Maddock Supernatural Universe

Last updated

Maddock Supernatural Universe
Created by
Original work Stree (2018)
Owners
Years2018–present
Films and television
Film(s)
Financial summary
BudgetTotal (4 Films)est. ₹235 crore
Box officeTotal (4 Films)est. ₹1,287.31 crore

Maddock Supernatural Universe (MSU) is an Indian shared universe consisting of Hindi-language supernatural comedy horror films. All the films in this universe are based on Indian folklore. The first instalment, Stree, was originally released as a standalone film. Universe-building began with Bhediya , in which characters from Stree appeared. This was followed by Munjya , where characters from Bhediya and Stree made appearances. Stree 2 continued the trend by featuring characters from Bhediya, making Bhediya the central link that connects all three films in the universe. [1] [2] [3]

Contents

Films

FilmReleasedDirector(s)CastProducer(s)
Stree 31 August 2018 Amar Kaushik Rajkummar Rao, Shraddha Kapoor, Pankaj Tripathi, Aparshakti Khurana, Abhishek Banerjee Dinesh Vijan and Raj & DK
Bhediya 25 November 2022 Varun Dhawan, Kriti Sanon, Abhishek Banerjee, Deepak Dobriyal, Paalin Kabak Dinesh Vijan and Jyoti Deshpande
Munjya 7 June 2024 Aditya Sarpotdar Sharvari, Abhay Verma, Sathyaraj, Mona Singh Dinesh Vijan and Amar Kaushik
Stree 2 15 August 2024 Amar Kaushik Rajkummar Rao, Shraddha Kapoor, Pankaj Tripathi, Abhishek Banerjee, Aparshakti Khurana Dinesh Vijan and Jyoti Deshpande
Thama17 October 2025 Aditya Sarpotdar Ayushman Khurana, Rashmika Mandhana, Paresh Rawal, Nawazuddin Siddique Dinesh Vijan and Amar Kaushik

Stree

The first installment of the franchise is directed by Amar Kaushik and produced by Dinesh Vijan and Raj & DK. It stars Rajkummar Rao and Shraddha Kapoor, alongside Pankaj Tripathi, Aparshakti Khurana and Abhishek Banerjee. The plot is inspired by the urban legend Nale Ba, which means "come tomorrow" in Kannada, adapted in the film as "O Stree Kal Aana" (oh woman, come tomorrow) in the film. [4] [5] Stree was theatrically released worldwide on 31 August 2018 and received positive reviews. The film grossed over ₹180 crore at the box office against a budget of ₹23–25 crore, becoming a box-office success. The film received ten nominations at the 64th Filmfare Awards and won Best Debut Director for Kaushik. [6]

Bhediya

The second installment was directed by Amar Kaushik and produced by Dinesh Vijan and Mrighdeep Singh Lamba. The film stars Varun Dhawan alongside Kriti Sanon, Abhishek Banerjee, Deepak Dobriyal and Paalin Kabak. The plot is inspired by an Arunachal Pradesh legend about a shape-shifting werewolf who kills to protect the jungle. Additionally, characters from Stree appeared in the film, including cameo appearances by Shraddha Kapoor, Rajkummar Rao and Aparshakti Khurana. Abhishek Banerjee reprises his role as Jana (Janardan), Bhaskar's cousin. [7] Bhediya was theatrically released on 25 November 2022, garnering positive reviews. The film grossed about ₹90 crore against a production budget of approximately ₹60 crore at the box office. It received 13 nominations at the 68th Filmfare Awards, including Best Film (Critics), Best Actor (Critics) and Best Special Effects. [8] [9]

Munjya

The third installment was directed by Aditya Sarpotdar and produced by Dinesh Vijan and Amar Kaushik. The film stars Sharvari, Abhay Verma, Sathyaraj and Mona Singh. The titular character was created using CGI. Additionally, characters from Bhediya made cameo appearances in the film, including Varun Dhawan and Abhishek Banerjee. The film is based on folklore from Konkan that depicts a mischievous spirit named Munjya from Marathi tradition, which haunts peepal trees or wells. This spirit arises when a man dies unmarried between his thread ceremony and marriage ritual and often causes disturbances to fulfil his unfulfilled desires. Munjya was theatrically released on 7 June 2024, garnering mixed reviews. The film grossed over ₹132 crore worldwide against a production budget of ₹30 crore and became one of the highest-grossing Hindi films of 2024. [10] [11]

Stree 2

The fourth installment and direct sequel to Stree was directed by Amar Kaushik and produced by Dinesh Vijan and Jyoti Deshpande. The film stars Rajkummar Rao, Shraddha Kapoor, Pankaj Tripathi, Abhishek Banerjee and Aparshakti Khurana. The story follows the events after Stree, where the small town of Chanderi is haunted by a beheaded creature, "Sarkata", who is abducting women. Stree 2 was theatrically released on 15 August 2024. The film received positive reviews from critics and has grossed over ₹787.8 crore at the box office against a production budget of ₹50–120 crore. [a] [12]

Characters

This table lists the connected characters who appear in the Maddock Supernatural Universe.

CharactersPortrayed byFilms
Stree Bhediya Munjya Stree 2
Vicky Rajkummar Rao MainCameoMain
She Shraddha Kapoor MainCameoMain
Bhaskar/Bhediya Varun Dhawan MainCameo
Rudra Pankaj Tripathi MainMain
Janardan "Jana" Abhishek Banerjee MainCameoMain
Bittu Aparshakti Khurana MainCameoMain
Dr. Anika Kriti Sanon CameoMain

Creative and technical crew

OccupationFilms
Stree Bhediya Munjya Stree 2
Director Amar Kaushik Amar Kaushik Aditya Sarpotdar Amar Kaushik
Producer Dinesh Vijan, Raj & DK Dinesh Vijan, Jyoti Deshpande Dinesh Vijan, Amar KaushikDinesh Vijan, Jyoti Deshpande
Writer Raj & DK, Sumit Arora (dialogues) Niren Bhatt Niren Bhatt (screenplay), Yogesh Chandekar (story)Niren Bhatt
CinematographerAmalendu ChaudharyJishnu BhattacharjeeSaurabh GoswamiJishnu Bhattacharjee
EditorHemanti Sarkar Sanyukta Kaza Monisha R. BaldawaHemanti Sarkar
Composer Sachin–Jigar (songs), Ketan Sodha (score)Sachin–Jigar (songs), Justin Varghese (score)
Lyricist Vayu,Badshah Amitabh Bhattacharya
Production Company Maddock Films, D2R FilmsMaddock Films, Jio Studios Maddock FilmsMaddock Films, Jio Studios
Distributor AA Films, Jio Studios, PHARS Film Pen Marudhar PVR Inox Pictures, Pen Marudhar

Box office

FilmRelease dateBudgetBox officeRef.
Stree 30 August 2018₹23–25 crore₹180.76 crore [13] [14] [15]
Bhediya 25 November 2022₹60 crore₹89.97 crore [16] [17]
Munjya 7 June 2024₹30 crore₹132.13 crore [18] [19]
Stree 2 15 August 2024₹50–120 crore [a] ₹884.45 crore [24] [25]
Total [b]
Budgetest. ₹235 crore
Grossest. ₹1,287.31 crore

Upcoming films

Thama (2025)

The fifth installment in the franchise, titled Thama, was announced on October 30, 2024. The film, centers around a vampire storyline and stars Ayushmann Khurrana in the lead role as Thama, a man-turned-vampire. [26] The cast includes Rashmika Mandanna, Paresh Rawal, and Nawazuddin Siddiqui. The film is directed by Aditya Sarpotdar and produced by Dinesh Vijan and Amar Kaushik, with a planned release for Diwali 2025. [27] [28]

Bhediya 2 (2025)

The sixth installment and sequel to Bhediya is in the pipeline, with Amar Kaushik returning as the director and Varun Dhawan reprising his role. While the project has been officially announced, the makers are still in the pre-production phase, and principal photography has not yet started. The film is expected to hit theatres in Christmas 2025. [29] [30]

Stree 3

The third Stree film. Includes Bhediya vs Vampire after the release of Stree 2.producer Dinesh Vijan confirmed that Stree 3 was already written [31] [32] and director Amar Kaushik claimed it would take three years to produce. [33] [34]

See also

Notes

  1. 1 2 Stree 2's reported budget varies between ₹50 crore ( India Today [20] ) – ₹60 crore ( DNA India [21] and The Financial Express [22] ) – ₹120 crore ( Pinkvilla [23] ), with the latter figure including print and advertising costs
  2. ↑ Calculated using upper limits

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shraddha Kapoor</span> Indian actress (born 1987)

Shraddha Kapoor is an Indian actress who primarily works in Hindi films. One of India's highest-paid actresses, Kapoor has been featured in Forbes India's Celebrity 100 list since 2014 and was featured by Forbes Asia in their 30 Under 30 list of 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rajkummar Rao</span> Indian actor (born 1984)

Rajkummar Rao is an Indian actor. A versatile actor in Hindi cinema since the early 2010s, he is known for his performances in over thirty films across a wide spectrum of genres in both independent and commercial cinema. He is the recipient of several accolades including a National Film Award, four Filmfare Awards and an Asia Pacific Screen Award. In 2017, he appeared on Forbes India's Celebrity 100 list.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dinesh Vijan</span> Indian film producer

Dinesh Vijan is an Indian film producer and founder of entertainment company Maddock Films. He has produced over 35 films under this banner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Varun Dhawan</span> Indian actor (born 1987)

Varun Dhawan is an Indian actor who works in Hindi films. One of India's highest-paid actors, he has been featured in Forbes India's Celebrity 100 list since 2014. He has starred in 11 consecutive box-office successes between 2012 and 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kriti Sanon</span> Indian actress (born 1990)

Kriti Sanon is an Indian actress who works in Hindi and Telugu-language films. She has received a National Film Award and two Filmfare Awards, and has appeared in Forbes India's Celebrity 100 list of 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Varun Sharma</span> Indian actor (born 1990)

Varun Sharma is an Indian actor and comedian. Best known for playing "Choocha" in the Fukrey film series, he is known for his comic as well as supporting roles in various Hindi and Punjabi films.

<i>Stree</i> (2018 film) Indian film by Amar Kaushik

Stree (transl. Woman) is a 2018 Indian Hindi-language comedy horror film directed by debutant Amar Kaushik and produced by Dinesh Vijan and Raj & DK. It stars Rajkummar Rao and Shraddha Kapoor, alongside Pankaj Tripathi, Aparshakti Khurana and Abhishek Banerjee. The plot is based on the urban legend Naale Baa, the words meaning "come tomorrow" in Kannada and modified as o stree kal aana in the film.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amar Kaushik</span> Indian director and actor

Amar Kaushik is an Indian filmmaker. He is best known for directing the Maddock Supernatural Universe comedy horror films Stree (2018), Bhediya (2022), and Stree 2 (2024), as well as the satire Bala (2019)

<i>Roohi</i> (2021 film) 2021 film by Hardik Mehta

Roohi is a 2021 Indian Hindi-language comedy horror film directed by Hardik Mehta and produced by Dinesh Vijan under the banner Maddock Films. It tells the story of a ghost who abducts brides on their honeymoons. The film stars Rajkummar Rao, Janhvi Kapoor and Varun Sharma.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maddock Films</span> Indian private film production company owned by Dinesh Vijan

Maddock Films Pvt. Ltd. is a production company founded by Indian producer and director Dinesh Vijan in 2005. The company's first production venture was the film Finding Fanny (2014). The company has since then produced Hindi films such as Love Aaj Kal (2009), Cocktail (2012), Badlapur (2015), Hindi Medium (2017) and its sequel Angrezi Medium, Luka Chuppi (2019), Bala (2019), Mimi (2021), Zara Hatke Zara Bachke (2023), and Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya (2024).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abhishek Banerjee (actor)</span> Indian film actor

Abhishek Banerjee is an Indian actor and casting director. He is best known for his roles in the Maddock Supernatural Universe films Stree, Bhediya and Stree 2 and as Hathoda Tyagi in Amazon Prime Video series Paatal Lok. Banerjee's other notable films include Dream Girl, Dream Girl 2, Rashmi Rocket and Vedaa.

<i>Bhediya</i> 2022 film by Amar Kaushik

Bhediya (transl. Wolf) is a 2022 Indian Hindi-language comedy horror film directed by Amar Kaushik. Produced by Dinesh Vijan from a story and screenplay by Niren Bhatt, it stars Varun Dhawan alongside Kriti Sanon, Abhishek Banerjee, Deepak Dobriyal and Paalin Kabak. The plot of the film is inspired by Arunachal Pradesh's folklore about a Yapum, a shape-shifting werewolf, who wants to protect the jungle, even if they have to kill somebody. It is the second installment in the Maddock Supernatural Universe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rajkummar Rao filmography</span>

Rajkummar Rao is an Indian actor working in Hindi cinema. His notable films include Love Sex Aur Dhokha (2010), Talaash (2012), Kai Po Che! (2013), Shahid (2013), Queen (2014), Aligarh (2016), Trapped (2016), Bareilly Ki Barfi (2017), Newton (2017), Stree (2018), Ludo (2020), Badhaai Do (2022), Monica, O My Darling (2022), HIT: The First Case (2022), Srikanth (2024), Mr. & Mrs. Mahi (2024) and Stree 2 (2024).

Niren Bhatt is a screenwriter and lyricist from Mumbai, India. After leaving his corporate job, he initially wrote commercials and Gujarati plays. He later expanded writing career in Hindi TV series and Gujarati cinema. He eventually has success in Hindi film industry with writing films for Maddock Supernatural Universe, most notably Stree 2, which became one of the highest-grossing Hindi film of all time.

<i>Stree 2</i> 2024 Indian film by Amar Kaushik

Stree 2: Sarkate Ka Aatank is a 2024 Indian Hindi-language comedy horror film directed by Amar Kaushik, written by Niren Bhatt and produced jointly by Maddock Films and Jio Studios. It is the fourth installment in the Maddock Supernatural Universe and serves as the sequel to Stree (2018). The film stars Rajkummar Rao, Shraddha Kapoor, Pankaj Tripathi, Abhishek Banerjee and Aparshakti Khurana as a group of friends who must defeat Sarkata, a headless malevolent entity abducting the women of Chanderi.

<i>Munjya</i> (film) 2024 film by Aditya Sarpotdar

Munjya is a 2024 Indian Hindi-language comedy horror film directed by Aditya Sarpotdar and starring Sharvari, Abhay Verma, Sathyaraj and Mona Singh. The titular character was entirely created using CGI. Produced by Amar Kaushik and Dinesh Vijan under Maddock Films, it is the third installment in the Maddock Supernatural Universe and focuses on the legend of Munjya, inspired by Indian folklore and mythology.

<i>Stree</i> (soundtrack) 2018 soundtrack album by Sachin–Jigar

Stree is the soundtrack album to the 2018 comedy horror film of the same name directed by debutant Amar Kaushik and produced by Dinesh Vijan and Raj & DK, starring Rajkummar Rao and Shraddha Kapoor, alongside Pankaj Tripathi, Aparshakti Khurana and Abhishek Banerjee. The film's soundtrack featured five songs composed by Sachin–Jigar and lyrics written by Vayu, Badshah and Jigar Saraiya. The soundtrack was released under the T-Series label on 17 August 2018.

<i>Stree 2</i> (soundtrack) 2024 soundtrack album by Sachin–Jigar

Stree 2 is the soundtrack album to the 2024 comedy horror film of the same name directed by Amar Kaushik and produced by Dinesh Vijan under his Maddock Films banner. A sequel to Stree (2018) and the fifth instalment in the Maddock Supernatural Universe, the film stars Rajkummar Rao, Shraddha Kapoor, Pankaj Tripathi, Abhishek Banerjee and Aparshakti Khurana, reprising their roles from the previous films. Sachin–Jigar scored the four-song soundtrack with lyrics written by Amitabh Bhattacharya. The album was released under the Saregama label on 9 August 2024.

References

  1. ↑ "Stree 2 and Bhediya 2 to take Dinesh Vijan's horror-comedy universe to new heights; Deets Inside". PINKVILLA. 12 April 2023. Archived from the original on 7 May 2023. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
  2. ↑ "Stree Movie (2018) - Release Date, Cast, Trailer and Other Details". PINKVILLA. 30 August 2018. Archived from the original on 26 September 2023. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
  3. ↑ Web, Statesman (28 August 2024). "Stree 2, Munjya, Bhediya set stage for Maddock films' next big horror films". The Statesman. Archived from the original on 28 August 2024. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
  4. ↑ Srivastava, Soumya (1 September 2018). "Nale Ba, the Bengaluru urban legend that inspired Stree". Hindustan Times. Archived from the original on 27 November 2022. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
  5. ↑ "A real horror show". Bangalore Mirror. 27 October 2019. Archived from the original on 16 July 2024. Retrieved 21 July 2022.
  6. ↑ "Stree 2 and Bhediya 2 to take Dinesh Vijan's horror-comedy universe to new heights". India Today. 12 April 2023. Archived from the original on 7 May 2023. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  7. ↑ Sharma, Devesh (25 November 2022). "Bhediya Movie Review". Filmfare.com. Archived from the original on 25 November 2022. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
  8. ↑ Agarwal, Mehak (25 November 2022). "'Bhediya' movie review: 'Potential to develop into franchise', netizens, critics give Varun Dhawan's latest film a thumbs up". Business Today. Archived from the original on 25 November 2022. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
  9. ↑ Chaubey, Pranita (25 April 2023). "Filmfare Awards 2023: Here's The Full Nominations List". ndtv.com. Archived from the original on 2 December 2023. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
  10. ↑ Mathur, Vinamra; Mathur, Vinamra (28 May 2024). "'Munjya': Decoding the folklore this horror-comedy is based on and meeting India's first CGI actor". Firstpost. Archived from the original on 30 June 2024. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
  11. ↑ Gupta, Shubhra (7 June 2024). "Munjya review: Dinesh Vijan's latest horror-comedy is neither scary nor funny, goes downhill after 30 minutes". The Indian Express. Archived from the original on 2 August 2024. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
  12. ↑ Bohra, Anurag (9 August 2024). "Varun Dhawan romances, Shraddha Kapoor in Khoobsurat from Stree 2, fans ask 'Vicky ka kya hoga'". Hindustan Times. Archived from the original on 9 August 2024. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
  13. ↑ Hungama, Bollywood (18 September 2018). "Box Office: Understanding the economics of Stree and the profits it has earned for its makers". Bollywood Hungama . Archived from the original on 16 July 2024. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
  14. ↑ "Stree Actor Rajkummar Rao: "Not Budget, Content Determines A Film's Success"". NDTV.com. 22 February 2019. Archived from the original on 16 July 2024. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
  15. ↑ Hungama, Bollywood (31 August 2018). "Stree Box Office Collection till Now". Bollywood Hungama . Archived from the original on 8 July 2023. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
  16. ↑ Agarwal, Mehak (28 November 2022). "Bhediya box office collection: Varun Dhawan, Kriti Sanon-starrer mints Rs 28.55 crore". Business Today. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
  17. ↑ "Bhediya Box Office". Bollywood Hungama . 25 November 2022. Archived from the original on 22 December 2022. Retrieved 27 November 2022.
  18. ↑ "Munjya TV release soon; here's when and where to watch the horror comedy". Business Standard. 16 August 2024. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
  19. ↑ "Munjya Box Office". Bollywood Hungama . 9 June 2024. Archived from the original on 9 June 2024. Retrieved 9 June 2024.
  20. ↑ "'Stree 2' box office day 10: Rajkummar's film sets spooky benchmark with Rs 500 crore". India Today. 25 August 2024. Archived from the original on 25 August 2024. Retrieved 25 August 2024.
  21. ↑ "Not Stree 2, Kalki 2898 AD, Shaitaan, HanuMan, this Rs 3-crore film is India's biggest hit of 2024, has no stars, but..." Daily News and Analysis . Archived from the original on 28 August 2024. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
  22. ↑ "Stree 2 proves big returns don't need big budgets: How Rajkummar Rao-Shraddha Kapoor film became Bollywood's most profitable movie – A 500% ROI story". The Financial Express . 26 August 2024. Archived from the original on 27 August 2024. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
  23. ↑ Mankad, Himesh (16 August 2024). "Stree 2 Box Office: Shraddha Kapoor, Rajkummar Rao film becomes highest grossing Hindi Film of 2024 in 5 days". Pinkvilla. Archived from the original on 22 August 2024. Retrieved 25 August 2024.
  24. ↑ "'Stree 2' box office day 10: Rajkummar's film sets spooky benchmark with Rs 500 crore". India Today. 25 August 2024. Archived from the original on 25 August 2024. Retrieved 25 August 2024.
  25. ↑ Hungama, Bollywood (16 August 2024). "Stree 2 Box Office Collection". Bollywood Hungama. Archived from the original on 16 August 2024. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
  26. ↑ Naman Ramachandran (5 November 2024). "Ayushmann Khurrana Talks 'Thama,' Latest Entry in Maddock's Horror-Comedy Universe (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 9 November 2024.
  27. ↑ "'Thama': Ayushmann Khurrana, Rashmika Mandanna to headline Maddock Films' new horror-comedy". The Hindu. 30 October 2024. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
  28. ↑ "Thama: Ayushmann Khurrana joins Stree, Bhediya in Maddock's horror-comedy universe". India Today. 30 October 2024. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
  29. ↑ "Varun Dhawan announces 'Bhediya 2', to release in 2025". The Hindu. 13 April 2023. Archived from the original on 18 August 2024. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
  30. ↑ Cyril, Grace (13 April 2023). "Varun Dhawan's Bhediya 2, Shraddha Kapoor's Stree 2 to take over horror-comedy universe. Details inside". India Today. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
  31. ↑ Sehgal, Chirag (18 July 2024). "Stree 3 CONFIRMED! Dinesh Vijan Says Rajkummar Rao, Shraddha Kapoor Film 'Already Written'". News18. Archived from the original on 5 August 2024. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
  32. ↑ Panchal, Komal RJ (22 August 2024). "Stree 3 will be a 'big epic saga', script is ready: Actors Aparshakti Khurana, Abhishek Banerjee give update". The Indian Express. Archived from the original on 24 August 2024. Retrieved 24 August 2024.
  33. ↑ Web, Statesman (4 September 2024). "Stree 3 release date disclosed by director Amar Kaushik". The Statesman. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
  34. ↑ "Stree 3: Dinesh Vijan announces third installment of Shraddha Kapoor, Rajkummar Rao, Pankaj Tripathi film". The Indian Express. 18 July 2024. Archived from the original on 16 September 2024. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.