Stree (2018) is a movie that redefined the genre of horror-comedy in Bollywood. In fact, it’s a film that I watch time and again because of its stellar storyline and the fact that there aren’t many movies like it.
But does Stree 2: Sarkate Ka Aatank hold up on its own? Or has it, too, fallen prey to the curse of sequels? Well… let’s talk about it.
Stree 2: Sarkate Ka Aatank — Review At a Glance
- Story — 2/5
- Acting — 3/5
- Music — 3/5
- Direction — 2.5/5
Pros: We finally learn who Stree is…
Cons: A poorly written story that has no heads or tails
Must-Watch: No
One-Time Watch: Not exactly; it’s nothing like its predecessor
When to Watch Stree 2: Sarkate Ka Aatank: When you want to watch a non-serious movie in a non-serious way
Stree 2: Sarkate Ka Aatank Review — A Deep Dive
You know that feeling when you’re really rooting for something, but it fails to deliver? That’s exactly how I felt after I finished watching this sequel.
I really had high hopes for Stree 2, given how well-executed Stree was. However, the sequel is definitely going to let you down — no matter how much slack you’d want to cut it.
For starters, it seems like the sole objective of Stree 2 is to establish the horror multiverse of which other movies like Munjya and Bhediya are a part. Anything else that happens in the story merely feels…incidental.
Now, the past few decades have all been about cinematic universes (here’s looking at you, Marvel). And, in theory, the prospect of having our own horror universe actually sounds like a banging idea… if it’s well-executed.
Unfortunately, this is exactly where Stree 2 fails.
From the beginning, one can tell that the story of Stree 2 is as vague as it gets, with a bunch of random pop culture references thrown in for good measure. The plot, at its core, is as lazy as it gets, relying mostly on the groundwork laid by its predecessor and a few songs here or there.
This is the kind of movie that really insults the intelligence of its viewers — and it’s really surprising, given that the first Stree movie offered us something so different and exciting.
It really feels like Stree 2 had so much potential, especially when individual elements like regeneration could have been a major boon to the plot. In fact, Stree 2’s story uses a familiar blend of history, magic, and fantasy that, when done well, has given us fantastic hits like Tumbadd (2018).
However, the story doesn’t do much apart from setting up the multiverse — so that has been a huge letdown.
Stree 2 is also quite stingy with the offbeat and quirky humour that made the previous instalment in the franchise such a hit.
When it comes to actors, the original cast all reprise their roles. While Rajkummar Rao plays Vicky with his usual small-town charisma, Kapoor’s acting did not stand out this time. There’s also a cameo by Akshay Kumar, and while I’m not a huge fan of his acting, his usual shtick of PJs and random jokes actually did Stree 2 a favour — because that’s how uninspired the script is otherwise.
As far as the music is concerned, Stree 2 actually has some pretty decent music as far as Bollywood goes, and I think its tracks like Aaj Ki Raat and Aayi Nai been plastered all over the media for so long that even if you’ve not seen the movie, you not what songs I’m talking about.
Stree 2: Sarkate Ka Aatank Plot Overview
Years after the events of Stree, a new headless ghost begins to terrorise the women in the village of Chanderi. Vicky and his gang reunite as they try to try to bring down the titular Sarkata spirit, only to learn the truth about Stree in the bargain.
