Connect with us
Saturday,15-August-2026
Breaking News

Bollywood

‘Thamma’ Movie Review: A massy, mythical, Maddock-style fire-cracker blockbuster!

Published

on

Director: Aditya Sarpotdar, Writer: Niren Bhatt, Suresh Mathew, Arun Falara, Cast: Ayushmann Khurrana, Rashmika Mandanna, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Paresh Rawal, Sathyaraj, Fasial Malik, Geeta Aggarwal, Rachit Singh, Duration: 149 Minutes, Rating: 4.

Thamma is big-screen fun at its purest — a daring mix of folklore, family, fantasy, and fanfare of a full-blown franchise. With this new movie in the Maddock horror-verse, director Aditya Sarpotdar is taking Indian genre cinema to a whole new level. It’s all sorts of strange, clever, and wildly creative — yet, very relatable. While Stree was scary and subversive and Bhediya went into the wilds, Thamma conquers the territory by merging horror with love and, thus, leaving a cinematic experience that is totally different.

The story revolves around the forest of myths where the past is still alive and the ancient guardians are awakening. Not Thamma by any means, but it still manages to conjure up a bizarre fantasy universe complete with its own laws, curses, and consequences. Compared to other supernatural thrillers, this one is basically an emotional comedy with a dose of humor and the human instinct to save those whom we love even if it costs our lives. It doesn’t become scary but rather keeps its faith. The movie is funny but not farcical. It is also emotional without being overly dramatic.

One of the main characters is journalist protagonist Khurrana from a small town. His incidental supernatural experience leads to a series of events that is not in his capacity to grasp the enormity of it. In the first half, he is simply lovable and relatable but later on he becomes quite intense. Mandanna delivers an emotional performance that is also very down-to-earth. She has the fire as well as the delicate side of her nature and does not go for the usual stereotypical trope of horror comedy being over-the-top.

The continuing part is just an explosive work of art — it features fight, change of characters, and a breathtaking fight between Alok and Bhediya (Varun Dhawan). Special effects are of great quality and the confrontation between these two forces is signaling their underlying relationship which will definitely influence this cinematic universe storyline in the future. Such a moment of grandeur is the kind of moment in which you wish to applaud in a jam-packed hall, and subsequently, you are left with more questions than answers. How are these two characters related? I promise; the answer will be beyond your imagination.

On the subject of universe-building, the movie is full of Easter eggs and a few character recalls, but one highlights: the comeback of Sar Kata, the frightening character from Stree, who ominously appears, signaling the massive danger that lies ahead for the Maddock horror-verse. To be honest, the connection between Stree 2 and Thamma is quite strong, and by the time you get to the end, it’s only evident that it’s something huge that is on its way. The seeds of a mega-crossover have been dropped.

The acting, in general, is great. Paresh Rawal offers a great comic relief performance as the sarcastic and sharp-witted father while Nawazuddin Siddiqui dominates the movie with his intense and dark presence. The upward movement of his character feels like the dawn of something bigger and maybe a major factor in the future war of good vs. evil in this ever-expanding universe.

Following that is the comeback of Sathyaraj as Elvis, the idiosyncratic paranormal expert who got the nickname Hand of God. However, this time, he is not only here for the laughs — his arrival subtly changes the bigger picture. In a significant moment, Elvis points to a vital connection between Alok’s freshly changed Betaal and Bhediya, the one who was last seen grappling with Sar Kata in Stree 2. It’s a clever, low-key link that signals the coming events and the Maddock universe fans will instantly get the excitement of the bigger plot unfolding.

Moreover, the talked-about Nora Fatehi cameo is not only a glam reel but also an addition to the lore. Her unveiling provides a wonderful emotional connection to Stree and is a massive high point for long-time fans of the universe. Being a kind of fan service, it rewards attention and gives a totally different perspective to everything that we thought we knew about this world. Is she the one who opens the door to its secrets or something else?

Before the release, the buzz was mostly about item numbers and flashy visuals. However, Thamma, turn, defies the expectation. In the typical Maddock manner, every song in this movie has its function-character revelation, story advancement, or myth deepening. There are no unnecessary diversions, no hollow spectacles, only the narrative-driven songs that keep the emotional part of the story going. It is a very important revamp of the Bollywood horror formula and the result is great.

Bollywood

Yash was surprised to learn that Kiara Advani had never done a rain sequence before ‘Toxic’

Published

on

Mumbai, Aug 14: Yash revealed that he was surprised to learn that Kiara Advani had never done a rain sequence before ‘Toxic’, despite spending so many years in Bollywood.

Addressing the album launch event of ‘Toxic’ in Mumbai, Yash shared that when he asked Kiara if she had done a rain sequence, she said no, and he convinced her that it was going to be easy.

Yash was heard saying, “When Kiara came into this film, I was a little worried because it is too demanding. The first time we spoke, I asked her, ‘have you ever done the rain sequence?’ and she said, ‘Never, how is it?’ And I was like ‘Oh, all these years you have worked and you have never done a rain sequence’. She said, ‘No’. And I said, ‘Yeah, it’s going to be good, easy’.”

Yash also praised Kiara, saying that the actress came with 100% commitment despite being pregnant with her daughter at the time of the shoot.

He revealed that he and director Geetu Mohandas were extremely scared and acted like Kiara’s bodyguard during the shoot.

“And then I saw the way she dedicated herself, and I must say, even after she was pregnant, she came with 100% commitment. We all were so scared. I was more worried. Gitu was more worried. We were more like bouncers or bodyguards, where we used to take care of her. But she has really dedicated herself. So thank you, Kiara. This one is special,” the ‘KGF’ actor went on to add.

Yash even went on to call another leading lady from ‘Toxic’, Tara Sutaria, a ‘stunning beauty’.

“I was told, ‘You know in your whole movie the character what she is playing that looks authentic like a Disney queen or a character from that era’. So that makes me a little conscious standing next to her that I am not looking according to the period or because she is so good looking that that’s making me look little local,” he said.

Continue Reading

Bollywood

Yash calls co-star Sudev Nair the ‘Invisible Pillar’ of Toxic

Published

on

Mumbai, Aug 13: Yash lauded his ‘Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups’ co-star Sudev Nair for his immense commitment and contribution to the highly anticipated action-thriller.

Speaking during the grand trailer launch event for ‘Toxic’, Yash called Sudev the ‘invisible pillar’ behind the movie, singling him out as one of the movie’s key backbones.

The ‘KGF’ actor even went as far as to say that ‘Toxic’ would not have happened if it weren’t for Sudev.

Yash expressed his deep gratitude to Sudev, saying, “If not for Sudev, this movie wouldn’t have happened. Every time somebody’s dates could not be accommodated, he would make up for it.”

Yash also revealed that Sudev acted as an “invisible pillar” during the production of the action entertainer.

He shared that Sudev stepped up continuously, making sure that the shooting schedules remained uninterrupted despite complex date clashes among the cast.

Going by the recently released trailer of ‘Toxic’, the eagerly awaited actioner talks about the complex relationship between Raya and his son, Ticket, both roles played by Yash. These two are surrounded by a web of relationships and rivalries.

The power-packed preview included all the elements of a masala entertainer – striking visuals, jaw-dropping action, intense characters, and complicated relationships.

Made under the direction of Geetu Mohandas, ‘Toxic’ enjoys a promising cast with Nayanthara, Kiara Advani, Huma Qureshi, Tara Sutaria, Akshay Oberoi, and Sudev Nair in key roles, along with others.

Backed by KVN Productions, along with Monster Mind Creations, ‘Toxic’ is slated for a worldwide theatrical release on 26 August.

Shot simultaneously in English and Kannada, ‘Toxic’ will also be available to the audience in dubbed versions in Hindi, Telugu, Tamil and Malayalam.

The camerawork for the drama has been performed by Rajeev Ravi, whereas Ujwal Kulkarni has looked after the editing department of the film.

Continue Reading

Bollywood

Mini Mathur calls ‘Alliance’ the best digital detox experiences of her life: Had so much fun

Published

on

Mumbai: Mini Mathur, the winner of the reality show ‘Alliance’, called it the best digital detox experience of her life. She shared that she did not miss her phone at all during her time in the show.

Mini said that, given it was her first experience of a reality show, she was surprised that she ended up having so much fun.

The ‘Mind the Malhotras’ actress was asked, “This was your first reality show, while many contestants had years of experience in this space. How challenging was the learning curve in the beginning, and what surprised you the most?”

Mini believes that the fact that she did not enter the show with any preconceived notion ended up working in her favour.

“I did not come with the sole intention of winning. Of course, I did not come to lose either, but my focus was simply to enjoy every challenge and give it my best. I think people connected with that enthusiasm,” she added.

Explaining her strategy for ‘Alliance’, Mini added, “Many people told me that reality shows are all about creating drama, speaking to the cameras, and manufacturing conflicts. But I never wanted to be known for that. I wanted people to see me exactly as I am—authentic. That is how I played the game.”

Talking about her learning curve, she said, “The learning curve lasted through the first couple of weeks. Fortunately, many contestants were also new to reality television, so we were all learning together. That made the environment much more comfortable because there were fewer preconceived ideas.”

Mini also revealed how the show unexpectedly turned out to be a fun experience for her, also becoming the best digital detox of her life.

“What surprised me the most was how much fun I ended up having. I honestly thought I would come out mentally exhausted, physically drained, and probably needing therapy. Instead, I came out feeling sharper, more focused, and fitter than I have felt in a very long time,” she concluded.

Continue Reading

Trending