Stree: An Essential Recap Of The First Part Before You Watch Stree 2, Starring Shraddha Kapoor And Rajkummar Rao

‘Stree,’ a 2018 Indian horror-comedy directed by Amar Kaushik, captivated audiences with its mix of humour and spine-tingling moments. Set in the small town of Chanderi, the film centres on the legend of a mysterious female spirit who targets the town’s men during an annual festival.

With the sequel's release on August 15, 2024 approaching fast, excitement is mounting among fans. It’s exhilarating to think that we’re just days away from diving back into the eerie world of Chanderi, where the first film left us on edge. As we count down to the sequel, let’s revisit the key events of the original film and decode its ending.

‘Stree 1’ Recap

‘Stree’ begins in the small town of Chanderi, where the legend of an enraged female spirit named Stree is deeply rooted. According to local belief, during a four-day religious festival, Stree is known to grope the town’s men, whisper their names, and vanish if they look back at her.

To stay safe, the townspeople write "o stree kal aana" in blood on their doorways and are advised to avoid going out alone after 10 pm during the festival, opting to move in groups instead.

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Enter Vicky (Rajkummar Rao), a tailor in Chanderi, who meets a mysterious girl referred to only as the girl with no name (Shraddha Kapoor). During the festival, Vicky falls for her instantly. She requests that he make a lehenga for her, and as their relationship develops, she provides him with a peculiar shopping list that includes items like a lizard's tail, a white cat's fur, Datura flowers, meat, and brandy. Vicky’s friend Bittu grows suspicious, fearing that she might be Stree. His concerns are heightened when another friend, Janna, is abducted by Stree. Despite Vicky's initial disbelief, he too starts to suspect the girl’s true identity after confronting her and witnessing her sudden disappearance.

Following Janna's kidnapping, Vicky, Bittu, and Rudra Bhaiya (Pankaj Tripathi), the town’s librarian and a phrenologist, strive to rescue their friend. They find a partially torn book, the Chanderi Puran, in Rudra’s library, which contains Stree’s story and mentions an old fort.

As Vicky goes on a date with the mysterious girl, he recognises the fort as the location where they believe Stree resides. The trio visits the fort to search for Janna. Stree scares Bittu and Rudra, and nearly attacks Vicky, but hesitates due to the affection and respect she perceives in his eyes, eventually driving him away with a spell.

The mysterious girl later reveals that she has been attempting to defeat Stree for three years since losing someone dear to her, clarifying her presence during the festival. This revelation convinces Vicky and his friends that she and Stree are different entities.

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In the end, Vicky, Bittu, and Rudra uncover that Stree is the vengeful spirit of a courtesan wronged by the townspeople on her wedding night. With the mysterious girl’s help, they devise a plan to vanquish Stree by cutting off her long braid, which is the source of her power. The plan succeeds, causing Stree to vanish, but the story concludes with a haunting twist.

‘Stree 1’ Ending Explained

In a surprising twist at the end, as Shraddha Kapoor’s character is leaving town, she merges 'Stree's' ponytail with her hair, fully embracing her identity as Stree and restoring all her powers. This suggests that there is more complexity to her character than initially thought.

Meanwhile, Vicky, having found a new sense of purpose in Chanderi, decides to stay and continue making lehengas for the town’s women. The film concludes with a warning that men should avoid roaming alone during the festival season, implying that the threat of Stree might still persist.

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With ‘Stree 2’ coming out, we’re about to dive back into the spooky world of Chanderi, where new dangers and mysteries are waiting for us.

Keep reading Herzindagi for more such stories.

Credits: Shraddha Kapoor Instagram/Youtube