Stree 2’ Movie Review: Rajkummar Rao, Shraddha Kapoor, and Crew Bring the Laughs, But Lacking Depth
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Amar Kaushik’s horror-comedy sequel, ‘Stree 2’, captures the whimsical charm of its 2018 predecessor but falls short on subtext and edge. As the film attempts to build a cinematic universe, it sacrifices the intimate storytelling that made the original resonate.
Rajkummar Rao returns as Vicky, the endearing small-town hero whose greatest virtues are "sachai aur saralta"—truth and simplicity. While the film hints at deeper themes—such as its villain, a chauvinistic headless monster akin to a modern-day influencer corrupting young minds—these ideas get lost amid the complexities of franchise expansion. Unlike the first film, which felt tailor-made, this sequel comes off as formulaic.
Having freed Chanderi from the terror of Stree, a ghostly figure who preyed on lone men, Vicky now finds himself a lovesick drunk, yearning for the girl-with-no-name (Shraddha Kapoor), who vanished with Stree’s braid. His friends, too, are caught in their romantic pursuits: Bittu (Aparshakti Khurana) struggles to make a move with his crush, while Rudra bhaiya (Pankaj Tripathi), the resident paranormal expert, dreams of rekindling a past flame upon receiving a mysterious letter.
This letter, however, serves as a warning of strange happenings in Chanderi, where young girls are being abducted by ‘Sarkata’, a formidable demon with a grudge against Stree. The monster’s detachable flying head provides the film's best visual gag, humorously rolling up like a ball of wool before launching attacks with its tentacle-like hair.
As the new supernatural threat looms, Vicky and his friends band together once more. The first half of ‘Stree 2’ maintains the clever wordplay and callbacks that fans loved in the original, though much time is devoted to setting up the plot and the core team. One character humorously laments, “First Stree, then Bhediya... why do I always get stuck?”
While the film attempts to comment on patriarchy and gender dynamics—Sarkata specifically targets women with modern views—it does so with far less nuance than before. A peculiar suggestion to lure the demon involves hosting a dance program, which feels oddly outdated. Furthermore, a scene where the women of Chanderi unanimously choose Vicky as their savior lacks the personal touch that enriched the narrative in ‘Stree’.
In summary, while ‘Stree 2’ delivers laughs and maintains some charm, it ultimately feels like a missed opportunity to explore the deeper themes that made the original film stand out.
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