Bollywood star Ayushmann Khurrana‘s horror-comedy “Thama” has locked in a Diwali 2025 launch, marking the primary time the critically acclaimed actor will headline a serious festive window launch in his decade-plus profession.
The Maddock Movies manufacturing, produced by Dinesh Vijan and directed by Aditya Sarpotdar, represents a big profession escalation for Khurrana, who has constructed his popularity as considered one of Hindi-language cinema’s most bankable stars by way of unconventional script decisions and socially aware comedies.
“Thama” represents an enlargement of Maddock’s horror-comedy universe. The studio, recognized for releasing movies like “Stree 2,” “Munjya,” and “Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya” in a blockbuster 2024, unveiled a slate of eight interconnected movies set to launch over the following 4 years, earlier this yr.
The lineup begins with “Thama,” adopted by “Shakti Shalini” on Dec. 31. In 2026, audiences can anticipate “Bhediya 2” on Aug. 14 and “Chamunda” on Dec. 4. The next yr consists of “Stree 3” on Aug. 13 and “Mahamunjya” on Dec. 24. The universe will culminate in 2028 with “Pehla Mahayudh” on Aug. 11 and “Doossra Mahayudh” on Diwali, Oct. 18.
“It feels wonderful to have a giant Diwali launch with ‘Thama.’ It’s the largest launch of my profession and I’m actually wanting to unfold pleasure, happiness and laughter with all the nation with ‘Thama,’” Khurrana stated. “The truth that my movie could possibly be one of many causes for folks to have an important festive interval feels actually surreal.”
The Diwali slot has historically been reserved for Bollywood’s largest stars and tentpole releases, making Khurrana’s reserving a testomony to his field workplace evolution from indie darling to business heavyweight. “Thama” is at the moment the one Bollywood movie releasing through the Diwali vacation body, which falls on Oct. 20 this yr.
“For me, Diwali is about togetherness, it’s about household and it’s about having the perfect neighborhood expertise by spending time with your folks,” the “Vicky Donor” star stated. “I’m a giant film buff and yearly, I’ve a ritual to go to the theatres with my household and watch a movie on Diwali. Now we have a lot enjoyable collectively and it makes me so blissful to see scores of individuals thronging to the theatres to observe these massive releases.”
“Thama” brings collectively an ensemble forged together with Rashmika Mandanna, Paresh Rawal, and Nawazuddin Siddiqui. Aditya Sarpotdar directs from a screenplay by Niren Bhatt, Suresh Mathew, and Arun Fulara, with Dinesh Vijan and Amar Kaushik producing.
“I’m giving my all the pieces for ‘Thama’ and I can see my producers Dinesh Vijan and Amar Kaushik, my director Aditya Sarpotdar and all the workforce of ‘Thama’ put in each drop of their vitality to make this movie a really unbelievable massive display expertise that can be memorable for everybody,” Khurrana stated.
Maddock Movies gained prominence within the horror-comedy house in 2018 with “Stree,” which popularized the style in Bollywood. The movie’s mix of humor, supernatural components and folklore struck a chord with audiences, paving the best way for additional exploration of the style. This new cinematic universe is a pure evolution for the studio, bringing collectively characters and storylines into an interconnected narrative.
The corporate’s epic historic saga “Chhaava,” starring Vicky Kaushal, is the largest Indian field workplace success of 2025 to this point.
