Stree 2: A Spirited Sequel with Laughs, Thrills, and a Dash of Nostalgia!

'MAZAA AA GAYA!!' That is the feeling with which you leave the theatre after enjoying the sequel to Stree (2018), which is now a part of the extended Maddock supernatural universe after Bhediya (2022) and Munjya (2024).

Taking the plot forward from the original, Stree (Shraddha Kapoor) returns to Chanderi to help the bumbling trio (Rajkummar Rao, Abhishek Banerjee and Aparshakti Khurana) tackle the new menace in town : Sarkata bhoot (headless ghost), who abducts young women...quite like what Stree did to the males of the village in the first part. Only that Sarkata is not as docile as Stree to comply with 'Kal aana' signboards...

The film's biggest positive is its humour quotient arising from some highly hilarious dialogues. The performances are also first rate. Pankaj Tripathi and Abhishek Banerjee generate the maximum laughs. Rajkummar Rao is sincere as ever. Shraddha Kapoor looks elegant and shoulders the movie on her own. She gets relatively few scenes but shines in each one of them. There are couple of cleverly placed cameos, which made the audience clap and cheer aloud at Citylight Cinema, Mahim where I saw the movie in a housefull Sunday morning show.

On the flipside, the technical aspects are not up to the mark. The VFX could've been much better. The songs though good, aren't optimally utilized. Particularly, Tamannaah Bhatia's sizzling item number is loosely edited, constantly intercutting to Shraddha's search for the monster. Why o why!! Don't distract the front benchers please...

The headless monster itself, is modelled on  Ramsay Brothers' Saamri character; don't know if it was an intended tribute!! And the tale of a headless ghost is what I had read as a kiddo, in one of the Bahadur series in the popular Indrajal comics.

Despite all its cons and fewer pros, Stree 2 is a high on entertainment and fun. The franchise is here to stay and it is a commendable job by Maddock to create an entire universe out of such silly pulpy plots. MAAN GAYE USTAAD!!

Ratings on some key aspects* :
1. Acting : 4/5
2. Direction : 3/5
3. Music : 3/5
4. Story, Screenplay and Dialogue : 3.5/5
5. Cinematography : 3/5
6. Editing : 2/5
7. Costume Design : 3.5/5
8. Special Effects and VFX : 2/5
9. Action : NA
10. Production Quality : 2.5/5

#SNRating for #Stree2 : 3 & 1/2 stars out of 5.

- Sumeet Nadkarni

- The overall film rating is not a simple average of all ratings on key aspects but a weighted average of the ratings where some crucial aspects (like direction, acting, story and screenplay etc) are assigned more weightage than others.

#SNRatings barometer:
1 star = Poor
1 & 1/2 star = Below average/ Avoidable
2 stars = Average
2 & 1/2 stars = Above average/ Risk it
3 stars = Good enough/ Endurable
3 & 1/2 stars = Definitely worth a watch
4 stars = Very good
5 stars = Masterpiece/ Outstanding.

2024 SNRatings. 

About Sumeet Nadkarni:

Sumeet Nadkarni is a Chartered Accountant by profession and a self-styled film critic by passion. He reviews Bollywood movies and OTT releases on his popular personal blog #SNRatings. His film-related articles have appeared in leading publications in India. With a keen eye for cinematic detail and a knack for insightful critiques, Sumeet brings a unique perspective to the world of Indian cinema. Follow him for the latest Bollywood insights and unbiased film reviews. #FilmCritique #BollywoodReviewer