BY Christa Lincy
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Thamma (2025):Can It Surpass Stree 2’s ₹850 Crore Triumph?
The Maddock Horror Comedy Universe (MHCU) has firmly established itself as one of the most engaging and successful cinematic franchises in recent Indian cinema, redefining the horror-comedy genre with its unique blend of supernatural thrills, humor, and engaging storytelling.
The journey began with Stree in 2018, starring Shraddha Kapoor and Rajkummar Rao, which instantly captured the imagination of audiences with its innovative storyline about a mysterious spirit preying on men during a festival season. The film’s mix of spine-chilling suspense, clever humor, and memorable performances set a new standard for the genre, resulting in massive audience appreciation, strong word-of-mouth, and blockbuster-level collections of ₹ 182.00 Cr Worldwide.With a production budget of ₹30 crore and a worldwide gross of ₹182 crore, Stree emerged as a major box office success.
Following this, Bhediya in 2022 brought a fresh dimension to the universe with Varun Dhawan and Kriti Sanon in the lead, introducing folklore-inspired werewolf mythology interwoven with comedy. While the buzz around the film was considerable and audiences were intrigued by its unique premise, it didn’t quite match the phenomenal impact of Stree, culminating in collections of ₹ 94.91 Cr Worldwide.Made on a budget of ₹60 crore, Bhediya earned ₹94.91 crore worldwide, making it a moderate success at the box office.
In 2024, Munjya expanded the MHCU further with Sara Ali Khan and Vijay Deverakonda taking the lead, delivering an engaging supernatural story that resonated well with audiences. The film garnered positive responses and commendable advance bookings, reflecting the growing popularity of the universe, and amassed₹ 125 Cr[world wide].With a production budget of ₹30 crore and a worldwide gross of ₹125 crore, Munjya proved to be a profitable and well-received film..
Later that year, the highly anticipated Stree 2 returned to screens with Shraddha Kapoor and Rajkummar Rao reprising their roles, riding on the massive success and fan following of the original. The pre-release buzz was immense, advance bookings of ₹ 25.63 Cr[With Block Seats] indicated enormous audience interest, and the film lived up to expectations with blockbuster-level collections of ₹ 857.15 Cr, further solidifying the MHCU as a powerhouse franchise in Hindi cinema..The movie had scripted history by becoming the first Hindi film to cross the monumental milestone of ₹ 600 Crore.Produced with a budget of ₹125 crore, as reported by Bollywood Hungama, Stree 2 amassed a massive worldwide collection of ₹857.15 crore, becoming one of the biggest hits in the MHCU.
Building on this momentum, Thamma (2025) emerges as the most ambitious and star-studded entry yet, bringing together a powerhouse ensemble cast including Ayushmann Khurrana, Rashmika Mandanna, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Paresh Rawal, and Varun Dhawan, promising to deliver a mix of horror, comedy, and romance on a grand scale. The film has already created enormous pre-release excitement, with early advance bookings indicating a strong opening day projected at ₹3.39 crore (as of now) and continuing to grow .Scheduled for release on October 21, 2025, during the Diwali weekend, it stands to benefit from the extended festive holiday, giving it a wide window to maximize box office potential. With a production budget of around ₹125 crore and an estimated total landing cost of ₹145 crore, including print and publicity, along with high-quality visuals, engaging storytelling, and the established fanbase of the MHCU, Thamma is expected not only to meet but surpass the success of its predecessors.
All indicators suggest that it could outperform even the massive Stree 2, potentially setting new benchmarks in the franchise and emerging as the biggest blockbuster in the Maddock Horror Comedy Universe to date. From its innovative story and ensemble cast to the anticipation and excitement generated by early advance bookings, Thamma appears poised to redefine audience expectations and continue the legacy of one of Hindi cinema’s most exciting franchises.
Bollywood
