Spine-Chilling Laughter Pays Off: Thamma Rakes in ₹24 Crore on Day One

Blockbuster Opening Day Performance

According to official figures from Maddock Films and industry tracker Sacnilk, Thamma earned ₹25.11 crore net at the Indian box office on its opening day, with the gross collection reaching ₹29.62 crore including taxes. Early estimates had pegged the collection at ₹24.87 crore, but the final figures exceeded expectations, making it one of the top five biggest Bollywood openings of 2025.

The film opened across 3,000+ screens nationwide and benefited from the Laxmi Pooja holiday, which ensured strong footfall throughout the day. Collections witnessed a steady upward trend, starting with a decent 18-20% occupancy in morning shows and climbing to an impressive 50% in evening and night shows. The overall day occupancy stood at approximately 34.5% in Hindi markets and 20.76% in Telugu-speaking regions.

Internationally, Thamma collected an additional ₹1.30 crore, bringing its worldwide gross to ₹31.25 crore on Day 1. Key overseas markets including the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom showed promising numbers, with the vampire romance-horror appealing to both NRI audiences and international horror-comedy fans.

Five Major Records Broken

Thamma didn’t just open well—it shattered multiple box office records on its first day, establishing new benchmarks for both its lead actors and the horror-comedy genre:

1. Ayushmann Khurrana’s Career-Best Opening: The ₹25.11 crore debut surpasses all of Ayushmann’s previous films, including Dream Girl (₹10.05 crore), Badhaai Ho (₹7.35 crore), and Bala (₹10.15 crore). This marks a significant milestone in the actor’s career, proving his growing commercial appeal.

2. Second-Highest MHCU Opener: Thamma secured the second-highest opening day collection in the Maddock Horror Comedy Universe, trailing only behind Stree 2, which earned ₹55.40 crore (including ₹8.50 crore from paid previews). It comfortably surpassed Bhediya (₹7.48 crore), the original Stree (₹6.82 crore), and Munjya (₹4.21 crore).

3. Highest Opening for an Original MHCU Film: What makes Thamma‘s achievement even more impressive is that it’s a standalone film introducing the Betaal legend, not a sequel. It nearly quadrupled the openings of previous original entries in the universe, demonstrating the growing brand power of MHCU and audience appetite for fresh mythological horror stories.

4. Fourth-Highest Bollywood Opening of 2025: Thamma ranks as the fourth-biggest Hindi film opener of 2025, behind only Chhaava, War 2, and Sikandar. It surpassed major releases like Saiyaara (₹21 crore), Housefull 5, and Sitaare Zameen Par.

5. Second-Best Opening for Rashmika Mandanna: For Rashmika Mandanna, Thamma marks her second-highest opening day after Animal (2023), further cementing her position as one of Bollywood’s most bankable actresses alongside her south Indian success with the Pushpa franchise.

Audience Response and Occupancy

Despite facing competition from multiple Diwali releases including Kantara: A Legend Chapter 1 (Hindi), Jolly LLB 3, Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari, and Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat, Thamma emerged as the clear winner at the box office. The film scheduled over 2,000 shows in Delhi NCR and Mumbai alone, with major metro cities reporting healthy occupancy rates above 33%.

Bengaluru and Chennai also showed strong numbers, while Hyderabad’s Telugu version of Thamma remained particularly popular with over 100 screenings in the city. The bilingual release strategy helped the film capture diverse audience segments across linguistic regions.

Word-of-mouth has been largely positive, with audiences praising the fresh take on vampire lore in an Indian context, the chemistry between Ayushmann and Rashmika, and the perfect balance of horror, comedy, and romance. The film’s supporting cast—including Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Paresh Rawal, and a reported cameo by Varun Dhawan—received special mentions for elevating key sequences.

Critics have lauded director Aditya Sarpotdar’s vision in seamlessly blending Indian mythology with contemporary horror-comedy sensibilities. The cinematography, visual effects depicting vampire transformations, and the film’s atmospheric soundtrack have all contributed to creating an immersive theatrical experience that audiences are eager to revisit.

Comparing with MHCU Films

The Maddock Horror Comedy Universe has established itself as one of Bollywood’s most successful cinematic universes, and Thamma‘s opening reinforces this dominance. While Stree 2 remains the undisputed champion with ₹597.99 crore lifetime domestic collection (the highest-grossing Hindi film of all time), Thamma has proven that the universe can deliver strong standalone stories beyond sequels.

Comparing opening day figures across the MHCU films reveals the exponential growth of the franchise: Stree (2018) opened at ₹6.82 crore and eventually collected ₹130+ crore; Bhediya (2022) started with ₹7.48 crore and finished around ₹65 crore; Munjya (2024) debuted at ₹4.21 crore but showed remarkable legs to reach ₹107 crore; and Stree 2 (2024) exploded with ₹55.40 crore, ultimately crossing ₹597 crore.

Trade analysts predict that Thamma, with its strong opening and positive word-of-mouth, could comfortably target the ₹150-200 crore range domestically, especially if it maintains momentum through the extended Diwali weekend and benefits from minimal competition in the coming weeks.

Weekend Projections and Future Outlook

Box office experts project that Thamma is on track for a spectacular opening weekend. With the extended Diwali holiday providing additional momentum, the film is expected to collect ₹70-80 crore in its first three days (Thursday-Saturday). If it maintains strong holds during weekdays and benefits from positive word-of-mouth, the first-week total could reach ₹120-140 crore.

The film’s success is particularly significant for Maddock Films and producer Dinesh Vijan, who have successfully created a horror-comedy universe that rivals any international franchise. The studio has already announced future MHCU projects including Stree 3, Bhediya 2, and standalone films exploring other Indian supernatural legends.

Thamma was made on an estimated budget of ₹150 crore, making it one of the most expensive films in the MHCU. However, given its strong opening, favorable reviews, and the franchise’s proven ability to show excellent weekend-to-weekday holds, the film is well-positioned to not only recover its costs but emerge as a profitable venture for all stakeholders.

The film’s performance will also be crucial in determining Ayushmann Khurrana’s future trajectory in commercial cinema. Having built his career on content-driven mid-budget films, Thamma represents his full-fledged entry into big-budget, high-concept entertainment. Similarly, for Rashmika Mandanna, this Bollywood success complements her pan-Indian appeal established through Telugu cinema.