Streaming Deal Deep-Dive: What Thamma’s OTT Rights Sold For and Why

Mumbai, 12 November 2025: Ayushmann Khurrana and Rashmika Mandanna’s horror-comedy, Thamma, is making noise for all the right reasons. The film had a big Diwali release on October 21. It is doing very well at the box office, close to earning ₹130 crore in India.

But the big story for its producers, Maddock Films, is not just the ticket sales. The film’s OTT (Over-The-Top) deal is a masterclass in modern movie business. It teaches us big lessons about timing, valuation, and streaming windows.

So, how much did Thamma’s digital rights sell for, and why was the deal so smart? Let’s break it down.

The Big Deal: How Much Was Thamma Sold For?

The exclusive streaming rights for Thamma have been bought by Amazon Prime Video.

The exact price is a big industry secret. However, trade sources reveal a lot. Thamma is the most expensive film in the Maddock Horror Comedy Universe (MCHU). Its total budget, including promotion, is a massive ₹145 crore.

Sources say the producers recovered a huge part of this cost before the film was even released. They did this by selling the non-theatrical rights. This includes:

• OTT Rights (Prime Video): This is the biggest piece.
• Satellite Rights (Star Gold): For TV broadcast later.
• Music Rights: The songs of the film.

While some trade experts guess the base OTT deal is in the ₹30-40 crore range, the real value is much higher. The deal for Thamma was not for just one film. It was part of a larger, multi-year deal between Maddock Films and Amazon Prime Video. This big deal locks in all future MCHU films for the platform, making it a very high-value contract.

Valuation Lesson: Why Did It Get Such a High Price?

Amazon Prime Video paid a premium price. Here’s why it was a win for them.

• Lesson 1: The Power of a Universe: Thamma is not a standalone movie. It is part of the MCHU, which gave hits like Stree, Bhediya, and Munjya. Fans love this universe. Prime Video did not just buy one film; they bought a ticket into India’s most successful horror-comedy franchise. This guarantees them a loyal audience.
• Lesson 2: Star Cast and Scale: The fresh pairing of Ayushmann Khurrana and Rashmika Mandanna has a pan-India appeal. Plus, the film’s ₹145 crore budget means it has high production quality and big VFX. OTT platforms want big, “cinema-level” event films.
• Lesson 3: The Timing of the Deal: The deal was locked before the film’s release. This is a smart move by the producer, Dinesh Vijan. He “de-risked” the film. By selling the rights early, he guaranteed a profit. He was not dependent only on the box office.

Windowing Lesson: The Smart 8-Week Gap

The most important lesson from Thamma is “windowing.” This is the gap between the theatre release and the OTT release.

Thamma is using a new, smart, three-step window:

1. Theatrical Release (October 21, 2025): The film gets a full, exclusive run in cinemas. This makes theatre owners happy and allows the film to earn maximum box office money.
2. PVOD (Rental) Release (December 2, 2025): After about six weeks, the film will be available on Prime Video on rent. Fans who missed it in theatres and cannot wait can pay a small fee (like ₹199 or ₹299) to watch it early. This is a new way to earn extra money.
3. SVOD (Subscription) Release (December 16, 2025): After eight weeks, the film will be free to stream for all Amazon Prime subscribers.

Why This Window is Smart

This 8-week window is the new “golden rule” for big films.

• It gives the film a long time (6-8 weeks) to earn money in cinemas. This is much better than the 4-week window we saw during the pandemic.
• The “rental” window (PVOD) captures the impatient audience. It adds a new stream of revenue.
• The final “subscription” release on December 16 is perfect timing. It makes Thamma the big, new movie for the Christmas and New Year holiday season. This helps Prime Video get new subscribers.

In short, the Thamma deal shows how to make a film a “hit” even before it releases. It used its brand value (MCHU) to get a high price and used a smart windowing plan to keep everyone—theatres, producers, and the OTT platform—happy.