'Stree' is an odd film. It is difficult to categorise, for starters.
It is not exactly a horror film, it is not exactly a thriller, it is not exactly a comedy, it is not exactly a tragedy. It has elements of all of these, in a wonderful amalgam of various genres. And it is relevant and post-modern in its approach and treatment. Most importantly, it subverts all given Bollywood labels and creates a zone of discomfort. It leaves you with a tearful smile, at the end. That is certainly a feat in present times, when audiences have become more discerning and dubious about shelling out money for something that might not entertain them after all.
Shot on location, the film concentrates on building up an atmosphere of suspense around and about the 'Stree' who haunts the city for four days of an annual religious festival and removes men travelling alone, albeit if they answer her call, leaving only their clothes behind. However, the moment one begins to believe in the truth of the legend, humour steps in and one's hypothesis begins to waver. At no point of time in the entire duration of the film, can one rely on one's previous cinematic experience to predict the outcome of any situation in the film. Remarkable performances from the entire cast make the story credible and the screenplay eminently watchable. Rajkummar Rao, Pankaj Tripathi, Aparshakti Khurana, Atul Srivastava, debutante Abhishek Banerjee and Shraddha Kapoor all pitch in with the correct dose of knowledge and naivete needed to inject vitality into the 'Stree' premise. Right till the last frame, one remains gripped to the plot, wondering at the fine line between reality and romance.
Two well penned reviews from The Times of India and NDTV are just enough to generate interest in those who haven't experienced 'Stree' yet.
However you feel about the film, one thing is certain. It will keep you morally awake and mentally agile, right till the closing credits.
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