Stree 2: Sarkate Ka Aatank

Stree 2: Sarkate Ka Aatank () is a 2024 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 fifth installment in the Maddock Supernatural Universe and is a sequel to Stree (2018). The film stars Rajkummar Rao, Shraddha Kapoor, Pankaj Tripathi, Abhishek Banerjee and Aparshakti Khurana.
Kaushik expressed interest in a sequel to Stree as early as October 2018, and Rao later confirmed that development was underway in February 2022, albeit without original writers and producers Raj & DK, who fell out with producer Dinesh Vijan over the rights to the franchise, leading to Bhatt taking over as writer. Vijan and Jyoti Deshpande officially announced the sequel in April 2023. Principal photography commenced the following July and was predominantly completed in Chanderi and Bihar before wrapping by mid‐2024. The film has music composed by Sachin–Jigar, score composed by Justin Varghese, cinematography handled by Jishnu Bhattacharjee and editing by Hemanti Sarkar.
Stree 2 was theatrically released worldwide on 15 August 2024 and received positive reviews from critics. The film has grossed ₹284 crore at the box office, emerging as the fourth highest-grossing Indian film of 2024 and second highest-grossing Hindi film of 2024.
== Plot ==
One year has passed since Stree stopped haunting the town of Chanderi after receiving love and respect from its inhabitants. The town is now being haunted by a headless ghost who abducts women at night and takes them through a portal into an alternate dimension. The inhabitants, unaware of the ghost's presence, believe that the women are leaving the town for better career opportunities and future prospects. Vicky, still deeply in love with the Girl With No Name, credited as "She", misses her and frequently imagines her appearing in front of him and talking with him. Rudra Bhaiya receives an anonymous letter containing torn pages from the Chanderi Puran, along with a cryptic message which says "He Will Come".
Bittu's girlfriend Chitti is taken away by the headless ghost and a witness reveals to everyone that he saw the ghost. Vicky, Bittu and Rudra Bhaiya go through the torn pages of the Chanderi Puran to learn about the history of the headless ghost whom they refer to as "Sarkata". They discover that Sarkata is the ghost of Chandrabhan, who used to be the village head many years ago. He was an alcoholic and a womanizer, who along with his friends had killed the courtesan who then became Stree. Stree had later killed Chandrabhan by beheading him and had buried him. After Stree stopped haunting the town, Sarkata, the headless ghost of Chandrabhan rose from under the ground and began abducting women who have a progressive and modern mindset. 
The three conclude that they would need the help of Stree to defeat Sarkata. They believe that Jana can lead them to Stree as he was previously possessed by her. They go to visit Jana in Delhi, where he is living with Bhaskar aka Bhediya. They bring him back to Chanderi under the pretext of participating in a stage play. Jana is reluctant at first, but they eventually convince him to help them. They visit the old fort to look for Stree but are attacked by Sarkata. Jana is possessed by Sarkata and he sees visions of the alternate dimension where all women are held in captivity. Just then, She appears and fights with Sarkata using the powers of Stree's braid attached with her hair, saving them.
Meanwhile, the women of the town live in constant fear for their lives. They are angry with Vicky as he was the one who had defeated Stree, which led to Sarkata's arrival. They insist he must now defeat Sarkata and She also convinces him for the same saying he is the right person for it because of his pure soul. To lure Sarkata, they organize a dance performance by Shama, Rudra Bhaiya's girlfriend. In the middle of the performance, Sarkata arrives but Vicky fails to defeat him. He possesses all the men present, excluding Vicky, Rudra Bhaiya and Jana, before taking Shama away. 
All the possessed men, including Bittu, begin to dominate the women, restricting their freedom. Rudra Bhaiya finds that the anonymous letter was sent by someone from a mental asylum and they all decide to go and meet that person for clues. The man is revealed to be a descendant of Chandrabhan and he says that neither a human or animal, nor a man or woman can defeat Sarkata but only a being that is "half of both" can. They together devise a plan and according to that, She uses her powers to enter Vicky's body so that they become one singular being. They then enter through the portal into the alternate dimension and confront Sarkata.
Vicky cuts off Sarkata's severed head into half with the magical sword he had previously used to cut off Stree's braid. However, another head of him emerges and the number of heads keep multiplying every time one of them is cut off. Just then, Bhaskar arrives in his werewolf form and attacks Sarkata, saving them. When he is also overpowered, She calls out to her mother, who is revealed to be Stree. She arrives and cuts off Sarkata's head, finally defeating him and avenging her own death. All the women held in captivity are freed from Sarkata's control. Sometime later, She reveals to Vicky that she is actually a witch and wanted to avenge her mother's death with Vicky's help. She adds that she still values her relationship with him, before disappearing again.
In a mid-credits scene, Bhaskar warns Jana of a vampire living in Delhi who sucks blood out of the people with its teeth. He adds that he has a liking towards She. In a post-credits scene, the descendant of Chandrabhan anonymously receives a vessel containing the remains of Sarkata and absorbs its energy, transforming into a powerful being.
== Cast ==
== Music ==
The film's music was composed by Sachin–Jigar, with lyrics written by Amitabh Bhattacharya, and the background score by Justin Varghese. The first single titled "Aaj Ki Raat" was released on 24 July 2024. The second single titled "Aayi Nai" was released on 1 August 2024. The third single titled "Tumhare Hi Rahenge Hum" was released on 6 August 2024. The fourth single titled "Khoobsurat" was released on 9 August 2024. The entire album featuring 4 tracks was released on 10 August 2024.
== Marketing ==
The teaser for Stree 2 premiered in theatres during the end credits of Munjya on 14 June, and was later released on social media on 25 June 2024. The trailer of the film was released on 18 July 2024 and received over 10 crore views across platforms within 24 hours.
== Release ==
===Theatrical===
Stree 2 was initially scheduled for a worldwide theatrical release on 30 August 2024 but was later rescheduled to premiere on Independence Day 2024. The day before its release, nearly 3,000 paid preview night shows were held.
===Home media===
The film will premiere on Amazon Prime following its theatrical run.
== Reception ==
===Critical response===
Stree 2 received positive reviews from critics. 
Simran Khan of Times Now awarded the film 4 out of 5 stars, describing it as a “well-packaged entertainer.” She commended Rao’s standout performance and praised the strong supporting cast, including Kapoor and Tripathi. While she noted a few flaws, such as a predictable climax, she emphasized that the film effectively balances horror and comedy, making it an entertaining watch that will appeal to fans of the genre. Abhishek Srivastava of The Times of India also rated the film 4 out of 5 stars, calling it “a headless wonder that’s got humour in spades.” He highlighted the film’s clever script, which builds on the charm of its predecessor by introducing a male villain, Sarkata, who targets modern women. Although the second half suffers from pacing issues and some underwhelming character moments, Srivastava found that the film ultimately delivers an entertaining experience in the horror-comedy genre.
Tushar Joshi of India Today rated the film 3.5 out of 5 stars, noting that “Rajkummar Rao, Shraddha Kapoor’s multiverse of madness is entertaining.” He praised the film’s humorous and thrilling continuation of the franchise, emphasizing its clever script and improved visual effects. However, Joshi pointed out that the film struggles with pacing and coherence in its multiverse crossover, though it shines due to strong performances, particularly from Rao and a surprising cameo by Akshay Kumar. Rishabh Suri of the Hindustan Times praised the sequel for its improvement from the predecessor, commenting that “Rajkummar Rao leads a sequel that’s better than the original; Abhishek Banerjee is the highlight.” Suri noted that the film skillfully blends humor with commentary on societal issues, particularly regarding women grappling with patriarchal constraints. He highlighted sharp dialogue and standout performances, especially from Rao and Banerjee, while also praising Bhatia’s notable entry.
Shilajit Mitra of The Hindu provided a more mixed review, remarking that “Rajkummar Rao, Shraddha Kapoor, and gang deliver the laughs, but not much else.” He noted that while the film retains the charm of its predecessor, it feels like a factory-made sequel, losing some of the original’s nuanced commentary on patriarchy amidst a convoluted plot. Although Rao’s performance as Vicky is delightful, Mitra critiqued the film’s over-reliance on franchise complexity, which he felt diminished the fresh edge that made the first instalment resonate.
Pratiksha Mishra of The Quint criticized the film’s visual effects, arguing that they make the antagonist, Sarkata, appear less menacing and more cartoonish. Mishra stated that this undermines the intended horror and seriousness of the character’s toxic masculinity, diminishing the film’s overall scare factor compared to the original, despite the sequel’s attempt to heighten the horror by changing the antagonist’s gender. Saibal Chatterjee of NDTV India offered a similar perspective, giving the film 2.5 out of 5 stars. He remarked that “Shraddha Kapoor’s film is bemusing rather than petrifying,” noting that the film attempts to build on the success of its predecessor with a mix of comedy and supernatural elements but ultimately falls short due to its repetitive plot and lack of genuine scares. Chatterjee acknowledged the commendable performances but criticized the film’s reliance on predictable humor and outdated portrayals, which he felt left the film feeling stale despite moments of creativity.
===Box office===
Stree 2 grossed ₹9.40 crore from paid previews in select theatres the day before its release, breaking the previous record held by Chennai Express. Released alongside Vedaa and Khel Khel Mein on Independence day, the film went on to gross ₹64.80 crore, marking the second-highest opening day for a Hindi film, behind only Jawan (2023). It became the highest opening day of Rao’s career and the second-highest of Kapoor's only behind Saaho (2019). The film earned ₹204 crore on its fourth day, making it the fourth fastest to reach ₹200 crore of all time, trailing only 2023's Jawan, Animal, and Pathan, and surpassing Baahubali 2: The Conclusion (2017), Gadar 2 (2023), and War (2019).
As of 18 August 2024, the film grossed ₹240.85 crore in India and ₹43.15 crore internationally, for a total worldwide gross of ₹284 crore.
== External links ==
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== References ==
Category:2024 films
Category:2024 comedy horror films
Category:2020s Hindi-language films
Category:Indian comedy horror films
Category:2020s Indian films
Category:Films set in Madhya Pradesh