On this occasion, Raj and DK shared an emotional note reflecting on the journey of the film. They recalled how the idea of Stree was born during a tough phase in their careers when their previous film A Gentleman flopped. Raj said the concept stems from childhood memories when there were warnings written on walls in his hometown about a mysterious ‘Stree’ who could come if not driven away.
“August 26, 2017. I looked at the rain outside my window. I could see that our film, A Gentleman, which had released yesterday, was washed away… literally. Home Search We knew what was going to happen! Two back-to-back studio films flopped… Usually, this kind of situation means the end of a filmmaking career. Explore ►Reels Later that evening with a heavy heart, I walked into a coffeeshop with my laptop in a foot deep water. DK and I reflected deeply on where we started from, what we aimed to do and where we were going. We wanted to make original films, unique films, not the packaged kind. We wanted to push genres. We wanted to make every film different from the other. Message So I typed on a blank page, “O Stree, come tomorrow!” Notification + Create I scratched out one of the scenes from my childhood- every other wall of my hometown Tirupati, which was covered with the words “O Stree, Reppu Ra..” It was loaded. No one knew if that was the story behind it. They just knew a weird urban legend that if you didn’t write it down a scary woman would come into your house. Why? How? What did she want? No one knew.
And I thought, what if she can’t read Telugu? Why is she getting fooled by the stupid ploy of coming tomorrow again and again? What if she still doesn’t care and wants to come in? I had let these crazy/stupid ideas float around in my mind for years. Then when I was discussing with DK, we realised that it couldn’t just be a silly comedy or a silly horror film. It could be much more than that. Thus came the idea of gender reversal-what if it was men who were scared of going out late at night? What if men had to endure what countless women have to endure every day? Explore ►Reels We had already explored the combination of horror and comedy with Go Goa Gone, but we were looking for something more rooted with a deeper message Several characters and incidents from school days were incorporated in the film: Vicky, Jana, Rudra Bookstore, Shankar Shastri, ‘Friendship’, the tailor’s shop. We also saw the roads with fort walls (Chandragiri) near my hometown in Chanderi. DK and I realised for the first time how the story of a small town in Andhra could be so easily adapted to a small town in Madhya Pradesh,” the note reads.
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The note detailed how the filmmakers blended horror and comedy with a deeper message, overturning the usual gender dynamics and making men afraid to go out at night. The script was completed in just three weeks, and the film was shot on a minimal budget in the small town of Chanderi.
“So we worked really hard to dig ourselves out of the hole we were in. We worked really hard and wrote the story day and night. We finished the script in 3 weeks! A little coffeeshop called Potluck in Andheri West became the D2R office 🙂 This is where we met all the crew, met all the actors, found a great writer-friend at the next table, and discussed endlessly on how to start production on this film (as many filmmakers do in coffeeshops). Ironically, just as the script was ready and preparations were on for the shoot, the BMC shut down that lovely coffeeshop. Cut to: A crew was put together, willing to buy this silly story. The actors were convinced to do this film, even though the film was non-conforming. The shoot of this kind of film began, even though there was no precedent of this kind. A very friendly and fun shoot took place in the smallest town of Chanderi, where we stayed in guesthouses and schools, shot all over the town and played mafia at night Many lasting bonds were formed.
And a film made on the tiniest of budgets and daring to hit the theatres without following any formula and norms. Exploration Edits were changed, interval points were invented… but the original core story only got stronger at every step. Exploration This was the sharpest film we had ever made. I guess that’s what happens when you have a point to prove to yourself. On the verge of release, we knew something magical was about to happen. Reels ♡ And it happened! Message August 31, 2018. A ridiculous story, defying all odds, became a phenomenon. Notification Glad we returned to our roots. Glad we stuck to the films we wanted to make.. Glad this was the first Hindi film we produced. Create 3 口 Profile A new second innings of D2R Films began, with our kind of stories on our terms and without any compromise. The Family Man, Farzi, Guns N Roses, Cinemabandi, Citadel Honey Bunny, Gulkand Tales, Rakt Universe… all followed.”
Raj and DK expressed their gratitude for the support they received and spoke about how Stree marked the beginning of a new chapter for their production company, D2R Films, which has produced projects like The Family Man, Farzi and Guns N Roses. They also stressed the importance of staying true to your vision despite setbacks and thanked everyone who believed in their stories.
“When we look back across multiple productions, a huge D2R family, buzzing writers’ rooms, producing, directing, creating, supporting beautiful stories, on our own terms… none of it would have been possible without that little coffeeshop, the failures, the hardships, the amazing two decade-long friendships and the firm belief that stories like ours can also break mainstream norms, I feel every failure is an opportunity to grow. And every heartbreak is a chance to cleanse and rebuild. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who supported us, believed in us and loved our stories! #STREE,” the note concluded.
