**Amar Kaushik’s *Stree 2* (2024) Becomes Highest Bollywood Grosser of All Time**
Despite the massive success of *Stree 2*, Amar Kaushik remains humble and down-to-earth, much like he was when his debut directorial venture, *Stree*, became a surprise super-hit. The horror-comedy universe that began in 2018 with *Stree* has now reached new heights.
The recently released *Thamma*, starring Ayushmann Khurrana, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, and Rashmika Mandanna, is the latest addition to this universe and has been warmly received, as evident from the impressive opening two-day box office figures.
In an exclusive interview with Bollywood Hungama, Amar Kaushik discussed producing *Thamma*, the process of connecting characters across the universe, and much more.
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### Exclusive: Amar Kaushik on Linking *Stree* to *Thamma* and Building the MHCU Universe
**Amar Kaushik Delivers a Masterclass in Universe-Building; Breaks Silence on Censor Cuts**
“‘Main tumhe azaadi doonga’ was uttered by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose for a greater cause; CBFC’s point was valid,” Amar Kaushik explains.
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### On His Energetic Cameos
Let’s start with your energetic, dancing cameo in the song ‘Poison Baby’! You often have such cameos, even in your earlier films.
*(Laughs)* It all started with the first *Stree*. I have a habit of enacting scenes to help actors understand my vision. For the beggar scene, it was Rajkummar Rao’s suggestion that I take the role. He told me, ‘Tu hi yeh role karega’!
During the *Kamariya* song shoot, everyone was in high spirits, so I decided to jump in. It was a fun experience, and since the film was a hit, everyone insisted I keep doing cameos. That’s why I appeared in *Bala* (2019), *Bhediya* (2022), *Stree 2*, and now *Thamma*.
In *Stree*, I appear twice—once as the beggar and once dancing in ‘Kamariya’. Actually, it’s thrice! I’m also the person sitting next to Rajkummar and Shraddha in an auto rickshaw listening to headphones. That happened by chance because I needed to watch the monitor and there was no follow-up car.
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### Feedback on *Thamma*
How has the feedback been for *Thamma*?
It’s been great! Gradually, the universe is getting connected, which was always our aim—to ensure characters from different films intersect. The audience is loving it. In my show, there was a huge reaction when Janardhan aka JD (Abhishek Banerjee) appeared on screen. We didn’t expect him—only Elvis Karim Prabhakar (Sathyaraj), who was shown in the trailer.
If it were up to me, I wouldn’t have revealed Sathyaraj either, but we had to tease the audience a little.
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### Choosing Aditya Sarpotdar to Direct *Thamma*
What gave you and producer Dinesh Vijan the confidence that Aditya Sarpotdar could helm *Thamma*?
We really liked how Aditya executed *Munjya*. That’s when I pitched *Thamma* to him. He liked the story and joined the project. I can’t direct every film myself; otherwise, they’d all look the same. Different directors bring fresh perspectives.
The characters belong to me, so I understand how they’d behave across films, even when directed by others. Aditya understood my vision well—he’s sharp, cool-headed, and a genuinely nice person. These qualities motivated us to bring him on board, and he did a fantastic job.
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### Production Dynamics with Dinesh Vijan
How do you and Dinesh Vijan divide production responsibilities?
Dinoo is my sounding board. I share all my thoughts with him — even the outlandish ones. For example, with *Thamma*, I wanted *Bhediya* to be bigger. I told him about the twists and how to scale up the story. He would then say, “You decide, if you feel it fits the universe.”
I consider him ‘Dada ji’ and myself ‘Pitaji’ (laughs) of this universe. It’s like a family where everyone plays their part. I keep track of the previous four films and many more to come, ensuring we insert connecting ‘breadcrumbs’ for continuity.
Sometimes, we realize we missed adding certain points and plan to include them next time. It’s like an unraveling puzzle.
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### The Casting Process of *Thamma*
Ayushmann Khurrana and I have been developing this story since the COVID times. Initially, I was supposed to direct it. I remember narrating it at his home—his daughter even heard it and enjoyed it. I told Ayushmann, “This is my audience!” So, he was onboard from the start.
The idea evolved post *Stree 2*, with several new elements added.
Regarding Nawazuddin Siddiqui, he is a phenomenal actor. I wanted a villain who wasn’t conventionally scary but could instill fear in another way. I had wanted to work with him for a long time. When I narrated the role for *Thamma*, I told him the screen time was limited but assured him his character would become very significant later. He agreed immediately.
Paresh Rawal also joined the project quickly. After watching *Stree 2*, he called me praising the universe we created and expressed interest. I explained that *Stree 2* was a direct sequel, so we had to retain characters. However, I promised him a role in the universe later on. About 20 days later, I gave him the narration for *Thamma*, and he loved it.
Rashmika Mandanna was chosen as she perfectly fit the part.
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### Signature Humor and Memes in the Films
I couldn’t stop laughing when Nawazuddin’s character sang ‘Panchhi Banoon’. It has my trademark touch— I enjoy adding such fun elements.
The ‘O Huzoor’ bit in *Bhediya* was a big hit too. Also, Paresh Rawal telling ‘Ayushmann Bhava’ to Ayushmann, and Nawazuddin joking, ‘Kya Betaal banega re tu’ raised huge laughs.
I love this kind of humor. Writer Niren Bhatt and I think alike and enjoy weaving such jokes. We like giving twisted or fun meanings to songs or dialogues. Some people say meme culture is invading films, but memes are part of our lives. They are a great way to connect with the youth and make the film relevant to today’s audience.
In twenty years, when people watch *Thamma* or *Stree*, they’ll recall the memes that were popular then.
We don’t take these films too seriously as they are intended to entertain, though we do raise bigger points too. For example, in *Thamma*, the Betaals stop consuming human blood as they feel “Insaano ke khoon mein zeher aa gaya hai” — a deep thematic thought.
Choosing the right song is always challenging. For instance, many had reservations about the ‘O Huzoor’ joke in *Bhediya*, fearing it wouldn’t work. I told them to “chup chap raho” (be quiet) because I was confident it would!
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### On Censor Cuts and Dialogue Changes
Were you upset when the Censors played spoilsport?
There was a funny dialogue in the film where Yakshasan says to Alok, “Tum mujhe khoon do, main tumhe azaadi dunga” (Give me your blood, I will give you freedom). The CBFC made us change it because the original line was famously uttered by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose for a greater cause, and they found its usage here inappropriate.
I understood their responsibility and found their point valid, so I tweaked it. The new line, “Tum mujhe khoon do, main tumhe aiyaashi karata hoon,” actually led to more laughter.
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**Also Read:**
– [*Thamma* Box Office Collection]
– [*Thamma* Movie Review]
– [Bollywood News Live Updates]
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*Amar Kaushik continues to expand the unique horror-comedy universe, combining thrilling stories, memorable characters, and a signature blend of humor that resonates with today’s audience.*
https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/bollywood/exclusive-linking-stree-thamma-planting-secret-easter-eggs-pitaji-mhcu-amar-kaushik-delivers-masterclass-universe-building-breaks-silence-censor-cuts-main-tumhe-azaadi-doo/