Aditya Sarpotdar Rejects 'Thamma' Plagiarism Claims, Praises 'Lokah Chapter 1'

As of October 31, 2025, the Ayushmann Khurrana-starrer 'Thamma' has been doing decent box office business, but the audience's reactions have been mixed. Adding to the mixed reviews, 'Thamma' released barely two months after the Malayalam hit 'Lokah Chapter 1', and audiences started comparing the themes of the movies, calling it a rip-off from the Malayalam film.

However, director Aditya Sarpotdar, who previously helmed 'Munjya', has strongly rejected these comparisons. In a recent interview, Sarpotdar praised 'Lokah', calling it "crazy" and "out of this world." He even revealed that he recommended the Malayalam film to Ayushmann Khurrana and 'Stree' director Amar Kaushik. Despite his admiration for 'Lokah', Sarpotdar maintained that the two films are fundamentally different, with distinct cinematic universes and characters.

"Just because there's a vampire in both films, people are putting them in the same space. It's stupid to do that," Sarpotdar said, emphasizing that 'Thamma' and 'Lokah' have their own unique paths and audiences. The filmmaker also criticized the tendency of audiences to pit Hindi films against regional successes, saying, "People love pulling down Hindi movies."

Meanwhile, 'Lokah Chapter 1' is now streaming on OTT from October 31, 2025. The movie stars Kalyani Priyadarshan and Naslen in the lead, with Dulquer Salmaan and Tovino Thomas playing pivotal roles in the fantasy film.