‘Stree 2’ Horror-Comedy Sequel Dominates Indian Independence Day Weekend

“Stree 2: Sarkate Ka Aatank,” Amar Kaushik’s sequel to his 2018 horror-comedy hit “Stree,” is poised to be one of the biggest Indian blockbusters of the year. Produced by Maddock Films and billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s Jio Studios, the film was released on Thursday, Aug. 15, a public holiday in India celebrating Independence Day. By Sunday, just four days after its release, it had raked in $33.7 million, far exceeding the $21.5 million lifetime earnings of its predecessor “Stree.”

Set in the small town of Chanderi, the original “Stree” depicted men living in fear of an evil spirit named Stree who abducts men at night. Written by the prolific Raj & DK duo along with Sumit Arora, the story was based on the folk legend of “Naale Ba” from the southern Indian state of Karnataka. In the sequel, “Stree 2,” penned by Niren Bhatt, the town faces a new terror. Women are now being mysteriously abducted by a horrifying headless entity. The protagonists must once again band together to save their town and loved ones.

The ensemble cast for both films features Shraddha Kapoor, Rajkummar Rao, Pankaj Tripathi, Aparshakti Khurana, and Abhishek Banerjee. “Stree 2” continues to expand Maddock’s Supernatural Universe, which began with “Stree” and included subsequent films like “Roohi” (2021), “Bhediya” (2022), and the forthcoming “Munjya” (2024).

Meanwhile, BBC Factual has introduced “America’s New Female Right,” a one-hour documentary for BBC Three and iPlayer. Produced by Mindhouse Productions, the film delves into a growing community of young female content creators posting inflammatory content online.

British journalist Layla Wright, 27, travels from Liverpool to the U.S., meeting ultra-conservative influencers across the country. The documentary seeks to understand what drives women, some as young as 16, to advocate for a movement aimed at undoing progressive policies.

Wright shared her motivation by saying, “I wanted to meet the women that had suddenly taken over my social media feeds, posting increasingly inflammatory content. These young women, my age, with huge online platforms, seemed nostalgic for an era where women had fewer rights. It was surprising how unapologetically controversial they were. Despite living just a plane ride away, their views seemed worlds apart from mine and my friends back home.”

The documentary is commissioned by Fiona Campbell and Jack Bootle, with Tom Coveney and Anna Dickeson serving as BBC commissioning editors. Arron Fellows and Nancy Strang executive produce for Mindhouse, while Alana McVerry directs and produces.

Wright, currently a creator in residence at Mindhouse Productions, has been working with the company’s co-founder and chief creative officer Louis Theroux since 2022. The documentary is scheduled to air on Sept. 2 on BBC Three and iPlayer.

Source: Particle News, BBC