Thamma Movie Review: A Bloody Love Story That Expands the Maddock Horror Universe
If Kannada cinema has Kantara, then Bollywood has finally answered with Thamma. As a film that blends desi folklore, horror, and emotion into one Maddock Horror Universe universe. Directed with full confidence and packed with stars like Ayushmann Khurrana, Rashmika Mandanna, and Nawazuddin Siddiqui, this one tries to push our horror-comedy space into a proper cinematic universe.
The Review
The movie takes us deep inside a jungle cursed by Betal, where humans are forbidden to enter and Betals can’t cross into the human world. The chaos begins when two lovers break that rule. One thing leads to another ,a bear attack, a mysterious woman, and then the appearance of Thamma, a myth older than the jungle itself. The first half focuses more on building the world of Betal, vampires, and all the confusion in between. After the interval, the film opens up completely. There are cameos linking it with Stree, Bhediya, and Munjya. Fans of this universe will instantly recognise the connections, especially the Chandeli ki Rani moment featuring Nora Fatehi and the surprising Bhediya reveal in the last act. As I Bhediya was comrfirm in the trailer of the movie and I told you to in the trailer review that we will see Bhediya in film and with a new from.
Ayushmann Khurrana fits perfectly in this weird-fun world. He switches from comedy to emotional drama like it’s nothing. Rashmika Mandanna is the surprise package of charming, scary, and magnetic at the same time. Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s presence is short but heavy; he leaves an impact, especially near the climax. Paresh Rawal brings his usual effortless humour, though the writing could’ve used him better. The director clearly wants to make something big. The visuals are bold and the VFX during the jungle and transformation scenes actually look decent by Bollywood standards. Not perfect, but definitely better than Munjya or Stree 2. The first half drags a bit with long dialogues, but the second half pays off. The background score helps build tension even when the horror is light. The songs are catchy but maybe too many of them but they don’t ruin the flow completely.
This is where Thamma scores. The way it connects all films in the Maddock Horror Universe is quite clever. The small nods and inside jokes make it feel like Bollywood’s own supernatural world is finally coming together. And the post-credit scene? Pure goosebumps for anyone following this series.
Positives and Negatives of the film
| Positives | Negatives |
| Fresh use of Indian folklore and Betal myth | First half a bit slow and dialogue-heavy |
| Ayushmann & Rashmika’s chemistry | Nawazuddin’s role too short |
| Strong visual style and good VFX for Bollywood | Songs break the tension in parts |
| Smart universe links with Stree and Bhediya | Not much real horror, more fantasy |
| Emotional love story angle works | Some jokes fall flat |
Final Verdict and Rating
Thamma isn’t flawless, but it’s fun, ambitious, and rooted in Indian folklore. It doesn’t rely on jump scares is instead, it gives you mystery, style, and emotional weight. If you’ve enjoyed Stree or Bhediya, this one’s a must-watch.
Thamma deserves four solid stars for its ambition, its scale, and for bringing desi myth to the big screen in a fresh way.
My Rating: 3.5/5
