Maddock Horror Comedy Universe

Shared fictional universe

Maddock Horror Comedy Universe

Lineup slate of Maddock Films

Created by|

* Dinesh Vijan
* Amar Kaushik

Original work| Stree (2018)
Owners|

* Maddock Films
* Jio Studios

Years| 2018–2028
Films and television
Film(s)|

* Stree (2018)
* Bhediya (2022)
* Munjya (2024)
* Stree 2 (2024)

Financial summary
Budget| est. ₹235 crore
Box office| est. ₹1,287.31 crore

Maddock Horror Comedy Universe is an Indian shared universe consisting of Hindi-language supernatural comedy horror films created by Maddock Films. All films in this universe are based on Indian folklore.[1] The first installment, Stree, was released as a standalone film. The universe-building began with Bhediya, in which characters from Stree appeared. This was followed by Munjya, where characters from Bhediya and Stree appeared. Stree 2 continued by featuring characters from Bhediya, making Stree and Bhediya the central links connecting all three films.[2]

## Films

[edit]

Key  †  | Denotes films that have not yet been released

|

Film  | Release Dates  | Director(s)  | Cast  | Producer(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

### Stree

[edit]

Main article: Stree (2018 film)

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.[3][4] 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.[5]

### Bhediya

[edit]

Main article: 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.[6] 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.[7][8]

### Munjya

[edit]

Main article: Munjya (film)

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.[9][10]

### Stree 2

[edit]

Main article: 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 ₹874.8 crore at the box office against a production budget of ₹50–120 crore.[a][11]

## Upcoming films

[edit]

### Thama (2025)

[edit]

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.[12] The cast also includes Rashmika Mandanna, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, and Paresh Rawal and Suniel Shetty. The film is directed by Aditya Sarpotdar and produced by Dinesh Vijan and Amar Kaushik, with a planned release date for 15 August 2025 on festival Independence Day.[13][14] Filming began on 12 December 2024. Varun Dhawan will appear in a cameo appearance portraying his character from Bhediya 2 as reported in March 2025. Filming wrapped up on 25 may with only 2 songs remaining.Aditya Sarpotdar confirmed that Thama is not a horror-comedy unlike other films coming out of the Maddock Supernatural Universe. "It is a romantic film with certain supernatural elements backing it," the director confirmed in an interview with Zoom. He insisted that the movie is mainly comedy with romance being the central theme. The director also shared that it was a decision taken since the Maddock Supernatural Universe delivered enough horror-comedies in the recent past (Stree, Bhediya and Munjya).

### Shakti Shalini (2025)

[edit]

The sixth installment in the franchise, it will be directed by Ajitpal Singh and will star Kiara Advani in the lead role.[15] The film was scheduled to releasing soon but got delayed due to Advani's pregnancy.[16]

### Bhediya 2 (2026)

[edit]

The seventh installment and a sequel to Bhediya, titled Bhediya 2, 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 set to releasing soon, a day before Independence Day. Actress Kriti Sanon might reprise her role as Dr. Anika as she had earlier appeared in Bhediya as Bhediya.[17][18]

### Chamunda (2026)

[edit]

The eighth installment in the franchise. It will star Shraddha kapoor in a lead role. It is scheduled to releasing soon.[19]

### Stree 3 (2027)

[edit]

The ninth installment in the franchise and a sequel to Stree 2. The film will feature Akshay Kumar as the main antagonist, reprising his role from his appearance as last living descendant of Chandrabhan (popular as 'Sarkata') in Stree 2. He had an unknown hatred against his own family which will be known in "Stree 3". Producer Dinesh Vijan confirmed that Stree 3 was already written.[20][21] Director Amar Kaushik mentioned it would take three years to produce.[22][23]

### Maha Munjya (2027)

[edit]

The tenth installment in the franchise and a sequel to Munjya. Abhay Verma and Sharvari will be reprising their roles as Bittu and Bela respectively. The film is scheduled to releasing soon.[24]

### Pehla Mahayudh (2028)

[edit]

The eleventh installment in the franchise, Pehla Mahayudh, will serve as the first part of the two-part finale for the current phase of the franchise. The story will continue and conclude in the twelfth installment, titled Doosara Mahayudh, releasing later in the same year. Pehla Mahayudh will feature characters from all previous films in the franchise and is scheduled to releasing soon. Makers Dinesh Vijan, Jyoti Deshpande and director Amar Kaushik confirmed that Akshay Kumar will lead both the parts as Chandravanshi (descendant of Chanderi Chief Chandrabhan Sarkata) with several stars from previous installments will be pitted against him [25]

### Doosara Mahayudh (2028)

[edit]

The twelfth installment in the franchise, Doosara Mahayudh, will serve as the conclusion to the two-part finale of the current phase of the franchise. Picking up directly from the events of Pehla Mahayudh, the film will bring together characters from all previous installments for a climactic showdown. Doosara Mahayudh is scheduled to releasing soon.[26]

## Characters

[edit]

This table lists the characters connected across the Maddock Horror Comedy Universe.

Character  | Actor  | Films

|
|

Stree | Bhediya | Munjya | Stree 2 | Thama
Vikrant Parashar aka Vicky | Rajkummar Rao | Main  | Cameo  |  | Main  |
Phantasm with undisclosed name[b] | Shraddha Kapoor | Main  | Cameo  |  | Main  |
Bhaskar Sharma / Bhediya | Varun Dhawan |  | Main  | Cameo  | Cameo  |
Dr. Anika Mittal | Kriti Sanon | Cameo  | Main  |  |  |
Rudra | Pankaj Tripathi | Main  |  |  | Main  |
Shama | Tamanna Bhatia | Mentioned  |  |  | Cameo  |
Janardhan Sharma aka Jana | Abhishek Banerjee | Main  | Main  | Cameo  | Main  |
Bittu | Aparshakti Khurana | Main  | Cameo  |  | Main  |
Bittu Gokhle | Abhay Verma |  |  | Main  |  |
Bela | Sharvari |  |  | Main  |  |

## Crew and personnel

[edit]

Occupation  | Films

|

Stree | Bhediya | Munjya | Stree 2 | Thama
Director  | Amar Kaushik | Amar Kaushik  | Aditya Sarpotdar | Amar Kaushik  | Aditya Sarpotdar
Producer  | Dinesh Vijan, Raj & DK | Dinesh Vijan, Jyoti Deshpande | Dinesh Vijan, Amar Kaushik  | Dinesh Vijan, Jyoti Deshpande  | Amar Kaushik, Dinesh Vijan
Writer  | Raj & DK, Sumit Arora (dialogues) | Niren Bhatt | Niren Bhatt (screenplay), Yogesh Chandekar (story) | Niren Bhatt  |
Cinematographer  | Amalendu Chaudhary  | Jishnu Bhattacharjee  | Saurabh Goswami  | Jishnu Bhattacharjee  | Abhinandhan Ramanujan
Editor  | Hemal Kothari  | Sanyukta Kaza | Monisha R. Baldawa  | Hemanti Sarkar  |
Composer  | Sachin–Jigar (songs), Ketan Sodha (score) | Sachin–Jigar (songs), Justin Varghese (score) |
Lyricist  | Vayu, Badshah | Amitabh Bhattacharya |
Production Company  | Maddock Films, D2R Films  | Maddock Films, Jio Studios | Maddock Films  | Maddock Films, Jio Studios  |
Distributor  | AA Films, Jio Studios, PHARS Film  | Pen Marudhar | PVR Inox Pictures, Pen Marudhar  |

## Reception

[edit]

Box office performance

Each film is linked to the "Box office" section of its article.

Film  | Release date  | Budget  | Box office  | Ref.

|
|
|
|

Stree | 30 August 2018  | ₹23 crore (US$3.36 million)–₹25 crore (US$3.66 million)  | ₹180.76 crore (US$26.43 million)  | [28][29][30]
Bhediya | 25 November 2022  | ₹60 crore (US$7.63 million)  | ₹90 crore (US$11.45 million)  | [31][32]
Munjya | 7 June 2024  | ₹30 crore (US$3.5 million)  | ₹132.13 crore (US$16 million)  | [33][34]
Stree 2 | 15 August 2024  | ₹50 crore (US$5.9 million)–₹120 crore (US$14 million)[a] | ₹837 crore (US$99 million)–₹874.58 crore (US$100 million)  | [39][40]
Total  | ₹163 crore (US$19 million)–₹235 crore (US$28 million)  | ₹1,239.89 crore (US$150 million)–₹1,277.47 crore (US$150 million)  |

Critical reception

Each film is linked to the "Critical response" section of its article.

Film  | Rotten Tomatoes

|

Stree (2018)  | 79% (6.3/10 average rating) (14 reviews)[41]
Bhediya (2022)  | 62% (6.3/10 average rating) (13 reviews)[42]
Munjya (2024)  | 56% (5.3/10 average rating) (9 reviews)[43]
Stree 2 (2024)  | 62% (6.1/10 average rating) (13 reviews)[44]

## See also

[edit]

* Cop Universe
* Hera Pheri (film series)
* Don (franchise)
* Dhoom (franchise)
* Housefull (film series)
* Race (film series)
* YRF Spy Universe

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ a b Stree 2's reported budget varies between ₹50 crore (India Today[35]) – ₹60 crore (DNA India[36] and The Financial Express[37]) – ₹120 crore (Pinkvilla[38]), with the latter figure including print and advertising costs
2. ^ A script leak tells her name to be Gayatri, but not yet revealed in film.[27]

## References

[edit]

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. ^ 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.
3. ^ 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.
4. ^ "A real horror show". Bangalore Mirror. 27 October 2019. Archived from the original on 16 July 2024. Retrieved 21 July 2022.
5. ^ "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.
6. ^ Sharma, Devesh (25 November 2022). "Bhediya Movie Review". Filmfare.com. Archived from the original on 25 November 2022. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
7. ^ 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.
8. ^ 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.
9. ^ 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.
10. ^ 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.
11. ^ 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.
12. ^ Naman Ramachandran (5 November 2024). "Ayushmann Khurrana Talks 'Thama,' Latest Entry in Maddock's Horror-Comedy Universe (Exclusive)". Variety. Retrieved 9 November 2024.
13. ^ "'Thama': Ayushmann Khurrana, Rashmika Mandanna to headline Maddock Films' new horror-comedy". The Hindu. 30 October 2024. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
14. ^ "Thama: Ayushmann Khurrana joins Stree, Bhediya in Maddock's horror-comedy universe". India Today. 30 October 2024. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
15. ^ "Peeping Moon Exclusive: Kiara Advani to headline Dinesh Vijan's Shakti Shalini; Tabbar fame Ajitpal Singh roped in to direct". www.peepingmoon.com/. 8 January 2025. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
16. ^ "'2 Alias ruining it': Alia & Kiara's rumoured entry in horror comedy universe with Shakti Shalini, Chamunda irks fans". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
17. ^ "Varun Dhawan delayed 'Bhediya 2', to release soon". The Hindu. 13 April 2023. Archived from the original on 18 August 2024. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
18. ^ 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.
19. ^ "Maddock Films announces 8 horror-comedy universe movies, Stree 3 and Bhediya 2 get release dates". The Indian Express. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
20. ^ 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.
21. ^ 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.
22. ^ Web, Statesman (4 September 2024). "Stree 3 release date disclosed by director Amar Kaushik". The Statesman. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
23. ^ "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.
24. ^ "'Stree 3', 'Munjya 2' announced; adds 4 more movies in horror-comedy universe". The Times of India. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
25. ^ "Maddock Films announces slate of eight films for the next four years". The Economic Times. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
26. ^ "Exclusive: Maddock Films set for horror comedy universe with 7 films lined up from 2025 to 2028; Shakti Shalini & Chamunda are 2 new entrants". Pinkvilla. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
27. ^ "'Stree 3' major leak: Shraddha Kapoor's character name revealed, fans buzzing with theories". The Economic Times. 24 March 2025. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved 13 April 2025.
28. ^ 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.
29. ^ "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.
30. ^ 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.
31. ^ 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.
32. ^ "Bhediya Box Office". Bollywood Hungama. 25 November 2022. Archived from the original on 22 December 2022. Retrieved 27 November 2022.
33. ^ "Munjya TV release soon; here's when and where to watch the horror comedy". Business Standard. 16 August 2024. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
34. ^ "Munjya Box Office". Bollywood Hungama. 9 June 2024. Archived from the original on 9 June 2024. Retrieved 9 June 2024.
35. ^ "'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.
36. ^ "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.
37. ^ "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.
38. ^ 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.
39. ^ "'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.
40. ^ Hungama, Bollywood (16 August 2024). "Stree 2 Box Office Collection". Bollywood Hungama. Archived from the original on 16 August 2024. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
41. ^ "Stree | Rotten Tomatoes". www.rottentomatoes.com. Retrieved 2 February 2025.
42. ^ "Bhediya | Rotten Tomatoes". www.rottentomatoes.com. Retrieved 2 February 2025.
43. ^ "Munjya | Rotten Tomatoes". www.rottentomatoes.com. Retrieved 2 February 2025.
44. ^ "Stree 2 | Rotten Tomatoes". www.rottentomatoes.com. Retrieved 2 February 2025.

## External links

[edit]

* Stree at IMDb
* Bhediya at IMDb
* Munjya at IMDb
* Stree 2 at IMDb

Portals:

* India
* Bollywood
* Films

* v
* t
* e

Maddock Horror Comedy Universe

Films|

* Stree (2018)
* Roohi (2021)
* Bhediya (2022)
* Munjya (2024)
* Stree 2 (2024)
* Thama (2025)

Maddock Films

* v
* t
* e

Amar Kaushik

Films directed|

* Stree (2018)
* Bala (2019)
* Bhediya (2022)
* Stree 2 (2024)

Films produced|

* Chor Nikal Ke Bhaga (2022)
* Munjya (2024)

*[est.]: estimation
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