Posted: 5 years ago

Stree' film review: Absurdly amusing

Director Amar Kaushik crafts a zany horror flick with lots of laughs, led by a strong cast

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Published: 15:40 August 30, 2018Tabloid
 

Combining humour and horror is a risky gamble, but director Amar Kaushik manages to pleasantly juxtapose the two disparate genres in his debut film Stree.

It's a horror comedy that's absurdly amusing to watch despite its ghoulish undertones.

Set in the quaint town of Chanderi in Central India, the immensely talented and prolific actor Rajkummar Rao takes on the role of an expert tailor who doesn't need measuring tapes to size up his client's vital statistics.

Labelled as the Manish Malhotra of Chanderi, Vicky's a well-adjusted, irreverent young man whose existence is rocked when a vengeful spirit sets out to devour strapping lads from his community during an annual Hindu festival in his town.

The widely-feared spirit, called Stree, is on a bloody rampage and the only deterrent that seems to work is a message written in a red ink made from the blood of bats and cow urine imploring her to come the next day. Folklore has it that the message on every wall of a house may save the men of the household.

Written by Raj and DK of Go Goa Gone fame, there are some sharply written lines that evoke easy laughter and doesn't seem stale. The collective acting is top-notch from a handful of supremely talented actors.

Pankaj Tripathi as a sagacious spirit expert is a treat to watch, while Aparshakti Khurrana and Abhishek Banerjee as Vicky's best mates bring their A-game. Shraddha Kapoor is alluring in her role. But there's no denying the heavy lifting is done by Rao and he excels in every scene.

His ripped body may sit uncomfortably on a middling tailor, but his razor sharp comic timing makes this film engaging.

While the humour isn't over-the-top and they don't try too hard with the jokes, it's the gory bits that shine.

The team does a commendable job of bringing in the thrills. The scary moments are startling and genuinely frightening. The scenes set in the dead of the night are high on atmospherics. And although you need to suspend belief for a genre-bender like Stree, it doesn't careen uncontrollably towards ludicrous territory.

Despite the audacious storyline, there's some semblance of structure and sense. The black comedy also takes a nick at gender disparity without making it overly boring. The same couldn't be said for the songs, which are enjoyable but serve no higher purpose.

But credit has to be given where it is due. Stree was a creative experiment and it worked for most parts. Had 10 minutes been shaved off, the horror comedy would have been brisker. But that shouldn't be a deal-breaker. It's perfect for a one-time watch.

__

Film: Stree

Director: Amar Kaushik

Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Shraddha Kapoor, Pankaj Tripathi, Aparshakti Khurrana and Abhishek Banerjee

Rating: PG15

Stars: 3.5 out of 5

 

Posted: 5 years ago
'Stree' movie review: This horror comedy film is a tedious watch
Anita Iyer
Filed on August 30, 2018 | Last updated on August 30, 2018 at 04.08 pm


In spite of the timely laughs, 'Stree' seems mind-numbingly long.

Vicky (Rajkummar Rao) is a star ladies tailor in the three districts surrounding his town Chanderi and his father (Atul Srivastava) believes he is a gifted artist.

He falls in love with a mysterious girl, unnamed in the film, played by the one-toned Shraddha Kapoor. They meet every year when she visits Chanderi for the annual religious celebration and later disappears. His friends, played by Abhishek Banerjee and Aparshakti Khurana, think she is the witch, who is behind the abductions of men in their town, and coax him to stay away.

The first half of the film introduces us to the disappearances of the men in the town. Stree is the obedient spirit who stays away from homes that have the message 'O Stree, kal aana' (Oh lady, come tomorrow) scribbled on their walls. The hero's friends entertain us with their friendly jabs and antics.

We have the talented Pankaj Tripathi as the storyteller and owner of a bookstore, who shares the tale of a female spirit who preys on men, leaving behind only their clothes.

While the first half is still bearable with some comic relief (much of which we have seen in the trailer), the second half spills all over the place with absurd plots and new characters (Vijay Raaz), that even puts 'Race 3' to shame.

It is disappointing to see powerful performers like Rajkummar Rao and Pankaj Tripathi be part of such a flawed screenplay. The last time the duo came together in 'Bareilly Ki Barfi', they proved that good script and performance is what makes even big-ticket films dwarf in the comparison.

Among other actors, Atul Srivastava is entertaining as the father and has a scene where he is engaging in awkward conversation with his son about youth, energy, and sex, and leaves the audience with a few laughs.

Talking much about Shraddha Kapoor's nameless character will be giving away spoilers, so it is best to leave it out.

But what happens to the men once they are abducted? Why don't they run away from the abandoned cave? Wow does Vicky's friend Dana (Abhishek Banerjee) escape? what is Shraddha up to in the film? These are the questions that aren't answered as the film ends rather abruptly - much to our relief.

The film is in the horror comedy genre like 'Go Goa Gone' (by the same producer) but sadly doesn't do justice to either genre -- horror or comedy. It is just a ridiculously long film that could have been short by 10-15 minutes.

With no coherent screenplay, skilled actors like Rajkummar Rao and Pankaj Tripathi can't do much to salvage the film. Maybe they should choose better for their fans.

At just over two hours, 'Stree' is a tedious watch that makes you yearn for the exit for most of its screen time.

Directed by: Amar Kaushik

Starring: Rajkummar Rao, Shraddha Kapoor, Pankaj Tripathi

Ratings: 1.5/5

Edited by Shaitan-Haiwan - 5 years ago
Posted: 5 years ago
Two diverse reviews ..i wonder which one is accurate .
Posted: 5 years ago
Faridoon ShahryarVerified account @iFaridoon

Interval of #Stree ...what a love story!!! Lajaavab writing ...loving it!!

Posted: 5 years ago
I don't trust their urban critics regarding heartland movies.
Posted: 5 years ago

Stree quick movie review: Rajkummar Rao and Shraddha Kapoor-starrer is a laugh riot

Updated Aug 30, 2018 | 20:12 IST | Shibaji Roychoudhury

Stree quick movie review: The horror-comedy starring Rajkummar Rao, Shraddha Kapoor, Aparshakti Khurana, Pankaj Tripathi, Abhishek Banerjee has been directed by Amar Kaushik and will hit theatres on August 31.

Stree starring Rajkummar Rao, Shraddha Kapoor, Aparshakti Khurana, Pankaj Tripathi, Abhishek Banerjee, |Photo Credit: Instagram

The much-awaited Bollywood flick a horror-comedy, Stree, which stars Rajkummar Rao, Shraddha Kapoor, Aparshakti Khurana, Pankaj Tripathi, Abhishek Banerjee, among others is all set to hit theatres this Friday. Fans have been ecstatic ever since the trailer of Stree dropped on the web. Now, in less than a few hours from now, fans will finally get to see the movie on the big-screen.

Our in-house film critic Shibaji Roychoudhury is presently watching an the press screening of the film and is done with the first half of the movie. Below are his thoughts on how the first half fared, the pace, the acting bits and the overall experience of the first act of Stree:

 

"The movie starts with the Stree following one of his victims and getting him at the end. The movie reveals that every year Stree comes to haunt men of Chanderi town and calls names of men in the town. One who turns around, becomes her victim and she only leaves their clothes at the ground. 

The first half of the film is gripping with respect to its plot and overall narrative. Rajkummar Rao is rivetting as ever while Pankaj Tripathi steals the show. Aparshakti Khurana is not just a sidekick but his quirks add to the overall humour in the film. Here's hoping that the second half is just as engaging and funny as the first one."

Meanwhile trade analysts have predicted that Stree could be Rajkummar Rao's biggest box-office opener. The opening day for the film is anticipated to collect between Rs 3.5 and Rs 4 crore which is big for Raj, who has otherwise been part of quality films such as Bareily Ki Barfi, Kai Po Che and others.

Posted: 5 years ago
SubhashKJha
@SubhashK_Jha
1h
'#StreeReview,a gorgeous marriage of
mirth and fear..never seen before.'4
stars. @ShraddhaKapoor
@RajkummarRao
Posted: 5 years ago
The early reviews are pretty good. Time pass and hilarious. I think it will work for Shraddha. And Rajkumar is going to grow into the next Irrfan.
Posted: 5 years ago

Very interested in the movie. Hope it works. Rajkumar was fab in the trailers!
Posted: 5 years ago
RAJ BANSALVerified account @rajbansal9

The morning show collections of @ShraddhaKapoor s #Stree surprises me. Its just very good.

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