Thamma Review

The Setup

The film opens on a very routine note—story beats and the leads’ entries feel functional rather than exciting. There’s momentum, but little spark. You get the sense early on that the ride will be more “okay-ish” than inspired.

Craft & Visuals

Let’s address the elephant (well, bear) in the room: the VFX bear looks distractingly rough. Given the studio’s experience, you’d expect a leap forward; instead, the CG work feels stuck in place. Creature design overall leans derivative—Betaal resembles stock Hollywood vampires, and even Bhediya’s walk evokes Wolverine. The background score, though, is a bright spot—punchy, moody where needed, and often more energetic than the scenes it supports.

Humor & Writing

There are a few comedic bits, but most land as quick exhale-laughs rather than genuine belly laughs—more “hasi nikal hi jaati hai” than memorable punchlines. The dialogues are strictly mediocre, and gimmicks like the recurring “Hallelujah hand” gag feel like a conscious attempt to engineer audience connect rather than an organic joke. The first half, in particular, is underwhelming.

Performances

Rashmika fits the part and adds sparkle whenever she’s on screen. The styling, however, leans needlessly “glam-first,” which undercuts character believability.
Ayushmann feels miscast or, at least, saddled with an under‑baked character. The repeated fake‑out deaths drain stakes; by the time it matters, you’re expecting another reset.
Nawaz as Thamma is funny but not compelling. A darker, straight‑faced approach might have preserved the genre’s horror edge. As it stands, the film’s “horror‑comedy” tag skews heavily to comedy; kids may find it spooky, adults won’t.
Paresh Rawal is reliably good—assured and promising every time he shows up.
Faisal Malik is endearing and lovable, bringing warmth to the margins.

Songs & Item Numbers

The Malaika item song lacks pep and feels forced; adding a Nora track on top of that doubles down on a choice that seems designed for promotion more than story. If you’re not already into item numbers, these don’t make the case.

The Second Half Lift (Minor Spoilers)

Things improve post‑interval. The Raktabeej thread makes the story feel a bit more relatable and injects some much‑needed urgency. The Betal vs Bhediya fight is genuinely engaging, even if Bhediya’s portrayal skews a tad too comical. After this stretch, the narrative finally finds some fun—but not for long.

The Universe Play

Yes, the film connects to Bhediya, Munjya, and Stree—as expected. Those links are neat for fans of the universe and help the film pass muster as a “chapter,” but they don’t compensate for the predictable plot and thin novelty. You’ve seen and heard this story before; here it’s rearranged rather than reimagined.

What Works

A few chuckles and one standout comic scene: the Betal revelation between Rashmika and Ayushmann.
The background score—consistently good.
Paresh Rawal and Faisal Malik—dependable performers who add value.
A late‑game action/fantasy burst (Betal vs Bhediya) that wakes the film up.
A coherent story spine (there is a plot), even if familiar.
Universe continuity for franchise followers.

What Doesn’t

Shaky VFX (the bear especially) and derivative creature design.
Mediocre dialogues; humor that rarely soars.
Forced item songs that halt momentum.
Ayushmann’s character feels underwritten; repeated “deaths” kill tension.
Horror is largely missing; tone favors safe comedy.
The love‑track detour slows things right when it needs bite.
Overall predictability and a first half that drags.

Verdict

Thamma is not the lively, inventive jolt you might expect from this universe, especially if you loved Stree or enjoyed Bhediya. It’s watchable, sometimes fun, and musically amped, but also safe, familiar, and visually uneven. If the film had trusted fresher designs for its monsters, sharpened the writing, and leaned into horror as much as comedy, we’d be talking about a much sharper entry.

Final Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3/5) — Time‑pass, one‑time watch—best enjoyed with family and low expectations.