Stree (2018 Film)

''Stree'' () is a 2018 Indian Hindi-language comedy horror film directed by debutant Amar Kaushik and produced by Dinesh Vijan and Raj & DK. It stars Rajkummar Rao and Shraddha Kapoor, alongside Pankaj Tripathi, Aparshakti Khurana and Abhishek Banerjee. The plot is based on the urban legend '' Naale Baa'', the words meaning "come tomorrow" in Kannada and modified as ''o stree kal aana'' ("o woman come tomorrow" in Hindi) in the film.

In late November 2017, Raj & DK approached Rao to star in their debut production. To prepare for his role as a tailor, Rao learned to sew. In December, Shraddha Kapoor was confirmed as the female lead. Amar Kaushik was enlisted to direct the film in January 2018. Principal photography began on 13 January 2018 in Chanderi, with additional filming in Bhopal and Mumbai. The final schedule was completed in May 2018. The soundtrack was composed by Sachin–Jigar with lyrics written by Vayu, Badshah and Jigar Saraiya.

''Stree'' was theatrically released worldwide on 31 August 2018 and received positive reviews from critics. The film grossed over ₹180 crore at the box office against a budget of ₹23–25 crore, becoming a major commercial success at the box-office. At the 64th Filmfare Awards, the film received 10 nominations, including Best Film, Best Director (Kaushik), Best Actor (Rao) and Best Supporting Actor (for both Khurana and Tripathi), winning Best Debut Director (Kaushik). It is the first installment in Maddock Supernatural Universe followed by '' Bhediya'' (2022) and '' Munjya'' (2024). A sequel titled ''Stree 2'' was released on Independence Day 2024, which was also a major commercial success at the box office.

Plot

In the town of Chanderi, locals believe in the legend of Stree, the spirit of a woman who abducts men during a four-day annual festival, leaving behind only their clothes. To protect themselves, townsfolk inscribe ''O Stree Kal Aana'' () on their walls and men refrain from going out after 10 PM.

Vicky, a ladies' tailor, meets a mysterious woman who asks him to stich a lehenga. He becomes infatuated with her, but his friend Bittu grows suspicious of her frequent disappearances and limited presence in the town. When their friend Jana is abducted, Vicky grows wary of the woman and, with Bittu and a local librarian named Rudra, investigates the legend. They find a partially burnt book titled ''Chanderi Puran'', which reveals that Stree was once a beautiful courtesan who truly loved a man and was murdered by men in the town before she could marry him. Believing her spirit to reside in a nearby fort, the trio ventures there and encounters Stree. Vicky is nearly enchanted, but the mysterious woman repels the spirit. She claims that she lost someone to Stree and has been trying to stop her for years.

The group rescues Jana and takes him home but eventually notices his strange conduct; he erases the protective wall inscriptions, causing more abductions. They consult Shastri, the book's author, who prophesies that a man born under an oak tree to a courtesan will defeat Stree. Rudra suggests that Vicky fits his prophecy, revealing that his mother was a courtesan. He confirms this with his father and decides to embrace his destiny.

The group devises a plan to trap Stree and lures her to Vicky. However, she abducts him again and takes him to her lair, where Vicky understands her desire for love and respect. The woman advises Vicky to cut off Stree's braid, her source of power. He does so, and Stree disappears. The next day, the group is celebrated in the town while Vicky says goodbye to the woman, still unaware of her name. As she leaves on a bus, she is shown attaching Stree's braid to her own and vanishes, hinting at her possible desires to possess Stree's abilities.

A year later, Stree returns to Chanderi but sees a statue erected in her honour with the phrase ''O Stree Raksha Karna'' (), prompting her to leave peacefully.

Cast

Adapted from the opening and closing credits:

Production

Development

In November 2017, it was reported that Dinesh Vijan had finalised Rajkummar Rao as the lead actor for his next film, a comedy horror written by Raj & DK. Raj & DK revealed that the urban legend Nale Ba, which means "come tomorrow" in Kannada, was the core idea behind the film. They found the concept of a ghost turning back upon reading the sign "absurd and funny" and aimed to develop a unique perspective, featuring a gender reversal where the ghost targets men and men are afraid to go out at night.

In December 2017, Shraddha Kapoor announced on Twitter that she would collaborate with Rajkummar Rao and Maddock Films on their upcoming project. In January 2018, it was confirmed that the film would be titled ''Stree'', directed by Amar Kaushik. To prepare for his role, Rao received a sewing machine, and a tailor visited him daily for 20 days to teach him how to sew.

Filming

Principal photography for ''Stree'' began on 13 January 2018 in Chanderi and the first schedule concluded on 30 January 2018. The second shooting schedule took place in Bhopal in March, chosen by producer Dinesh Vijan for its associated mysterious stories. Upon arrival, locals informed the production team about unexplained events in the area and necessary safety precautions. In response, guidelines were created and displayed in all rooms within the fort. Shraddha Kapoor completed half of her filming schedule in just 10 days. The final shooting schedule wrapped up on 1 May 2018. After filming was complete, a promotional song featuring Rajkummar Rao and Shraddha Kapoor was shot in Mumbai in May 2018. Although the promotional song "Aao Kabhi Haveli Pe", featuring Kriti Sanon alongside Rao and Badshah, was filmed, it ultimately remained as background music in the film.

Music

The music for the film has been composed by Sachin–Jigar. The lyrics are written by Vayu except for one song "Aao Kabhi Haveli Pe" which is written by Badshah and Jigar Saraiya. The score is composed by Ketan Sodha. The entire soundtrack album, comprising four tracks, was released on 17 August 2018 by T-Series.

Release

''Stree'' was theatrically released worldwide on 31 August 2018.

Reception

Critical response

''Stree'' received positive critical reception.

Anupama Chopra of ''Film Companion'' gave the film 3.5 stars out of five, stating that "With laughs and scares, ''Stree'' delivers an important message." Anna M. M. Vetticad of ''Firstpost'' also rated it 3.5/5, praising Rao's acting and the film's humor. She wrote that "The primary reason why ''Stree'' is so effective, though, is that it does not caricature the people of Chanderi—they are as real and foolish, prejudiced, and good as most human beings are, and could well be you or me with less sophistication. Rajeev Masand of News18 gave it 3.5 out of 5, stating, "''Stree'' is especially entertaining, packed with laugh-aloud moments and a cast that's on top of their game. It's one of the most original films this year, and I recommend that you make time for it."
Rachit Gupta of ''The Times of India'' offered 3.5 out of 5, noting the superlative writing and dialogues, but felt the film was a little too long and had some "ambiguous ideas".
Raja Sen of the ''Hindustan Times'' took a more moderate tone, commending the actors' energy and collaborative efforts but noting a rushed-feeling plot: "The laughs are inconsistent, and the plotting feels sloppy and rushed. The ideas are fine, but the writing needed work."

Box office

''Stree'' collected ₹6.82 crore in India on the first day. In its first week, the film grossed ₹60.39 crore in India, surpassing its production budget of ₹23–25 crore. By the end of the second week, the film had grossed ₹95.53 crore. Overall, the film grossed ₹180.76 crore at the box office during its theatrical run.

Accolades

Installments

The second installment titled '' Bhediya'', starring Varun Dhawan, Kriti Sanon, Abhishek Banerjee, Deepak Dobriyal and Paalin Kabak was released on 25 November 2022. The third installment titled '' Munjya'', starring Abhay Verma, Sharvari, Mona Singh and Sathyaraj was released on 7 June 2024.

Sequel

The sequel and fourth installment titled ''Stree 2'', starring Rajkummar Rao, Shraddha Kapoor, Pankaj Tripathi, Abhishek Banerjee and Aparshakti Khurana was released on 15 August 2024.

References

External links

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{{ScreenAwardBestFilm

Maddock Supernatural Universe
2018 films
2018 comedy horror films
2010s Hindi-language films
Indian comedy horror films
Films shot in Mumbai
Films shot in Madhya Pradesh
Films based on urban legends
Films set in Madhya Pradesh
Paranormal films
Films based on Indian folklore
Films about witchcraft
Films about missing people
Films about social issues in India