Karan Johar inspired by Stree 2’s success: “It’s not about the biggest star”

Stree 2, starring Rajkummar Rao and Shraddha Kapoor, became a massive hit after its release in 2024. The film achieved great success, emerging as the third highest-grossing Indian movie and the top-grossing Hindi film of the year. Its success has inspired many, including filmmaker Karan Johar.

In an interview with Komal Nahta, Karan shared how the film empowered him. He expressed excitement over its performance, saying, “I am so empowered, so inspired by Stree 2’s box office success. The film didn’t rely on a huge star cast or the biggest names. It’s about the vision and conviction of the producer and director.” He praised the film’s team, particularly the director Amar Kaushik and producer Dinesh Vijan. Karan also mentioned the excellent performances of Rajkummar Rao, Abhishek Banerjee, Aparshakti Khurrana, and Shraddha Kapoor, but emphasized that the real strength lay in the vision of the creators.

Karan stressed the importance of producers in today’s cinema landscape. “This is the age of the producer,” he said. “It’s not just about the director or the star anymore. The producer decides how a project is made, positioned, and released. The strategies around its launch are key to its success.”

Stree 2, which released on August 15, 2024, is a sequel to the 2018 film. The story follows a female ghost wronged in her life and centers on a headless villain named Sarkata. The movie is part of Dinesh Vijan’s horror-comedy universe, which also includes Bhediya and Munjya. The film’s innovative storytelling, paired with strong performances and effective production, contributed to its overwhelming success.