Thamma Movie Review: Ayushmann Khurrana and Rashmika Mandanna’s horror comedy has heart but lacks bite

What begins as an ambitious world-building exercise ultimately feels hollow because the film cannot translate its big ideas into emotional truth.

A journey into the forbidden

News reporter Alok Goyal (Ayushmann Khurrana) ventures into a restricted jungle hoping to create a viral story. After a dangerous animal attack reminiscent of ‘The Revenant,’ he is rescued by the mysterious Tadaka (Rashmika Mandanna), whose superhuman abilities intrigue him.

Drawn deeper into the jungle, Alok discovers a community frozen in time and is imprisoned by the eccentric Yakshasan (Nawazuddin Siddiqui), who is also the Thamma (leader) of this tribe.

Tadaka saves him again, and their bond deepens as Alok brings her home, to the surprise of his mourning parents. His father (Paresh Rawal) is immediately suspicious of this magnetic stranger. Alok soon realises Tadaka’s true, otherworldly identity during an eventful first date.

When she tries to return to her world for his safety, a life-changing event forces Alok to join her tribe. His transformation into a ‘Betal’—an Indianized version of a vampire who has sworn off human blood—eventually brings him face-to-face with Thamma and a surprise crossover from Maddock’s horror universe.

Grand myth, weak spine

‘Thamma’ ambitiously draws from key moments of ancient and modern Indian history to establish the supernatural powers of its central characters—from the journey of a conqueror in the 4th century BC to post-Independence India’s blood-soaked chapters. The intent is grand, but the narrative isn’t taut enough to hold it all together. It relies on convenient plot devices and cameos from other films in the universe to stay afloat.

These nods may excite fans but cannot sustain a story where romance and emotional depth should take center stage. The film lacks a beating heart; even Khurrana’s natural charm and Mandanna’s muted intensity can’t elevate the superficial writing.

Their relationship feels hurried, never allowing emotional stakes to develop. Moreover, the excessive dependence on the Betal legend—tweaked to fit the screenplay—makes the world feel contrived from the start. The mythological layering, which could have added texture, instead ends up confusing the narrative.

Strong cast, thin impact

Ayushmann Khurrana fits well as the everyman who finds himself in extraordinary circumstances. Rashmika Mandanna looks striking and performs with quiet conviction.

Paresh Rawal brings effortless humour and warmth as the sceptical father, delivering the film’s sharpest comic moments. Nawazuddin Siddiqui, as Thamma, steals scenes with his eccentric, intoxicated villainy—his throwaway English quips and historical rants provide genuine laughs.

However, despite these individual performances, the film struggles to find tonal balance. The masked dancers, jungle lore, and tribal mystique feel like echoes of ‘Kantara’ rather than fresh inventions.

The weakest link in the universe

Director Aditya Sarpotdar does a competent job of stitching together an overstuffed script by Suresh Mathew, Arun Fulara, and Niren Bhatt. The cinematography by Saurabh Goswami is lush and reminiscent of ‘Bhediya,’ but the VFX and background score by Sachin–Jigar are often overbearing.

The racing, disco-like music frequently builds to deafening crescendos, overwhelming rather than elevating the scenes. In Maddock’s expanding horror-comedy franchise, ‘Thamma’ unfortunately emerges as the weakest link so far—neither very funny nor convincingly romantic, and certainly not scary. One hopes the next chapter revives the charm and wit that once defined this universe.

Rating: 2.5/5