Stree 2 review: Rajkummar Rao leads a sequel that’s better than the original, Abhishek Banerjee is the highlight

“Rona band karo, tum Sneha Kakkar nahi ho,” says an irritated Vicky (sorry Bicky, played by Rajkummar Rao) to his friend Bittu (played by Aparshakti Khurana) who is crying about his lost girlfriend.

Rudra, played by Pankaj Tripathi, tells a day dreaming Bicky, “Aise swapn dekhoge toh swapn dosh bhi nahi hoga.”

These lines appear funny on paper, no doubt, but take a life of their own when in the hands of this talented bunch. Right off the bat, yes Stree 2 lives up to the hype. If that’s all you wanted to know, you can stop reading further.

What’s it about

The film picks up from right where the original 2018 horror comedy ended. People of Chanderi now look to Stree for protection. But there’s a new terror in town, Sarkata (which Jana, played to absolute brilliance by Abhishek Banerjee, enlightens us is someone ‘whose head is cut’) who is now abducting women. Correction, women ‘who don’t stick to the stereotypical house chores’ assigned to them. So you use social media? ‘Aap kataar mein hain’, says Rudra in one scene to a terrified woman.

The town needs Stree, the only one who can stop Sarkata. What happens next is the rest of the story.

Hidden commentary on social issues

I sometimes wonder whether filmmakers indeed put in so much thought and metaphors into their films, as us critics ananlyse it to be. Women who dare to cross boundaries set by a patriarchal society… are gagged. A sexist leader influences men to stop women of their house from using mobile phones or go to school. Women wearing white sarees with their heads shaved have no voice, their eyes soulless… These might be just another scene if you watch Stree 2 for timepass entertainment. However scratch the surface just a bit, and there’s a lot beneath.

Humour on point

And let’s talk about what fuels the film- the humour. Niren Bhatt (story, screenplay, dialogue credits) keeps the pace in check, with the first half quite excellent. The jokes just don’t stop coming, and that’s exactly what the viewers are looking for. It’s naughty, it’s original.

Performance report card

After a point, it isn’t the joke alone which lands. It’s the sheer talented bunch who make Stree 2 what it is, led by an able Rajkummar Rao. He gets it all so correct that you forget for a moment that he’s the same guy who, just this year, played a specially abled businessman in Srikanth or a frustrated ex-cricketer in Mr and Mrs Mahi.

Abhishek Banerjee is such a precious find. With a face like his, he is as menacing in Vedaa (which has released alongside Stree 2), as naive he is as the bumbling Jana here. He leaves you laughing each time he appears on screen. Same goes for Aparshakti.

Pankaj’s a pro now at taking even average lines and elevating them with his deadpan dialogue delivery. Shraddha Kapoor, who gets a hoot-worthy entry sequence towards the intermission, is no doubt integral to the storyline, but the trio and Pankaj get such good punches that her character takes a slight backseat.

Starry, starry cameos

Some starry cameos are sprinkled and bring the house down. Tamannaah Bhatia steals the show the moment she enters the proceedings. What has worked in the favour of Stree 2 is the music, specially Aaj Ki Raat. Where the sequel lacks is the unimaginative cameo by Bhediya (played by Varun Dhawan) in Stree’s universe. I wish the connection was more elaborate.

But credit where it’s due: Stree 2 is a rare sequel that delivers bang for the buck. And this gem of a line which Jana tells Bhedia, who wants to impress Bicky’s love interest, “Bhediya hai tu bhediya, Animal mat ban.” Vanga is logging into his Twitter account as we speak.