The Maddock Horror Comedy Universe, abbreviated as MHCU, is an Indian media franchise and shared universe consisting of Hindi-language supernatural comedy horror films created and produced by Maddock Films. All films in this universe are based on Indian folklore.
The first installment, Stree, was released as film. The universe-building began with Bhediya, in which characters from Stree appeared. This was followed by Munjya, where characters from Bhediya and Stree appeared. Stree 2 continued by featuring characters from Bhediya. Thamma features cameos from Bhediya, Stree, Munjya, and Stree 2, making Thamma the central link connecting all five films.
The universe was initially titled the Maddock Supernatural Universe, before the official MHCU lineup reveal in January 2025. This change in title was further confirmed with a logo reveal in September 2025, and also by Dinesh Vijan during a Thamma team Interview in October 2025.
Overview The idea for a shared universe occurred to Dinesh Vijan from a conversation with American film producer Charles Roven in 2012, when Roven told him, "when you're making films, keep them in a box".
Abhishek Banerjee is the only actor to have appeared in every film in the universe (as "Jana"), and has been likened to Nick Fury from the Marvel Cinematic Universe as the "connective thread" across the films.
Roohi, being promoted as a standalone sequel to Stree before its release, was initially planned as an entry in the universe but was removed from the official canon due to negative critical reviews and its overall failure to contribute to the franchise's world-building efforts; Roohi featured no contributions to the broader narrative. The primary creative conflict stemmed from Rajkummar Rao playing entirely different characters in Roohi and Stree, which complicated shared-universe continuity, alongside the fact that the film was directed by Hardik Mehta, not series architect Amar Kaushik, who did not consider it part of his specific vision. Kaushik said it would not be part of the universe "unless I feel that a double role is needed for Raj". While no longer canon, it was included as an easter egg in a background TV scene in Munjya, establishing the film itself as a fictional film within the MHCU timeline rather than a factual event.
Films Released films FilmRelease dateDirector(s)Producer(s)Stree31 August 2018 Amar KaushikDinesh Vijan and Raj & DKBhediya25 November 2022Dinesh Vijan and Jyoti DeshpandeMunjya7 June 2024Aditya SarpotdarDinesh Vijan and Amar KaushikStree 215 August 2024Amar KaushikDinesh Vijan and Jyoti DeshpandeThamma21 October 2025Aditya SarpotdarDinesh Vijan and Amar Kaushik
Stree (2018)
Stree: Mard Ko Dard Hoga, the first installment of the franchise is directed by Amar Kaushik and produced by Dinesh Vijan and Raj & DK. It stars Shraddha Kapoor and Rajkummar Rao, alongside Pankaj Tripathi, Aparshakti Khurana and Abhishek Banerjee. The plot is inspired by the Karnataka urban legend of Nale Ba, which means "come tomorrow" in Kannada, adapted in the film as "O Stree Kal Aana" (oh woman, come tomorrow) in the film. Stree was theatrically released worldwide on 31 August 2018 and received positive reviews. The film grossed over ₹180 crore at the box office against a budget of ₹23–25 crore, becoming a box-office success. The film received ten nominations at the 64th Filmfare Awards and won Best Debut Director for Kaushik.
Bhediya (2022)
Bhediya: Jungle Mein Kaand, the second and sophomore installment was directed by Amar Kaushik and produced by Dinesh Vijan and Mrighdeep Singh Lamba. The film stars Varun Dhawan alongside Kriti Sanon, Abhishek Banerjee, Deepak Dobriyal and Paalin Kabak. The plot is inspired by the North-East Indian Legends of Weretigers; particularly the legend of 'Khla Phuli' from Meghalaya -- reinterpreted in the movie as an Arunachal Pradesh tale about a shape-shifting Werewolf 'Yapum' who kills to protect the jungle. Additionally, characters from Stree appeared in the film, including cameo appearances by Shraddha Kapoor, Rajkummar Rao and Aparshakti Khurana. Abhishek Banerjee reprises his role as Jana (Janardan), Bhaskar's cousin. Bhediya was theatrically released on 25 November 2022, garnering positive reviews. The film grossed about ₹109 crore against a production budget of approximately ₹60 crore at the box office. It received 13 nominations at the 68th Filmfare Awards, including Best Film (Critics), Best Actor (Critics) and Best Special Effects.
Munjya (2024)
Munjya, the third installment was directed by Aditya Sarpotdar and produced by Dinesh Vijan and Amar Kaushik. The film stars Sharvari, Abhay Verma, Sathyaraj and Mona Singh. The titular character was created using CGI. Additionally, characters from Bhediya made cameo appearances in the film, including Varun Dhawan and Abhishek Banerjee. The film is based on folklore from Konkan that depicts a mischievous spirit named Munjya from Marathi tradition, which haunts peepal trees or wells. This spirit arises when a man dies unmarried between his thread ceremony and marriage ritual and often causes disturbances to fulfil his unfulfilled desires. Munjya was theatrically released on 7 June 2024, garnering mixed reviews. The film grossed over ₹132 crore worldwide against a production budget of ₹30 crore and became one of the highest-grossing Hindi films of 2024. The movie, initially titled Munjha, was being speculated to be a prequel to Stree.
Stree 2 (2024)
Stree 2: Sarkate Ka Aatank, the fourth installment and direct sequel to Stree was directed by Amar Kaushik and produced by Dinesh Vijan and Jyoti Deshpande. The film stars Shraddha Kapoor, Rajkummar Rao, Pankaj Tripathi, Abhishek Banerjee, Aparshakti Khurana and Tamannaah Bhatia. The story follows the events after Stree, where the small town of Chanderi is haunted by a beheaded creature, "Sarkata", who is abducting women. It is based on the Bengali legend of Skondhokata which is of a headless ghost, typically believed to be the spirits of individuals who lost their heads in fatal train accidents; that capture humans and force them into slavery to help search for its missing head. Stree 2 was theatrically released on 15 August 2024. The film received positive reviews from critics and has grossed over ₹880+ crore at the box office against a production budget of ₹50–120 crore.
Thamma (2025)
Thamma, the fifth installment in the Maddock Horror Comedy Universe, was directed by Aditya Sarpotdar and produced by Dinesh Vijan and Amar Kaushik. Starring Ayushmann Khurrana, Rashmika Mandanna, Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Paresh Rawal, the film follows a journalist transformed into a vampiric 'Betaal' after a bear attack, who must battle ancient evil and navigate a forbidden romance. The film blends Hindu mythology with a modern romantic-supernatural theme and was theatrically released on October 21, 2025, receiving mixed-to-positive reviews and grossing an estimated ₹169.75 crore against a ₹145 crore budget.
The film was initially titled Sunehri Sunehra in 2022, changing to Vampires of Vijaynagar in 2023, Thama in 2024, and finally Thamma in 2025.
Upcoming films FilmRelease dateDirector(s)Producer(s)StatusShakti Shalini 24 December 2026/ Jan 2027 Aditya SarpotdarDinesh Vijan and Amar KaushikPost-productionChamundaIn developmentBhediya 2Amar KaushikChhoti StreeAmar KaushikStree 3Amar KaushikMaha MunjyaAditya SarpotdarPehla MahayudhDoosra MahayudhUntitled Thamma Spin-Off
Shakti Shalini
The sixth installment in the franchise. It will star Aneet Padda in a titular role with Vishal Jethwa as the male lead and Vineet Kumar Singh as the main antagonist. The main character is also called the mother of all. Principal photography began in March 2026 and filming wrapped up in May 2026.
The film is set to release on 24 December 2026, coinciding with the Christmas weekend.. Another release date is expected Jan 2027 due to upcoming film of Shah Rukh Khan titled King.
Chamunda
The seventh installment in the franchise. The film will star Alia Bhatt in the titular role as Chamunda with Akshay Kumar will be the main antagonist, reprising his role from his appearance as last living descendant of Chandrabhan (popular as 'Sarkata') in Stree 2. The film is set to release soon, after the release of Shakti Shalini.
Bhediya 2
The eighth installment and a sequel to Bhediya, titled Bhediya 2, is in the pipeline, with Amar Kaushik returning as the director and Varun Dhawan reprising his role. The film will heavily focus on the hatred between Bhediya & Betaal as hinted in Thamma, with the slogan "THE HUNT BEGINS...". While the project has been officially announced, the makers are still in the pre-production phase but principal photography is expected to start soon. The film was set to release in 2026, however it got delayed until 2027, following the delay in Shakti Shalini and Chamunda. The film is set to release in 2029 or 2030, after the release of Chamunda.
Chhoti Stree
The ninth installment in the franchise. Chhoti Stree is an upcoming animated film which will act as a prequel to Stree. The film will be based on Shraddha Kapoor's character (Stree's daughter) from Stree and will reportedly be released six months before the release of Stree 3. The ending of the film will be a shift to the present, showing the prologue for Stree 3, transitioning from animation to live-action at the end.
Stree 3
The tenth installment in the franchise and a sequel to Stree 2. The film will feature Shraddha Kapoor, Rajkummar Rao, Pankaj Tripathi, Abhishek Banerjee, Aparshakti Khurana and Tamannaah Bhatia reprising their roles with Akshay Kumar as the main antagonist, reprising his role from his appearance as last living descendant of Chandrabhan (popular as 'Sarkata') in Stree 2. He had an unknown hatred against his own family which will be known in Stree 3. Producer Dinesh Vijan confirmed that Stree 3 has already been written. Director Amar Kaushik mentioned it would take three years to produce..The film is expected to go on floors from the end of 2027 with a release dates of either independence day or Christmas 2028.
Maha Munjya
The eleventh installment in the franchise and a sequel to Munjya. Abhay Verma and Sharvari will be reprising their roles as Bittu and Bela respectively. The film is set to release soon.
Pehla Mahayudh
The twelfth and antepenultimate installment in the franchise, Pehla Mahayudh, will serve as the first part of the two-part finale for the current phase of the franchise. The story will continue and conclude in the thirteenth installment, titled Doosara Mahayudh. Pehla Mahayudh will feature characters from all previous films in the franchise. The film is set to release soon. Makers Dinesh Vijan, Jyoti Deshpande and director Amar Kaushik confirmed that Akshay Kumar will lead both the parts as Chandravanshi (descendant of Chanderi Chief Chandrabhan Sarkata) with several stars from previous installments will be pitted against him.
Doosara Mahayudh
The thirteenth and penultimate installment in the franchise, Doosara Mahayudh, will serve as the conclusion to the two-part finale of the current phase of the franchise. Picking up directly from the events of Pehla Mahayudh, the film will bring together characters from all previous installments for a climactic showdown.
Untitled Thamma Spin-Off
The fourteenth and final installment in the franchise on Untitled Thamma Spin-Off. Dinesh Vijan has confirmed the development on a "spin-off on Thamma" and mentioned that it will be part of a larger cinematic universe, and will be released after the Mahayudh. The announcement was made during a promotional interview for Thamma.
Recurring characters This table lists the characters that connect the Maddock Horror Comedy Universe.