Thamma: The Expensive Attempt to Keep You Entertained This Diwali

So, Ayushmann Khurrana and Rashmika Mandanna are back, and they’re bringing a little something called “Thamma” to theaters this Diwali. This isn’t just any movie; it’s the fifth installment of the Maddock Horror Comedy Universe (MHCU)—which, let’s be honest, is becoming a horror in itself with escalating budgets and expectations. Everyone is buzzing about how Thamma will introduce vampires to the fold—because what better way to celebrate the festival of lights than with the undead, right?

Rumor has it that “Thamma” will bear the crown as the most expensive entry in the franchise. Apparently, a mere ₹125 crore budget is just the starter pack. Add a sprinkle of ₹20 crore for print and publicity, and you’ve got yourself a blockbuster that’s spf 145 crore—a figure that makes even the most extravagant wedding seem like a budget-friendly affair. A significant chunk of this budget reportedly went into the VFX work. Who knows, maybe we’ll actually get to see a vampire that looks more like a work of art than something from a shopping mall’s Halloween section.

If you think you’ve seen pricey films before, wait till you hear what “Stree 2” (the previous heavyweight champion of the MHCU) cost. With a budget similar to Thamma’s—around ₹125 crore, also including publicity—it’s made more money than anyone could ever dream of: a whopping ₹857 crore at the global box office! Maybe we should all take notes because clearly, selling a few ghostly encounters is far more lucrative than selling real estate!

Before “Stree 2” rocked the box office, “Munjya” came out swinging—made on a thrift store budget of ₹30 crore and managing to rake in ₹125 crore worldwide. Clearly, Abhay Verma and Sharvari don’t need an extravagant budget; they’ve turned frugality into a fine art. And just to clear the air, director Aditya Sarpotdar has confirmed that half of Munjya’s budget went into VFX—probably for a ‘ghost’ that looks like it actually can haunt your nightmares, assuming nightmares are measured in pixelated graphics.

Then there’s “Bhediya”—the stepchild of the franchise, which, despite being made on a modest ₹60 crore budget, collected a mere ₹94.91 crore, putting it firmly on the bottom of the franchise’s success ladder. It’s almost as if the ghosts of bad ticket sales haunt its budget. But don’t worry, there’s a sequel coming, because nothing says “I believe in second chances” quite like a horror comedy that struggled to make its initial investment back.

If you thought “Stree” was the underdog with its ₹30 crore budget and ₹182 crore collection, you’re absolutely right. It’s like the David among a bunch of Goliaths—except the slingshot is a clever script and a generous dose of comedy. Now, we’re also getting “Stree 3” alongside an animated film titled “Choti Stree,” because clearly the world can never have too many movies about mischievous spirits.

So, as we prepare to witness Thamma and its likely over-the-top extravagance, let’s just hope it’s entertaining enough to justify the price tag. Because if vampires are the new trend in horror comedies, we’re all going to need some serious financial planning skills. Invest wisely, my friends—this Diwali, the ghosts may not just haunt your dreams; they might just haunt your savings too!