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

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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.

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

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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.

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Catherine Zeta-Jones says ‘You are everything to me’ as son Dylan turns a year older

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Los Angele : Hollywood star couple Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas’ son Dylan turned a year older on Saturday, and celebrating his special day, the actress penned a heartfelt birthday wish for her son on social media.

Catherine posted a few throwback photographs of Dylan over the years on her Instagram handle, expressing her immense love for him in an emotional birthday wish that read, “Happy Birthday to my son Dylan!!!!! You are everything to me and you bring such joy to my life. Have a wonderful new year ahead sweetheart and thank you for all those thus far. @dylan__douglas I (red heart emoji) U (sic).”

Douglas and Zeta-Jones started dating back in 1999, and the lovebirds exchanged wedding vows in 2000. The couple has been blessed with two children – son Dylan Michael and daughter Carys Zeta.

In April, as Carys turned 23, both Douglas and Zeta-Jones dropped lovely birthday notes for their daughter.

Douglas uploaded a picture of himself with his daughter on a red carpet, and penned, “Happy Birthday Carys! May YOUR new year bring you joy and inspiration. All the love in the world! @carys.douglas Dad.”

Carys commented on the post saying, “Thank you Dadda I love you so so much.”

Zeta-Jones also shared a couple of old pictures of her daughter, along with the text, “Happy Birthday Carys! May today and all days be a special as you. I love you. Mama.”

Carys replied in the comment section saying, “Thank you my dear Mamma I love you so.”

Work-wise, in February, the Oscar-winning actress revealed that she will once again be seen as the enigmatic Morticia Addams in the third Season of the acclaimed show, ‘Wednesday’, which is expected to premiere on Netflix in July 2027.

Featuring Jenna Ortega as Wednesday Addams, the latest season of the drama promises to be the darkest chapter of the story yet.

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Salman Khan shares emotional reunion with ‘bada bhai’ Sanjay Dutt, says ‘Allah, Bhagwan, Jesus keep him happy’

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Mumbai, Aug 1: Bollywood superstar Salman Khan treated fans to heartwarming pictures of his reunion with his longtime friend Sanjay Dutt.

Sharing an emotional note celebrating their bond, Salman expressed his heart out in the wee hours of Saturday.

Taking to his social media account, Salman dropped two pictures of him warmly hugging Sanjay Dutt. In the first picture, the two actors are seen hugging each other, at what seems to be at Sanjay Dutt’s house.

The second picture captures the same image but from the camera angle of Sanjay Dutt being more in focus.

Sharing the pictures, Salman wrote, “Babaaaa for ever baba aur baba, baba hota hai. Sanju baba hai hum sab ka baba n Sanju baba now apne bacchon ka baba, mera bada bhai Sanjay Dutt, Allah, Bhagwan Jesus sab iss Aadhmi ko khush rakhain, I love you Baba.”

The post received love from Sanjay Dutt’s wife Maanayata Dutt, who commented, ” brothers for life.” Sanjay’s daughter Trishala Dutt also dropped a string of pink heart emoticons in the comments section.

Talking about Salman and Sanjay’s bond, they have shared one of Bollywood’s most enduring friendships and have also collaborated on many films over the years. The duo has appeared together in “Saajan” released in 1991, followed byb”Chal Mere Bhai” in 2000.

Both movies went on to become superhits. While Saajan starred Madhuri Dixit as the lead heroine, Chal Mere Bhai starred Karisma Kapoor.

For the uninitiated, both Salman Khan and Sanjay Dutt hail from respected Bollywood families.

Salman Khan is the son of legendary writer Salim Khan and Sanjay Dutt is the son of legends Sunil Dutt and Nargis.

On the work front, Salman will next be seen in “Maatrubhumi: May War Rest in Peace” based on the 2020 Galwan Valley clash.

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