A new name is taking over one of Bollywood’s most exciting franchises. After her dreamy debut in Saiyaara with Ahaan Panday, Aneet Padda has now been announced as the lead in Maddock Horror Comedy Universe’s next film, Shakti Shalini. The confirmation came as a surprise post-credit reveal in Thamma, which released in cinemas today.
Aneet Padda Officially Confirmed For Shakti Shalini
Ayushmann Khurrana, Rashmika Mandanna and Nawazuddin Siddiqui starrer Thamma had a special moment waiting for fans after the credits. The screen showed an announcement video of their next film. It said, “The protector. The destroyer. The mother of all. Aneet Padda in Shakti Shalini. Shakti unleashed Dec 24, 2026.” The short teaser went viral within minutes and fans couldn’t stop talking about it online.
Check it out below!
Aneet Padda officially enters her era.
— 𝙁𝘼𝙍𝙄𝙃𝘼 (@aneetfied) October 21, 2025
I'm getting goosebumps.
The protector
The destroyer
The MOTHER OF ALL#AneetPadda in #ShaktiShalini pic.twitter.com/vr1mah13zW
Netizens’ Reaction To The Viral Announcement Video
Well, this marks a major shift for Aneet. She is moving from a romantic drama to a supernatural horror-comedy with mythological elements. The film will expand the Maddock universe, which already includes hits like Stree, Roohi, Bhediya and now Thamma.
As soon as the teaser dropped, fans flooded social media with reactions. One user wrote, “I bet usko ghanta kuch nhi patta ho ga, Shakti upasana ke baare mein.” Another said, “They better not include her in any of those cheap item songs. They went totally religious with this. They better not hurt any sentiments.”
A third user said, “I am hopeful that there will be no cringe item song with Aneet as she will portray an avatar of Ma Durga! So happy for our girl.”
The teaser hints that Shakti Shalini will dive deep into the idea of divine feminine power. Fans believe it will carry a spiritual touch while staying true to the quirky, entertaining tone of Maddock’s horror-comedy world.
Earlier, Kiara Advani was rumoured to play the lead role in Shakti Shalini. But reports now confirm that Aneet has officially replaced her. Sources say the decision came down to scheduling issues and creative changes. Kiara reportedly stepped away from the project after revisions in the script. A source also revealed that Dinesh Vijan has promised Kiara another film and will share a new script with her soon.
