Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; August 24, 2018)

Having previously tackled a horror comedy offering, Go Goa Gone (2013), filmmaker duo Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK have yet again attempted the genre by penning the script of the forthcoming film, Stree. However, the tale behind Rajkummar Rao and Shraddha Kapoor’s venture finds its roots in stories that the duo heard when in college.

The folk legend is well known across rural India, or so says the duo. “We were in college when stories of a ghost or creature residing in a [particular] village caught our interest. There were reports of walls being painted with messages that read: ‘O Stree, Nale Ba’, [implying, Woman, come tomorrow]. No one knew what was happening, and yet, everyone was scared,” says Nidimoru, adding that they decided to explore the tale with satire since they enjoy blending distinct genres.

But while the back story served as motivation to pen this film, DK adds that the decision to showcase women as the more powerful sex was an interesting angle to explore. “The general premise of the film can be condensed to the tag-line: Mard ko dard hoga. The idea is to show that men are not safe [when travelling alone] at night. If they step out, they should have a woman for company. They should wear appropriate clothes, else this ghost will take their attire away. The gender reversion was the most exciting part of writing this story. We wanted to make the film relatable and relevant.”

Though this project was one they wanted to helm, the duo realised it may be a while before they decide to direct a film. “We write a lot, so many good scripts kept piling up. We decided that we would not let this script just sit [on our desk]. As long as we were involved with the project, we were comfortable with someone else directing it.”