Is the sequel going on floors soon? That has been a constant query of cinephiles over the past four years since Stree (2018) became a sleeper hit at the box office. In some ways, the Rajkummar Rao and Shraddha Kapoor-starrer brought the genre of horror comedy to the fore in Hindi cinema, and amassed a loyal fan following. While reports of Stree 2 being in development have been doing the rounds since last year, mid-day has learnt that director Amar Kaushik will take the second instalment on floors in March 2023.

Kaushik, who had been busy with Bhediya over the past few months, is now giving his undivided attention to the Rao-starrer. The unit has begun pre-production for the film that will roll in Delhi. “While Stree was shot extensively in Chanderi and Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh, this time around, the narrative moves to Uttar Pradesh and Delhi. The film will be shot in four cities, beginning with Delhi and the outskirts. The team will then move to Uttar Pradesh for an extensive month-long schedule. The final draft of the script is ready, and Amar is currently locking the three cities that will serve as the backdrop,” reveals a source.

Hailed for its themes of gender role reversal and feminism, Stree revolved around a witch who is believed to abduct men at night. Rao’s Vicky and his friends — essayed by Aparshakti Khurana and Abhishek Banerjee — set out to find the truth behind the legend after they suspect a mysterious woman, played by Kapoor, of being the witch. While the quartet will reprise their roles in the sequel, Pankaj Tripathi is likely to give it a miss. But there is said to be an addition to the cast.

The source adds, “Varun Dhawan will make a special appearance. Amar and the writers have woven in his character from Bhediya, thus bringing together the universes of the two distinct horror comedies.”