Maddock expands MHCU with Shakti Shalini as Thamma strengthens franchise momentum

Post by : Mina Rahman

Maddock Films is enlarging its Maddock Horror Comedy Universe (MHCU) with a new entry, Shakti Shalini, which stars Aneet Padda and is directed by Amar Kaushik. The move follows earlier MHCU releases including Stree, Bhediya, Munjya and the recent Thamma.

Ayushmann Khurrana — the lead of Thamma — used his Instagram stories to officially welcome Aneet into the MHCU fold, praising her rise and expressing pride at seeing talent emerge from Punjab.

Aneet Padda acknowledged Khurrana’s message on social media, thanking him and calling his support particularly meaningful given his stature in the industry.

Under Amar Kaushik’s direction, Shakti Shalini is expected to continue the MHCU’s blend of supernatural elements, regional folklore and comic beats that have defined the banner’s identity.

At the same time, Thamma — featuring Ayushmann Khurrana opposite Rashmika Mandanna — continues to post robust box-office returns following its October 21 release, crossing the ₹90 crore threshold within its first week.

Trade trackers estimate Thamma earned approximately ₹3.24 crore net on Monday, lifting its domestic tally to about ₹94.54 crore. The film opened with ₹24 crore on day one and recorded midweek receipts of ₹18.6 crore on Wednesday, ₹13 crore on Thursday and ₹10 crore on Friday. Weekend collections added ₹13.1 crore on Saturday and ₹12.6 crore on Sunday, bringing the six-day domestic total to ₹91.3 crore and a global cumulative of around ₹124.5 crore.

The narrative of Thamma follows Alok (Ayushmann Khurrana), who meets the enigmatic Tadaka (Rashmika Mandanna) while on a hiking trip and later uncovers that she is a betal — a vampiric figure from folklore.

With Thamma sustaining healthy ticket sales and Shakti Shalini moving forward in production, the MHCU continues to consolidate both its creative identity and commercial appeal in Bollywood.