In January 2025, filmmaker Dinesh Vijan gave movie enthusiasts an exciting surprise by announcing 8 new films within the Maddock Horror Comedy Universe, along with their release dates. This news was a treat for fans, many of whom were still captivated by Shraddha Kapoor and Rajkummar Rao’s hit Stree 2 (2024). Kicking off the year will be Thama and Shakti Shalini, starring Ayushmann Khurrana and Rashmika Mandanna, followed by Bhediya 2, Chamunda, Stree 3, Maha Munjya, Pehla Mahayudh, and Doosara Mahayudh. Although rumors have been swirling about the cast of each film, the latest buzz suggests that all these horror comedies may share one key star—Shraddha Kapoor.
So far, the Maddock Horror Comedy Universe has released four films, with Munjya (2024) being the only one not to feature Shraddha. She played the lead role in Stree (2018) and Stree 2 and even appeared in a special song with Varun Dhawan in Bhediya (2022). Fans were hoping to see her reunite with Varun in Bhediya 2 before returning to her iconic role in Stree 3. However, a recent interview with The Nod revealed that Shraddha is set to appear in all 8 films within this horror comedy universe.
This revelation has sparked a variety of reactions online. Some fans are thrilled by the idea, with one user suggesting, “Either she’s the real Thanos of the horror universe, or she’s going to bring the entire team together.” Another fan praised Shraddha, commenting, “As she should? At this point, she’s the OG of the universe from a folklore standpoint. Sidenote, God damn, how hot does she look in that photo.”
However, not everyone is excited by this development. Some fans expressed their disappointment, with one writing, “Her PR will make it all about her, and if the film is a hit, they’ll say it’s because of her. All while she’ll have a 2-3 minute appearance.” Another user agreed, saying, “Exactly, can’t wait to see them do that again and how Goddess Shraddha made everything hit and how she is better than anyone else who has graced the earth.” One more comment read, “Yawn. Boring.”
Other actors rumored to join the horror comedy universe include Kiara Advani, Alia Bhatt, and Akshay Kumar. Who are you most excited to see?
