Thamma Review: A Promising Horror-Comedy Metaverse Struggles to Find Its Soul

Maddock Films has carved a niche in Indian cinema by blending horror, comedy, and social commentary, from Stree to Bhediya, and most recently Munjya. With Thamma, director Aditya Sarpotdar attempts to extend this supernatural universe, exploring a world where humans coexist with mythical betaals—blood-sucking creatures rooted in Hindu folklore. Yet, the film often feels more like a celebration of a “desi multiverse” than a coherent story.

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Plot and Premise

Ayushmann Khurrana plays Alok Goyal, a sensationalist journalist who, after a strange encounter with a wild bear, is saved by Tadaka (Rashmika Mandanna), a girl without a heartbeat. He soon finds himself in a mysterious jungle where tribal rules govern life and the head of the tribe, Thamma (Nawazuddin Siddiqui), remains imprisoned for breaking them during the Partition.

As Tadaka transitions into Tarika in Alok’s urban world, tensions arise at his home, where his father (Paresh Rawal) sees her as a trap, and his mother (Geeta Agarwal Sharma) struggles to understand her peculiar habits. Following a fateful accident, Alok becomes a bloodsucker himself, confronting the question: can he retain his humanity?

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Performance and Character Dynamics

The cast delivers committed performances, though writing inconsistencies occasionally hold them back. Rashmika’s wide-eyed portrayal feels exaggerated, while Ayushmann navigates the shift from his everyman persona to supernatural hero with visible effort. Nawazuddin shines in the role of the sly Betaal, though at times his performance is overshadowed by the CGI-heavy setting. Supporting actors like Sathyaraj, Abhishek Banerjee, and Faisal Malik inject energy and humor, especially in the latter half.

Paresh Rawal provides high-decibel comedy as the overprotective father, while the family dynamics offer a subtle layer of satire on societal norms—particularly the interplay of belonging, exclusion, and cultural expectations.

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Strengths and Weaknesses

Thamma struggles in its first half, feeling mechanical and self-aware, as if genre tropes were processed algorithmically. The horror elements rarely scare, the romance fails to resonate emotionally, and comedic beats often fall flat. The overuse of Raktabeej mythology adds little freshness, and item numbers appear formulaic.

However, post-intermission, the film gains momentum. The supernatural conflicts intensify, subplots around social hierarchy and morality come alive, and the music—particularly Sachin Jigar and Amitabh Bhattacharya’s “Rahein Na Rahein Hum”—adds emotional depth. A cameo face-off between Varun Dhawan’s Bhediya and Nawazuddin’s Betaal in Delhi raises stakes, while Sathyaraj helps weave together the metaverse strands. Clever touches—like animals revealing truths or mirroring human traits—add subtle humor and insight.

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Verdict

While Thamma delivers flashes of the Maddock supernatural universe’s signature wit and creativity, it remains uneven. The narrative, particularly in the first half, feels undercooked, with layered ideas waiting to emerge fully. By the second half, the story finds its footing, balancing myth, humor, and social commentary—but inconsistently.

In a cinematic era where audiences judge with the swipe of a thumb, Thamma lands somewhere between approval and hesitation—an ambitious universe that still needs a stronger story to match its world-building.