Stree

About the film

Stree: Mard Ko Dard Hoga (transl. The Woman: Man will feel the pain) is a 2018 Indian Hindi-language comedy horror film directed by debutant Amar Kaushik and produced by Dinesh Vijan alongside writers Raj & DK in their production debut. Loosely based on the urban legend Naale Baa meaning "come tomorrow", it stars Rajkummar Rao, Shraddha Kapoor, Pankaj Tripathi, Aparshakti Khurana and Abhishek Banerjee.

Raj & DK approached Rao in late November 2017 to star in their debut production. To prepare for his role as a tailor, Rao learned to sew. Kapoor was confirmed as the female lead the following month. Kaushik, a first assistant director to Raj & DK on Vijan-produced Go Goa Gone (2013), was enlisted to direct the film in January 2018, making his debut. Principal photography began on 13 January 2018 in Chanderi, with additional filming in Bhopal and Mumbai. The final schedule was completed in May 2018. The soundtrack was composed by Raj & DK's norm collaborators Sachin–Jigar, with lyrics written by Vayu, Badshah and Jigar Saraiya. Aiming for a fresh sound, Raj & DK roped in Ketan Sodha to compose the background score, relieving Sachin-Jigar of score duties.

Plot

Within the town of Chanderi, locals believe in the legend of Stree, the spirit of a woman who abducts men during a four-day annual festival, leaving behind only their clothes. To protect themselves, townsfolk inscribe O Stree Kal Aana (transl. "O Stree, come tomorrow") on their walls and men refrain from going out after 10 PM.

Vicky, a ladies' tailor, meets a mysterious woman who asks him to stich a lehenga. He becomes infatuated with her, but his friend Bittu grows suspicious of her frequent disappearances and limited presence in the town. When their friend Jana is abducted, Vicky grows wary of the woman and, with Bittu and a local librarian named Rudra, investigates the legend. They find a partially burnt book titled Chanderi Puran, which reveals that Stree was once a beautiful courtesan who truly loved a man and was murdered by men in the town before she could marry him. Believing her spirit to reside in a nearby fort, the trio ventures there and encounters Stree. Vicky is nearly enchanted, but the mysterious woman repels the spirit. She claims that she lost someone to Stree and has been trying to stop her for years.

The group rescues Jana and takes him home but eventually notices his strange conduct; he erases the protective wall inscriptions, causing more abductions. They consult Shastri, the book's author, who prophesies that a man born under an oak tree to a courtesan will defeat Stree. Rudra suggests that Vicky fits his prophecy, revealing that his mother was a courtesan. He confirms this with his father and decides to embrace his destiny.

Production

In November 2017, it was reported that Dinesh Vijan had finalised Rajkummar Rao as the lead actor for his next production, a comedy horror written by Raj & DK. Raj & DK revealed that the urban legend Nale Ba, which means "come tomorrow" in Kannada, was the core idea behind the film. They found the concept of a ghost turning back upon reading the sign "absurd and funny" and aimed to develop a unique perspective, featuring a gender reversal where the ghost targets men and men are afraid to go out at night.

In December 2017, Shraddha Kapoor announced on Twitter that she would collaborate with Rajkummar Rao and Maddock Films on their upcoming project. In January 2018, it was confirmed that the film would be titled Stree, directed by Amar Kaushik. To prepare for his role, Rao received a sewing machine, and a tailor visited him daily for 20 days to teach him how to sew.

Principal photography for Stree began on 13 January 2018 in Chanderi and the first schedule concluded on 30 January 2018. The second shooting schedule took place in Bhopal in March, chosen by producer Dinesh Vijan for its associated mysterious stories. Upon arrival, locals informed the production team about unexplained events in the area and necessary safety precautions. In response, guidelines were created and displayed in all rooms within the fort. Shraddha Kapoor completed half of her filming schedule in just 10 days. The final shooting schedule wrapped up on 1 May 2018. After filming was complete, a promotional song featuring Rajkummar Rao and Shraddha Kapoor was shot in Mumbai in May 2018. Although the promotional song "Aao Kabhi Haveli Pe", featuring Kriti Sanon alongside Rao and Badshah, was filmed, it ultimately remained as background music in the film.

Music

The music for the film has been composed by Sachin–Jigar. The lyrics are written by Vayu except for one song "Aao Kabhi Haveli Pe" which is written by Badshah and Jigar Saraiya. The score is composed by Ketan Sodha. The entire soundtrack album, comprising four tracks, was released on 17 August 2018 by T-Series.

Release

Stree was theatrically released worldwide on 31 August 2018.

Reception

Stree received positive critical reception. On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 80% of 15 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.3/10.

Anupama Chopra of Film Companion gave the film 3.5 stars out of five, stating that "With laughs and scares, Stree delivers an important message." Anna M. M. Vetticad of Firstpost also rated it 3.5/5, praising Rao's acting and the film's humour. She wrote that "The primary reason why Stree is so effective, though, is that it does not caricature the people of Chanderi—they are as real and foolish, prejudiced, and good as most human beings are, and could well be you or me with less sophistication. Rajeev Masand of News18 gave it 3.5 out of 5, stating, "Stree is especially entertaining, packed with laugh-aloud moments and a cast that's on top of their game. It's one of the most original films this year, and I recommend that you make time for it."

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