Stree 2 Review: Clever script and charming twist

STREE 2

Director: Amar Kaushik

Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Shraddha Kapoor, Abhishek Banerjee, Pankaj Tripathi, Aparshakti Khurana

Release at theatres

Rating:

By Jyothi Venkatesh

Directed by Amar Kaushik, the film Stree, released in 2018, a horror-comedy that was loved by the audience, was set in the town of Chanderi where a spirit kidnaps men. The sequel, however, takes the story ahead and starts from the same point where the first film ended. This time, however, the locals living in Chanderi team up with the mysterious character, played by Shraddha Kapoor, as they confront another ghost known as ‘Sarkata’.

Sarkata has the ability to take out its head and wander around, abducting girls who are ‘modern’ or ‘liberated’ in any manner. There is a back-story, connected with Stree. Janaa (Abhishek Banerjee), Bittu (Aparshakti Khurana) and town librarian Rudra (Pankaj Tripathi) return to confront the ghost.

Basically, horror comedy is a challenging genre, and the makers of ‘Stree 2’ have nailed it once again. This sequel retains all the charm of the first film, from the quirky small-town atmosphere to the eccentric characters and the simplicity of its people, blending these elements seamlessly for a winning formula.

Also read: Khel Khel Mein Review: Froth and substance blend seamlessly within the realm of entertainment

Rajkumar Rao is once again in top form, delivers his signature performance and leaves a fine performance, with strong support from Aparshakti Khurana and Abhishek Banerjee. Pankaj Tripathi continues to shine as Rudra, stealing scenes with his witty one-liners and impeccable Hindi, reminding you instantly of Ashutosh Rana. Shraddha Kapoor appears sporadically and, apart from adding some intrigue, doesn’t at all contribute much.

Sadly, in the second half, the screenplay starts to feel very sloppy, as if the makers were in a rush and running out of fresh and novel ideas. This becomes especially evident with the sudden special appearances by Akshay Kumar in a different funny role and Varun Dhawan, as an extension of his Bediya format. The pacing feels rushed, and one wishes the writers had given more attention to this particular portion of the film.

Although Raj and DK wrote the screenplay for the first film, the script for ‘Stree 2’ was penned by Niren Bhatt, who also worked on Bediya and Munjya.

To sum up, all that I can say is that Amar Kaushik once again excels in direction. The film retains the energy and charm of the original, with a clever script that brings a fresh and entirely different but charming twist.