Horror-comedy Thamma opens with Rs 24 crore debut

Thamma, starring Ayushmann Khurrana and Rashmika Mandanna, earned an estimated Rs 24-25 crore net at the domestic box office on its opening day on October 21, marking the second-highest opener in the Maddock Horror Comedy Universe after Stree 2ndtvprofit+2.
The Diwali release recorded strong occupancy rates throughout the day, starting at 15.76% for morning shows and peaking at 42.91% for evening shows, with Chennai leading at 53% overall occupancyndtvprofit+2.
The horror-comedy outperformed previous franchise entries including Bhediya (Rs 7.48 crore), the original Stree (Rs 6.82 crore), and Munjya (Rs 4 crore), while also surpassing Khurrana's previous career-best openingindianexpress+1.
Directed by Aditya Sarpotdar and produced by Maddock Films, the film explores Indian vampire folklore with Khurrana playing a journalist transformed into a Betaal, alongside Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Paresh Rawal in key rolesndtvprofit+1.
Despite receiving mixed reviews from critics, Thamma benefited from positive word-of-mouth and the extended Diwali weekend, with industry experts expecting strong momentum at the box office in the coming daysndtvprofit+1.

Ayushmann Khurrana and Rashmika Mandanna's horror-comedy Thamma made a solid debut at the Indian box office, earning Rs 24.87 crore on its opening day according to industry tracker Sacnilk. The Diwali release has emerged as the second-highest opener in the Maddock Horror Comedy Universe, trailing only behind last year's blockbuster Stree 2.ndtvprofit+4

The film, which hit theaters on October 21, represents a career milestone for Khurrana, marking his biggest opening day collection to date. His previous highest opener was Dream Girl 2, which collected Rs 10.69 crore.economictimes+3

Strong Performance Despite Mixed Reviews

Despite receiving mixed reviews from critics, Thamma capitalized on the festive Diwali timing and recorded impressive occupancy rates throughout the day. The film started slow with morning show occupancy at 15.76% but gained momentum as the day progressed, peaking at 42.91% for evening shows.ndtvprofit+3

Chennai recorded the highest occupancy at 53%, while major metros like Mumbai, Delhi-NCR, and Bengaluru showed strong footfall. The film also performed decently in its Telugu version, recording 20.76% occupancy.indianexpress+3

Trade analyst Taran Adarsh praised the film's opening, noting it has become "the third-highest opener for Maddock Films, after Stree 2 and Chhaava" and ranks as "the second-highest opener in the Maddock Horror Comedy Universe".ndtvprofit

Outperforming Universe Predecessors

Thamma's Rs 24.87 crore opening surpassed all previous entries in the horror-comedy franchise except Stree 2, which debuted with Rs 51.8 crore. The film significantly outperformed Bhediya (Rs 7.48 crore), the original Stree (Rs 6.82 crore), and Munjya (Rs 4 crore).indiatoday+3

The Aditya Sarpotdar-directed film faced minimal competition from Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat, starring Harshvardhan Rane and Sonam Bajwa, which managed only Rs 8.5 crore on its opening day.indiatvnews+1

Produced by Dinesh Vijan and Amar Kaushik, Thamma explores vampire folklore through Indian mythology, featuring Khurrana as a journalist who transforms into a Betaal after encountering Mandanna's mysterious character Tadaka. The film also stars Nawazuddin Siddiqui as the antagonist Yakshasan and Paresh Rawal in a key role.ndtv+3

With positive word-of-mouth building and the extended Diwali weekend ahead, industry experts predict Thamma could achieve a Rs 100-110 crore extended weekend collection, positioning it as another successful entry in Maddock Films' expanding horror-comedy universe.pinkvilla+1

Sources (29)