Producer and filmmaker Dinesh Vijan, the man behind some of Bollywood’s most loved horror comedies, recently shared insights into the making of his Maddock Horror Comedy Universe during an episode of The Right Angle with Sonal Kalra. The universe, which began with Stree in 2018, has since expanded to include Bhediya (2022), Munjya (2024), and most recently, Thamma.
Reflecting on the origin of the idea, Vijan said, “Someone very wise told me that when you’re making films, keep them in a box. It was a gentleman called Chuck Roven who produces all of Christopher Nolan’s films. He told Deepika and me this in 2012, and it stayed with me. So when Stree happened, I understood. There should be an ability to meet. Don’t change the physics if you want some people to meet. That’s how the idea of the universe came.”
Vijan emphasised that even though all the films belong to the same universe, each one carries its own tone, setting, and characters. “They are completely different worlds,” he explained, referring to Munjya and Stree. “We are very conscious to not repeat. That’s why we’re not bringing Stree 3 next year. There’s a journey to it.”
Describing the interconnected yet distinct nature of these stories, he likened the universe to a family. “I’m from a joint family. We love a big family atmosphere. So, the universe is a family with different kinds of characters. No one’s similar,” he said.
Vijan also praised Thamma, starring Ayushmann Khurrana and Rashmika Mandanna, calling it “superlative.” He added that audiences have started forming their own theories about how the films are connected. “I was so happy to see that people actually have their own ideas about what’s going to happen — like what is Stree’s relationship with Munjya,” he shared, confirming that a dedicated team is evolving the concept further.
