Thamma director reacts to criticism over 3 item songs: ‘Now, suddenly it is an issue'

Ayushmann Khurrana and Rashmika Mandanna's Thamma has crossed ₹125 crore globally but faces criticism for its item songs.

Ayushmann Khurrana and Rashmika Mandanna’s Thamma may have crossed the ₹125 crore mark worldwide, but the film has also sparked a lively debate online not for its story, but for its three bold item songs. The latest addition to producer Dinesh Vijan’s growing horror-comedy universe, Thamma has divided audiences over its music choices.

Ayushmann Khurrana and Rashmika Mandanna in a still from item number Poison Baby from Thamma.

Aditya talkd reveals why three item numbers in Thamma

Director Aditya Sarpotdar, who previously helmed the hit Munjya, says the criticism is misplaced. In an interview with SCREEN, he explained that the songs serve a clear purpose in the film’s world. “All these things are marketing assets that lead you into a film. What counts is what the film gives you in the end. For me, when these songs appear, they’re there because my story unfolds through them,” he said, adding that it was never meant to be “an item number film.”

Sarpotdar also pointed out that audiences had no issue with similar tracks in his earlier works. “This is the same audience that loved Taras in Munjya and Aaj Ki Raat. Nobody had a problem then. But now, suddenly, it’s an issue. Maybe it’s just happening more often, so people are reacting differently,” he explained.

Defending his creative choice, the director said the vampire world of Thamma naturally called for more extravagance. He added that people judge before watching but he was glad that they came to see the film anyway.

Up next in Maddock Films’ expanding horror-comedy universe is Shakti Shalini, led by Aneet Padda, promising another blend of myth, music, and mayhem.

About Thamma

Directed by Aditya Sarpotdar and produced by Maddock Films, Thamma is a darkly comic supernatural thriller that hit theatres on October 21, 2025. Starring Ayushmann Khurrana, Rashmika Mandanna, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, and Paresh Rawal, the film unfolds within Maddock’s ever-growing horror-comedy universe.

The story follows Alok (Ayushmann Khurrana), a journalist whose life takes a bizarre turn after he meets Tadaka (Rashmika Mandanna) a mysterious woman belonging to an ancient clan of Betals, mythological beings reminiscent of vampires. What starts as an unusual encounter soon transforms into an intense saga of love, metamorphosis, and a fierce battle against the powerful Betal leader Yakshashan (Nawazuddin Siddiqui).