juggles tones adeptly—horror lurks in shadows, comedy crackles in dialogues—but the pacing sags in the first half, bogged by setup exposition. Saurabh Goswami's cinematography paints Vijayanagar-inspired locales in crimson twilight, and the VFX (from the Bhediya showdown to betaal flights) rivals Hollywood gloss on a modest ₹145 crore budget. Sachin-Jigar's soundtrack elevates: "Dilbar Ki Aankhon Ka" is a romantic earworm, but the three item songs disrupt flow, feeling like relics in a modern myth.
Yet, Thamma doesn't fully drain its potential. The screenplay, while witty (one-liners like "Love bites harder than fangs"), falters in the second half—subplots multiply without payoff, and the rushed climax prioritizes spectacle over depth. Romance takes a backseat to universe-building, diluting the "bloody love story" promise; Tadaka's arc, rich with defiance, gets shortchanged for cameos. Hemanti Sarkar's editing trims fat unevenly, leaving lulls where laughs should land. Critically, it's a mixed bag: Bollywood Hungama's 4/5 hails it a "well-packaged entertainer," praising its folklore freshness and twists. Taran Adarsh echoes the sentiment, calling the narrative "engaging till the finale." But 123Telugu dings it at 2.75/5 for pacing woes and sporadic humor, while Rediff notes more laughs than scares, flipping vampire tropes with glee but lacking bite. Audience verdicts on BookMyShow average 3.8/5, with fans raving about VFX and cameos ("Peak cinema!"), but some decry the "cringe" songs and "annoying accents." Buzz mirrors this: "High-voltage Diwali dhamaka!" vs. "Holy cringe—slow and dull."
In MHCU's expanding web—now teasing AI horrors and Bhediya 2—Thamma is a solid link, innovating with vampire lore while honoring roots. It's not revolutionary; the romance simmers but doesn't boil, and folklore fidelity bends under commercial weight. Still, for Diwali crowds craving thrills minus true terror, it's a fang-tastic escape—Ayushmann's charm, Rashmika's spark, and those cameos make it binge-worthy. Sarpotdar proves MHCU's bite endures, but next time, let's hope for deeper veins. Catch it before the credits suck you into sequels.
Rating: 3.5/5 – Fangs for the memories, but room to grow eternal.