The year 2025 has already seen several big box office battles, and another major showdown is now set for Diwali. Ayushmann Khurrana’s upcoming movie Thama will compete against a yet-untitled Kartik Aaryan and Sreeleela starrer, previously rumored to be Aashiqui 3.
Two Big Films, One Release Date
On February 15, T-Series confirmed the release date of Kartik Aaryan’s film while also announcing that Sreeleela had joined the cast after Triptii Dimri’s exit. The teaser, which featured Kartik as a heartbroken singer reminiscing about his love story with Sreeleela, also confirmed its Diwali 2025 release. However, this means it will directly clash with Thama, which had already locked in the same release date.
Kartik’s film is directed by Anurag Basu, with music composed by Pritam. Meanwhile, Thama, directed by Aditya Sarpotdar, stars Ayushmann Khurrana, Rashmika Mandanna, Paresh Rawal, and Nawazuddin Siddiqui. It is written by Niren Bhatt, Suresh Mathew, and Arun Fulara and produced by Dinesh Vijan and Amar Kaushik.
Why Was the Title ‘Aashiqui 3’ Dropped?
Director Anurag Basu recently spoke about the title change in an interview. He mentioned that while the film was initially linked to the Aashiqui franchise, it no longer follows the same story. He also clarified that Triptii Dimri’s departure was due to scheduling conflicts, as she is working on another project with Vishal Bhardwaj.
With both films boasting strong casts and creative teams, their Diwali 2025 clash is set to be one of the biggest face-offs of the year. Fans will have to wait and see which movie wins the audience’s hearts.
