EXCLUSIVE - Dinesh Vijan on Stree's sequel: The last 2 shots will be explained in the next part

Rajkummar Rao, Shraddha Kapoor, Pankaj Tripathi, Aparshakti Khurrana and Abhishek Banerjee starrer Stree release last Friday. Directed by Amar Kaushik and produced by Dinesh Vijan, the film opened mostly to positive reviews. The story is set in the Chanderi town where it is believed that during the four days of Mahapuja, Stree (a witch) enters the village and abducts men during the night, leaving only their clothes behind. The men in the town terrified because of her and feel unsafe to step outside their house during the night.

Stree is a perfect mix of horror and comedy with a feminist touch to it. The film also gives a social message holding a truth to the current scenario. In just three days, this horror-comedy managed to collect Rs 31.26 crore at the domestic box office. With the positive reviews and word of mouth, the film is expected to win it big at the box office. Pinkvilla interacted with the producer of Stree, Dinesh Vijan who shared with us how he feels about all the positive reactions the film has received. The filmmaker also told us about the risks, the reason why they ended the film on a confusing note and about Stree's sequel.

Read the interview below: 

Do you think you were taking a risk by making a horror comedy or how it will be perceived by the audience?

I believe that this genre is very commercial. Comedy does well and horror does well when done right. The only question was how much it will be accepted. But I feel that this genre is here to stay. And I am very happy that after Hindi Medium this came up. I think the most important thing for me is that again we have been able to push the envelope with a new genre and I feel a lot more horror-comedies will come now. The risk is because there is no reference point to a movie like this. But when the script was ready and when we started shooting, every moment was so hilarious. When we saw the product and every time, if we felt it was risky we would go and watch the film. And it would make us feel that this is a good film. With this kind of cast, we've done such a fantastic first-day number and it has given us a solid base for the film to grow. We watched the film in a theatre and the reactions were heartwarming and the trade pundits are saying good things and the film is houseful everywhere. I am very, very happy!

Have you witnessed the live reactions to Stree? 

I was in the theatre and saw the film and I can't tell you how the audience reacted to that scene when Raj is told "Aur pyaar, aur pyaar se dekho" and he starts being a loverboy. The theatre had gone chaotic, we couldn't hear the dialogues. It was like an explosion and it felt so heartening. They were reacting to every nuance. With Stree, we have just given the audience the new experience that they have not felt before.

There are some reviews that have mentioned that Stree is a good horror-comedy, but it would have been a perfect horror movie too. Do you agree?

I don't think so. I feel that it's a horror comedy and that's what its USP and that's what people are enjoying. I don't agree with them. 

The audience is baffled by the way Stree ended. What's the reason for the film on that note? (Spoiler alert)

Initially, the idea was that the film gets over when these guys are walking for the prize distribution. The next two scenes are actually taking the story further. The way we've written it, there are lots of elements in the film which have been written as a franchise.  So there will obviously be Stree 2. The last 2 shots that are there will be explained in the next part. The sequel will tell us about Shraddha, what's her backstory. It will tell us more about who's that lady (Stree) in the end, who is standing in front of that statue. That all will be explained in the second half. The way people are making their own assumptions (about the climax) is fantastic.

Tell us more about the sequel?

It will be the same cast. There might be an addition to the cast. And the last two shots will give you enough of a sneak-peek into what the sequel will be. Now we will have to wait for the trailer.