When Maddock Films launched Stree in 2018, it delivered a homegrown horror-comedy film that was clever and rooted in folklore. As the Maddock Horror Comedy Universe (MHCU) expanded, the franchise became synonymous with smart entertainment. But with Thamma, the fifth instalment after Stree, Bhediya, Munjya and Stree 2, the cracks are beginning to show.
The vampire saga starring Ayushmann Khurrana and Rashmika Mandanna exposes how bloated and confused the MHCU has become. Here are five reasons why it desperately needs to put its house in order.
The tone is all over the place
The MHCU’s biggest strength was its tonal balance: funny, satirical yet frightening. Stree terrified and tickled in equal measure. Bhediya pushed its ecological allegory through sharp humour. Even Munjya, despite its flaws, had eerie energy. With Thamma, the makers struggle to strike the balance between romcom, supernatural fantasy and parody.
The film opens with Alexander the Great being mauled by a ‘betaal’ leader named Yakshasan (Nawazuddin Siddiqui). You are pulled into the world of betaals (forest-dwelling zombies that drink blood to survive). But within minutes, it devolves into a bland love story between a Delhi journalist (Ayushmann Khurrana) and a betaal named Tadaka (Rashmika Mandanna). Yakshasan’s desire to rule the world takes a backseat. The horror becomes toothless and the humour directionless.
Franchise-first, story-second
In Thamma, the universe matters more than the story. The narrative keeps digressing to deliver cameos, callbacks to earlier MHCU films, and floods the audience with self-referential gags instead of building emotional momentum. The crossovers feel forced — with an extensive pre-climax fight involving Bhediya.
Earlier entries earned their interconnectedness organically. Bhediya and Stree 2 expanded the universe without derailing their own narratives. Thamma, instead, treats the MHCU like a safety net, pulling it out every time the script seems to be going nowhere. Franchise-building works only when each film stands tall on its own.
The mythology is wasted
The Thamma setup had promise. A demon who wants to rule over the world. A secret community of betaals. And a new convert who could derail the balance between the betaal and human worlds. Imagine Bella’s conversion into a vampire and how the Volturi reacted in the Twilight saga. But Thamma squanders the opportunity.
Yakshasan is the kind of power-hungry zealot who could become MHCU’s Thanos. But the film sidelines him, treating his centuries-spanning arc like a disposable prologue.
The universe has lost its thematic identity
The MHCU wasn’t just about demons. It also exposed the evils of human society. Stree used folklore to critique patriarchy. Bhediya turned werewolf mythology into a satire on environmental conservation. Munjya examined generational trauma through a cursed ghost. Thamma attempts to explore an interspecies romance but the metaphor doesn’t land.
Formulaic storytelling that lacks novelty
By now, the MHCU’s creative playbook is predictable: take a small-town hero, pit him against a supernatural being, sprinkle some item songs, and introduce a crossover cameo. The formula that once felt fresh has now become mechanical. Even Ayushmann Khurrana, an actor who pulled off roles of small town boys coming to terms with himself with ease in the past, cannot save the lousy script. Rashmika Mandanna’s Tadaka is styled for the male gaze.
Hitting theatres weeks after a blockbuster like Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra from Malayalam cinema, Thamma feels even more insipid.