From exploring socially charged themes in his earlier films to riding high on the mass appeal of Thamma, Ayushmann Khurrana remains every bit the clutter breaker, as he likes to call himself. The actor is currently celebrating several firsts: his first foray into the horror-comedy space with Thamma, his first festival release, and the biggest opening of his 13-year career. “The audience has enjoyed the film, which also translates into box office success. It really matters since you do make movies for the public at large,” he says.
It’s an achievement that feels even more significant given the current landscape, where films often struggle to sustain screens and audiences. “We try to make relatable films, and if not relatable, films that offer a theaterical experience. Thamma is a fantastical visual delight, and it is meant for theatrical viewership. To see such films receiving a good response is refreshing,” Khurrana says.
The film is part of Maddock’s first-of-its-kind horror-comedy universe, which fuses folklore with modern context to make it relatable and meaningful. Khurrana plays a journalist who loses his way and stumbles into a coven of vampires. After a freak encounter with a wild bear, he is nursed back to life by a vampiress, played by Rashmika Mandanna, and gets a new lease on life, but with fangs. Their union sparks a deadly clash between humans and vampires, with plenty of horror, romance, and laughs.