Stree 2 director Amar Kaushik admits to making Shraddha Kapoor starrer under pressure: ‘Sequel ko hamesha gaaliyan...’

Stree 2, the horror-comedy starring Shraddha Kapoor and Rajkummar Rao in lead roles, created a strong buzz even in international markets. The sequel to the 2018 hit brought back the beloved lead duo in their iconic roles. Director Amar Kaushik recently opened up about the intense pressure of crafting a sequel and the tendency for follow-ups to face criticism.

In a candid chat with Komal Nahta on his YouTube channel Game Changers, Amar spoke about the pressure of making the much-anticipated sequel and revealed that the film’s production was rushed due to its preponement, which added to the stress.

He shared that after such a hectic schedule, he now plans to take it easy for 3-4 months. He also shared the mounting expectations from fans about a possible third installment and said he's consciously trying not to let that pressure overwhelm him. He also mentioned that not much else has changed for him.

The filmmaker also opened up about the pressure he faced while making Stree 2, attributing much of it to the expectations surrounding sequels. 

He said, "Bahut pressure mein film banayi thi. Ek toh sequel ka tha; sequel ko hamesha gaaliyan padti hai. Maine aur mere writer, Niren Bhatt, ne kaha, ‘Bhai, gaali khaane ke liye ready raho, ab kitni kam khaaoge uspe kaam karte hai.’ (The film was made under a lot of pressure. Firstly, because it was a sequel and sequels always get criticized. My writer Niren Bhatt and I told ourselves, ‘Be prepared to get bashed; now let’s just work on how to reduce the criticism as much as possible’).

Amar Kaushik further pointed out the unpredictable nature of working with VFX and shared that since they didn't do the technical work themselves, it's difficult to gauge how long things will take. As deadlines loomed and post-production work piled up, he revealed that the final few months before the film’s release were sleepless. He added that now that the film is out, he’s finally having a good sleep.

The sequel to the 2018 hit Stree, directed by Amar Kaushik, hit the theaters on August 15 last year. The horror-comedy featured Rajkummar Rao and Shraddha Kapoor in the lead roles and continued the spooky yet humorous storyline that made the original a fan favorite.

Backed by Dinesh Vijan and Jio Studios, Stree 2 went on to become a massive commercial success, raking in over Rs 800 crore at the box office.

ALSO READ: Shraddha Kapoor breaks silence on Stree 2 credit debate, says 'ultimately, the audience decides'; spills beans about Stree 3