‘Thama’ Movie Review

‘Thama’ Movie Review

Cast: Rashmika Mandanna, Ayushmann Khurrana, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Paresh Rawal, Geeta Aggarwal Sharma, Faisal Khan, Varun Dhawan, Sathyaraj and others

Music: Sachin- Jigar

Cinematography: Saurabh Goswami

Producers: Dinesh Vijan- Amar Kaushik

Written by: Niren Bhatt- Suresh Mathew- Arun Phalar

Directed by: Aditya Sarpotdar

Maddock Films has been carving out a little universe of horror-comedies in Hindi. Films like Bediya, Munjiya, Stree, and Stree 2 have all done well. Now, their latest, Thama, is out. National crush Rashmika Mandanna plays the lead, and it’s already catching the eye of South Indian audiences too. As the film has hit theatres today, let’s see if this ticks all the boxes right.

Story:

Alok (Ayushmann Khurrana) is a journalist who heads into the forest with his team chasing a viral story. Things get wild when a bear starts following him! Just in time, Tadka (Rashmika Mandanna) swoops in and saves him. Naturally, Alok falls for her. But Tadka isn’t your everyday girl— she belongs to the mysterious Betaala tribe living deep in the forest. When a powerful demon named Yakshasan (Nawazuddin Siddiqui), held captive for years, targets Alok for a sacrifice, Tadka saves him again and brings him to Delhi.

Back in the city, Alok slowly realizes Tadka is far from ordinary. Feeling guilty for putting him in danger, she plans to return to the forest. But then a totally unexpected twist changes everything. What happens to Alok? Do they meet again? And what’s the real story behind Yakshasan? You’ll have to watch the film to find out.

Analysis:

Long ago, horror comedy was a favorite genre in South Indian films and beaten to dust. Movies like Chandramukhi, Kanchana, Prem Katha Chitram, and Raju Gari Gadhi have scared audiences, made them laugh, and turned into box office hits. While the South has been enjoying these films, Bollywood has taken the genre to another level. Maddock Films has become the go-to studio for horror comedies, delivering movies that have earned hundreds of crores. But if you look closely, their style feels fresh for Hindi audiences, while Telugu viewers might have already seen similar highs in horror-comedy and may not feel the same excitement.

Coming to Thama, the film relies heavily on visual effects and looks impressive. But the story doesn’t really grip anywhere. The thrill factor and the thing that makes your heart race are almost missing. The opening scene shows Greek king Alexander entering India through a forest with his army, only to be killed by a group of Betaals. And what you don’t expect is that the Betaals are saying to Alexander’s men that they are protecting India as they are patriotic. That shaky logic hits you hard. Characters, including the Brahma demon Yakshasan, played by Nawazuddin Siddiqui, are portrayed in odd ways. He speaks English to the hero, for example, and says he got the language after drinking the blood of Britishers. Rashmika Mandanna’s and Ayushmann Khurrana’s characters are also so stylized that the horror element kind of evaporates.

Still, the movie does have its moments. The VFX work is solid, and the stunts, especially Rashmika and Ayushmann in their different avatars, look wild. Kids will love them. Varun Dhawan even appears in a cameo as ‘Wolf’, and the action scene between him and Ayushmann is pretty exciting. The romantic track in the first half is boring, but the story picks up after the interval, with more twists and big action sequences. Visually, the film shines because almost every scene uses VFX.

In the end, Thama is a mixed bag. While the visuals and performances of the lead actors stand out, the screenplay doesn’t create tension or scare like a horror comedy should do in the first place. Hindi audiences might enjoy it more, since the style is new to them, but Telugu viewers, who’ve seen the peaks of this genre, will find it just okay.

Performances:

Rashmika Mandanna steals the show and really impresses her fans. Telugu audiences might want to watch the film just for her. Even though she plays a Betaala, she’s shown in a very glamorous way, including loads of lip locks and cleavage shots, which she pulls off with confidence. Ayushmann Khurrana brings fun and energy to his role as Alok. He keeps things lively, and his performance fits the tone of the movie well. Nawazuddin Siddiqui as Yakshasan starts off looking scary and crazy, but he doesn’t really manage to frighten much towards the end. The character seems intense at first, but it becomes more predictable as the story goes on.

Paresh Rawal and Geeta Agarwal Sharma shine in their roles as Alok’s parents. Their moments are sweet and grounded, giving the film some emotional balance. Varun Dhawan’s cameo as Bhediay (Wolf) is brief but memorable, and fans will love it. On the other hand, Sathyaraj’s character doesn’t leave much of an impact. Overall, the lead duo, Rashmika and Ayushmann, carry the film, while the supporting cast adds flavor, even if some roles feel underused.

Technicians:

On the technical side, Thama is a solid watch. Especially, the visual effects really stand out, and those scenes are well shot as well as presented. The art and production design are top-notch, giving the film a rich, cinematic look. Sachin-Jigar’s songs and his thumping background score work very well, adding energy where it’s needed. Saurabh Goswami’s cinematography is terrific, as it captures both action and fantasy moments very well.

As for the script, the basic idea of Thama is good, but the story expansion doesn’t quite keep you hooked. Some parts feel predictable and it doesn’t fully grab the eyeballs though the concept sounds unique. Aditya Sarpotdar’s direction is competent, though. He handles the VFX scenes well, making them look impressive on screen.

Finally: Thama.. Sparkles at Places

Rating- 2.5/5