Thamma director Aditya Sarpotdar defends use of item songs: “They’re marketing assets, but my story unfolds through them”

Filmmaker Aditya Sarpotdar, who is currently basking in the success of his latest release Thamma, has addressed the ongoing criticism surrounding the film’s inclusion of three item songs ‘Poison Baby’, ‘Tum Mere Na Huye’, and ‘Dilbar Ki Aankhon Ka’. The director, who earlier delivered the horror-comedy hit Munjya within the universe, responded to the debate in an interview with SCREEN, explaining his creative reasoning and how such songs play a functional role in modern storytelling and marketing. Reacting to the backlash, Sarpotdar stated, “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.” The filmmaker emphasized that the tracks are not inserted merely for glamour but are woven into the narrative to enhance its rhythm and emotional beats. The discussion around Thamma’s music gained traction after audiences questioned the need for three distinct item songs in a horror-comedy. Addressing the criticism head-on, Sarpotdar pointed out that audience perception seems to have shifted in recent times. “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 remarked. Thamma, which stars Ayushmann Khurrana and Rashmika Mandanna, marks the first love story set within the Maddock Horror Comedy Universe an interconnected cinematic world that includes Stree, Bhediya, and Munjya. Despite receiving mixed critical reviews, the film continues to perform steadily at the box office, drawing audiences for its blend of romance, supernatural intrigue, and quirky humour. Aditya Sarpotdar’s response reflects a broader conversation about how item songs are evolving in contemporary cinema from being standalone entertainment numbers to narrative devices and powerful promotional tools. As he puts it, what truly matters is the story that remains long after the music fades. With Thamma, Sarpotdar once again proves that commercial appeal and storytelling can coexist even if it means defending a few catchy beats along the way. Also Read: EXCLUSIVE: Thamma actor Rachit Singh aka Veeran on waiting 10 years for the big break, “In these 10 years, I was working every day”; also reveals that his body transformation took 9 months.