Ayushmann Khurrana on Diwali Holiday Release for Horror-Comedy ‘Thama’

Bollywood star Ayushmann Khurrana‘s horror-comedy “Thama” has locked in a Diwali 2025 launch, marking the primary time the critically acclaimed actor will headline a significant festive window launch in his decade-plus profession.

The Maddock Films manufacturing, produced by Dinesh Vijan and directed by Aditya Sarpotdar, represents a big profession escalation for Khurrana, who has constructed his popularity as one in every of Hindi-language cinema’s most bankable stars by means of unconventional script selections and socially aware comedies.

“Thama” represents an enlargement of Maddock’s horror-comedy universe. The studio, recognized for releasing movies like “Stree 2,” “Munjya,” and “Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya” in a blockbuster 2024, unveiled a slate of eight interconnected movies set to launch over the following 4 years, earlier this yr.

The lineup begins with “Thama,” adopted by “Shakti Shalini” on Dec. 31. In 2026, audiences can count on “Bhediya 2” on Aug. 14 and “Chamunda” on Dec. 4. The following yr contains “Stree 3” on Aug. 13 and “Mahamunjya” on Dec. 24. The universe will culminate in 2028 with “Pehla Mahayudh” on Aug. 11 and “Doossra Mahayudh” on Diwali, Oct. 18.

“It feels amazing to have a big Diwali release with ‘Thama.’ It is the biggest release of my career and I’m really eager to spread joy, happiness and laughter with the entire country with ‘Thama,’” Khurrana stated. “The fact that my film could be one of the reasons for people to have a great festive period feels really surreal.”

The Diwali slot has historically been reserved for Bollywood’s largest stars and tentpole releases, making Khurrana’s reserving a testomony to his field workplace evolution from indie darling to industrial heavyweight. “Thama” is at present the one Bollywood movie releasing throughout the Diwali vacation body, which falls on Oct. 20 this yr.

“For me, Diwali is about togetherness, it is about family and it is about having the best community experience by spending time with your friends,” the “Vicky Donor” star stated. “I’m a big movie buff and every year, I have a ritual to go to the theatres with my family and watch a film on Diwali. We have so much fun together and it makes me so happy to see scores of people thronging to the theatres to watch these big releases.”

“Thama” brings collectively an ensemble forged together with Rashmika Mandanna, Paresh Rawal, and Nawazuddin Siddiqui. Aditya Sarpotdar directs from a screenplay by Niren Bhatt, Suresh Mathew, and Arun Fulara, with Dinesh Vijan and Amar Kaushik producing.

“I’m giving my everything for ‘Thama’ and I can see my producers Dinesh Vijan and Amar Kaushik, my director Aditya Sarpotdar and the entire team of ‘Thama’ put in every drop of their energy to make this film a truly incredible big screen experience that will be memorable for everyone,” Khurrana stated.

Maddock Films gained prominence within the horror-comedy area in 2018 with “Stree,” which popularized the style in Bollywood. The movie’s mix of humor, supernatural parts and folklore struck a chord with audiences, paving the best way for additional exploration of the style. This new cinematic universe is a pure evolution for the studio, bringing collectively characters and storylines into an interconnected narrative.

The firm’s epic historic saga “Chhaava,” starring Vicky Kaushal, is the largest Indian field workplace success of 2025 to date.