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 serious festive window launch in his decade-plus profession.

The Maddock Movies 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 via unconventional script selections and socially aware comedies.

“Thama” represents an growth of Maddock’s horror-comedy universe. The studio, identified 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 anticipate “Bhediya 2” on Aug. 14 and “Chamunda” on Dec. 4. The next 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 superb to have an enormous Diwali launch with ‘Thama.’ It’s the largest launch of my profession and I’m actually desirous to unfold pleasure, happiness and laughter with the whole nation with ‘Thama,’” Khurrana stated. “The truth that my movie could possibly be one of many causes for individuals to have an awesome festive interval feels actually 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 business heavyweight. “Thama” is presently the one Bollywood movie releasing throughout the Diwali vacation body, which falls on Oct. 20 this yr.

“For me, Diwali is about togetherness, it’s about household and it’s about having the most effective neighborhood expertise by spending time with your mates,” the “Vicky Donor” star stated. “I’m an enormous film buff and yearly, I’ve a ritual to go to the theatres with my household and watch a movie on Diwali. We’ve a lot enjoyable collectively and it makes me so joyful to see scores of individuals thronging to the theatres to observe these massive releases.”

“Thama” brings collectively an ensemble solid 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 all the things for ‘Thama’ and I can see my producers Dinesh Vijan and Amar Kaushik, my director Aditya Sarpotdar and the whole staff of ‘Thama’ put in each drop of their vitality to make this movie a really unbelievable massive display screen expertise that shall be memorable for everybody,” Khurrana stated.

Maddock Movies 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 way in which 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 corporate’s epic historic saga “Chhaava,” starring Vicky Kaushal, is the most important Indian field workplace success of 2025 up to now.