Stree 2 is the fifth installment in the Maddock films horror comedy universe, with Rajkummar Rao, Shraddha Kapoor, Pankaj Tripathi, Abhishek Banerjee and Aparshakti Khurana reprising their respective roles from the prequel (Stree 2018).
Basic plot - Vicky and his friends must defeat 'Sarkata', a headless ghost who lurks in the darkness on the streets of Chanderi and kidnaps young and modern women.
Positives
Writing and Direction
While the basic story is simple enough and is revealed in the first 20 minutes of the film, it's the engaging screenplay by Niren Bhatt that catches the audience's attention. There are no dull moments in this almost 2 hour 30 minutes film and audiences are kept hung till the last minute of the film.
The entire direction by Amar Kaushik has been great here. The horror and comedy elements are skillfully blended which makes for an entertaining watch. The additions of Mahabharata references, a treasure hunt like vibe while solving the 'sarkata' mystery and the overall execution are terrific. There are several clap-worthy and goosebumps moments (Shraddha Kapoor's entry during the interval block, and the entire climax) that really amplify the entertainment value of the film. The universe setup is also done pretty well. Although the approach isn't something extraordinary as everything comes in the climax, it's the seamless and organic blending of the universe elements that gives you the bang for your buck.
Comedy and Performances
The comedy lives up to the expectations of Stree (2018). Be it punchlines, quirky remarks or pop culture references, Stree 2 has it all. The dialogues do not stop coming, and are really enjoyable. There are hardly any silly comic lines and that adds up to the organic comedy. The comedy is really carried well by the cast performances. Simplistic linguistic jokes sound terrific due to the dialogue delivery of the lead actors. Rajkummar Rao as Vicky is already a fan favourite and he delivers a power pack performance here. Aparshakti Khurrana, Pankaj Tripathi and Abhishek Banerjee have also given top notch performances. The chemistry between all of them is just unmissable. Shraddha Kapoor did a good job as well in spite of her limited screen time. She aces he role of her yet undisclosed character.
Technicality and Music
The film has a lot of vfx, and it seems fine overall. Doesn't seem very real, but not too fake either. The town of Chanderi seems nice in the daytime and quite creepy in the dark, which adds up to the spooky vibe of the film, and the cinematographer Jishnu Bhattacharjee is to be thanked here for the same. What is an important addition to the film according to me is the music. While it doesn't add much to the screenplay, the songs are individually enjoyable and really nice. The romantic track between Rao and Kapoor has a retro vibe in it's visuals, which is refreshing. on the contrary, Aaj ki Raat has Tamannah Bhatia sizzling on the dance floor. the two post credit songs fall among the positives as well among which the song Aai nai is a banger dance number. Hardly do we see a modern hindi film having a genuinely good album, but Stree 2 has supplied materials just according to the demands.
Underwhelming aspects
Scares and Predictability
The scares in this film are not really organic. The staging is nice overall and you are definitely taken aback, but that's mostly due to the amplified sound effects. Had the sound design and editing not been so effective, the scares would be bland. The second half is almost devoid of any scares at all and I feel that to be somewhat of a miss. Also, the film is quite predictable for a commercial hindi film. You get to know about the basic plot in less than 20 minutes after the film starts, and movie buffs would easily relate and tell what's coming towards the climax. Although, the lack of a surprise (there is one although at the very end) element doesn't really affect the film or hamper the screenplay in a big way, even a small one would have been a cool addition.
Social Issues
The makers have tried to bring up social issues in this film, and the origin of this sub plot is skillfully crafted in the screenplay by writer Niren Bhatt. But the social messaging doesn't really stand a chance in front of the Avengers level climax that this film has. The sub plot is a bit underdeveloped as well and has been served half cooked, so you don't get the real taste. Probably a couple of dialogues towards the end of the film on the social messaging would have helped.
Conclusion
Overall Stree 2 is an extremely entertaining and paisa vasool watch at the theatres for all the right reasons. The film has managed to excel in every aspect possible and will definitely be loved by mass audience. This film also provides a great scope to Maddock films to try and explore their horror comedy universe with different new and interest characters, and the fact that audience is ready to watch this universe signifies that there's no looking back for Maddock. Hopes are already sky high for the sequel of Stree 2, and we can't wait for it.
Watch Out For
A smashing Akshay Kumar cameo and a lot of post credit stuff.
WTF Recommendation
8.5/10
