Overview
Stree is an Indian Hindi-language horror comedy film franchise produced by Maddock Films, the production house founded by Dinesh Vijan. Beginning with the 2018 film Stree, the franchise has grown into a connected series of folklore-based horror comedies, often referred to as the Maddock Horror Comedy Universe (or Maddock Supernatural Universe). The films draw on Indian rural legends, small-town settings, and supernatural folk figures, blending humour, social commentary, and horror tropes.
Key facts
| Franchise | Stree / Maddock Horror Comedy Universe |
|---|---|
| Genre | Horror comedy |
| Language | Hindi |
| Producer | Dinesh Vijan (Maddock Films) |
| First film | Stree (2018) |
| Director (Stree films) | Amar Kaushik |
| Recurring writers | Niren Bhatt, Raj & DK (story for first film) |
| Principal setting | Chanderi, Madhya Pradesh (Stree films) |
| Lead cast (recurring) | Rajkummar Rao, Shraddha Kapoor, Pankaj Tripathi, Aparshakti Khurana, Abhishek Banerjee |
Background
The first film, Stree, was directed by Amar Kaushik and released on 31 August 2018. Its story was inspired by the urban legend of "Nale Ba", a folk tale from Karnataka of the 1990s in which a witch was said to knock at doors at night. The screenplay relocated the legend to the historic town of Chanderi in Madhya Pradesh, where a female spirit abducts men during a local festival. The film was a commercial success and was widely credited with reviving the horror comedy as a viable Hindi-language genre.
Following its success, Maddock Films and Dinesh Vijan began developing additional films set within the same fictional universe, each centred on a different supernatural figure drawn from Indian folklore.
Films in the franchise
Stree (2018)
Directed by Amar Kaushik, the film stars Rajkummar Rao as Vicky, a small-town tailor in Chanderi, alongside Shraddha Kapoor, Pankaj Tripathi, Aparshakti Khurana and Abhishek Banerjee. The screenplay was written by Raj Nidimoru and Krishna D.K., with dialogues by Sumit Arora. The film combined comedy with commentary on gender and consent, framed through the legend of a vengeful female spirit.
Roohi (2021)
Released on 11 March 2021 and directed by Hardik Mehta, Roohi stars Rajkummar Rao, Janhvi Kapoor and Varun Sharma. While set in the same broad universe of small-town supernatural tales, it features a different folkloric entity, the "mudiyapairi" — a witch-like spirit that possesses brides.
Bhediya (2022)
Directed by Amar Kaushik and released on 25 November 2022, Bhediya stars Varun Dhawan and Kriti Sanon. Set in Arunachal Pradesh, the film draws on the North-East Indian legend of the visha, a were-wolf-like creature, and incorporates themes of environmental conservation. A mid-credits sequence featuring Rajkummar Rao's character Vicky from Stree formally established the shared cinematic universe.
Munjya (2024)
Directed by Aditya Sarpotdar and released on 7 June 2024, Munjya is based on the Maharashtrian folk legend of the Munjya, the spirit of a Brahmin boy who dies before the thread ceremony. The film stars Abhay Verma and Sharvari Wagh, and its connection to the wider universe was confirmed through a cameo by Abhishek Banerjee reprising his role as Jana from Stree.
Stree 2 (2024)
Released on 15 August 2024 and directed by Amar Kaushik, Stree 2: Sarkate Ka Aatank brought back the principal cast of the original — Rajkummar Rao, Shraddha Kapoor, Pankaj Tripathi, Aparshakti Khurana and Abhishek Banerjee — with Tamannaah Bhatia in a guest appearance. Set again in Chanderi, the sequel introduced a new antagonist, the headless "Sarkata". It became one of the highest-grossing Hindi films of its year.
Timeline
- 2018 — Stree released.
- 2021 — Roohi released.
- 2022 — Bhediya released; shared universe formally established.
- 2024 — Munjya released in June; Stree 2 released in August.
Recurring elements
- Folklore basis: Each film adapts a regional Indian legend rather than relying on Western horror archetypes.
- Small-town settings: The films are typically set in non-metropolitan India, including Chanderi, rural Maharashtra and Arunachal Pradesh.
- Tonal mix: Comedy is foregrounded alongside horror, often paired with social themes such as gender, caste customs, or ecological concerns.
- Crossovers: Cameos and post-credit scenes link the films, with characters from Stree appearing in Bhediya, Munjya and Stree 2.
Significance
The Stree franchise is regarded as a notable example of a Hindi-language shared cinematic universe built around a single genre. It contributed to the commercial revival of horror comedy in Bollywood and demonstrated audience appetite for stories rooted in Indian folklore. The films' commercial performance, particularly Stree and Stree 2, has influenced subsequent Hindi productions in the genre and reinforced Maddock Films' position as a leading independent producer in the industry.