Reflecting on the journey, Vijan said the past three years have been particularly rewarding for his production house, Maddock Films. “Stree became the number one Hindi film, something no one could have imagined. When we made the first part, no one was ready to fund it, so I had to make the film on my own,” he said.
According to Vijan, resistance from potential investors stemmed largely from skepticism about the film’s title. He noted that many believed a film called Stree would not appeal to audiences, raising doubts about its commercial viability. Despite the uncertainty, Vijan moved ahead with the project, a decision that ultimately paid off.
Directed by Amar Kaushik and starring Rajkummar Rao and Shraddha Kapoor, Stree was released in 2018 on a modest budget of around ₹25 crore. The film went on to earn over ₹150 crore worldwide, emerging as a surprise blockbuster and redefining the horror-comedy genre in Bollywood.
The franchise’s success grew further with Stree 2, released in 2024, which earned more than ₹500 crore in India and received strong critical appreciation. Vijan said the success of Stree and Chhaava, which became the second biggest Hindi film, has allowed Maddock Films to take creative risks. “The freedom these films have given us is invaluable,” he said.
Vijan’s next release, Ikkis, is slated for January 1 and is directed by Sriram Raghavan. The film is based on the life of Param Vir Chakra awardee Arun Khetarpal and stars Agastya Nanda, Jaideep Ahlawat, Dharmendra, Sikandar Kher and Simar Bhatia. Vijan said he hopes audiences connect with the film, as they did with his earlier successes.
