Speaking at the FICCI Frames 2026 summit in Mumbai alongside lead actor Rajkummar Rao, Vijan revealed that director Amar Kaushik has completed writing the third installment. However, the production timeline has been adjusted to allow Kaushik to direct Maddock's mega-budget epic Mahavatar (based on the legend of Bhagwan Parshuram and starring Vicky Kaushal) before turning cameras back toward the horror-comedy universe.
Dinesh Vijan on the 2028 Window: Independence Day or Christmas
Addressing the audience at FICCI Frames, Vijan teased the scope of the script while cautioning against giving away spoilers:
“Stree 3 arrives in 2028. If I say anything more, Amar Kaushik will get upset with me because he just finished writing it. He thinks that I give out too many spoilers, but everything that you have loved about it, you’ll get—yet where it starts and where it ends will be a complete revelation. So, I think it might be a nice Independence Day or a Christmas Day present in 2028.”
The decision to target Independence Day or Christmas 2028 preserves the franchise's traditional box-office footprint. Both Stree (August 31, 2018) and Stree 2 (August 15, 2024) leveraged the August holiday window to rewrite theatrical records.
Why the Delay? The 'Mahavatar' Priority
The primary catalyst behind pushing Stree 3 by nearly a year is director Amar Kaushik's demanding production slate:
Directing 'Mahavatar': Vijan clarified that Kaushik—the creative anchor of Maddock’s horror-comedy universe—is scheduled to begin shooting the high-canvas mythological epic Mahavatar in late January 2027, wrapping principal photography by June 2027.
Going on Floors in Late 2027:
“Amar Kaushik is the most integral part of Stree and the entire horror-comedy franchise. He directs our most ambitious film in January end, which is Bhagwan Parshuram's story, called Mahavatar. He finishes that in June, and at the end of next year, we go on floor with Stree 3.”
Rajkummar Rao on the Franchise's Indie Origins
Reflecting on the phenomenon that saw Stree 2 breach the ₹600 Crore net domestic mark in 2024, Rajkummar Rao looked back on how the franchise began as an underdog experiment:
“It was amazing. We started as an independent small-budget film, but we all had great faith in the story and the way Amar was on set. That camaraderie and conviction translated directly onto the screen.”
Industry Take:
By deferring Stree 3 to 2028 rather than rushing an unpolished production into theatres, Maddock Films is prioritizing script density and visual effects execution. With Amar Kaushik at the helm and the script officially finalized, the delay ensures the studio's flagship franchise returns with the creative scale required to meet post-Stree 2 box-office expectations.
