Stree 3 set for late 2027 start and 2028 release after Mahavatar wraps

Actor Rajkummar Rao and producer Dinesh Vijan announced major updates about the horror-comedy universe during Day 2 of FICCI Frames 2026 while promoting their upcoming movie, Prahaar.

Movie Plans

Dinesh Vijan revealed that director Amar Kaushik will direct the ambitious film Mahavatar, based on the story of Bhagwan Parshuram, starting in late January and finishing in June. Following that, work on Stree 3 will begin at the end of next year, with a planned cinema release in 2028 around Independence Day or Christmas. Mahavatar features Vicky Kaushal in the lead role.

Cast Details

Stree 3 will bring back Rajkummar Rao alongside Shraddha Kapoor, Pankaj Tripathi, Aparshakti Khurana, and Abhishek Banerjee, with Akshay Kumar also expected to play a key role.

Past Success

Looking back at the franchise, Rajkummar Rao shared that the first Stree film in 2018 earned between Rs. 70 to 75 crores, which initially made director Amar Kaushik nervous about making so much money on his debut theatrical release. Stree 2 in 2024 later crossed the Rs. 500 crore mark at the box office, after which Kaushik directed Bala in 2019 and Bhediya in 2022.

Context

Film franchises in India often expand by building interconnected universes where characters and directors return across multiple interconnected projects. Major releases frequently target holiday weekends like Independence Day or Christmas to maximize box office collections through extended holiday periods.