Thama To Stree: How Bollywood Keeps Falling In Love With The Supernatural

Hyderabad: The teaser for Thama, Maddock Films' new horror-comedy starring Ayushmann Khurrana and Rashmika Mandanna, has finally arrived. And it promises something intriguing: a "bloody love story" between a human and vampire. The teaser implies a romance that intertwines history, folklore, and horror in an Indian context.

In the brief intriguing teaser, Ayushmann plays a historian attempting to unravel a legend of vampirism tied to Indian culture. The proposed story dissects between the powerful Vijayanagara Empire, and modern India, layering over itself a story of unfulfilled love between the two timelines. Ayushmann's line, "Reh paaogi mere bina, 100 saal tak?" ("Will you live without me, for 100 years?") begot Rashmika's heartfelt response, "100 saal kya, ek pal ke liye bhi nahi." ("In 100 years, not even for a moment would I be able to live without you."). Jarring and beautiful.

Before Thama, Bollywood has dabbled with supernatural romances, and some of these remain fan favourites. Let us talk about Stree (2018), and Stree 2 (2024), a part of the same Maddock universe. Both of these films are a mix of spooky themes, which they wrap in humour, and ultimately romance. In Stree, a mysterious female spirit and a regular guy Vicky, played by Rajkummar Rao share an odd bond.

Then there's Talaash: The Answer Lies Within (2012), a supernatural thriller starring the engaging Aamir Khan, who plays a grieving cop. Investigation, mystery plus a little paranormal adventure, makes this film stand out. When his wife opts to use a medium to reach out to their son who drowned, it blurs the lines between living, and dead, delivering a haunting take on love even after death.

Another film, Ek Thi Daayan (2013), is a darker fairy tale. Emraan Hashmi plays Bobo, a magician who is haunted by memories of a childhood tragedy. A mysterious woman named Diana enters Bobo's life, and he suspects she may be the witch who destroyed his family. It is a love story wrapped in terror and guilt.

Going back further, Vikram Bhatt's 1920 (2008) tells the story of a married couple in a haunted mansion. The wife becomes possessed, and the husband fights to save her. Though steeped in horror, the love at its core makes it eerily romantic.

Looking at this history, Thama seems to take things a top notch higher. It combines vampire romance with a strong historical backdrop, plus a comedic edge, something Bollywood has tried before, but never quite like this.

Read More

1. EXCLUSIVE: Rukmini Vasanth Opens Up On Kantara Chapter 1 - 'More Than A Film, It's A Spiritual Journey'
2. Coolie vs War 2 Day 6 Box Office Collection: Despite Drop, Rajinikanth Starrer Continues Domination Over Hrithik-Jr NTR's Actioner
3. India Holds Records In Single-Take Cinema, But Russia's Russian Ark Remains The Toughest One-Shot Film Ever Made