It's not 'Stree 2' v/s 'Vedaa,' but Abhishek v/s Abhishek!
Actor Abhishek Banerjee is all set for the release of his two upcoming films, Stree 2 and Vedaa, both slated to hit the screens on Thursday (August 15). In these movies, Banerjee will be seen portraying contrasting roles. While he reprises his character as Jana in Stree 2, a sequel to the 2018 horror-comedy directed by Amar Kaushik, he plays an upper-caste antagonist in Nikkhil Advani's Vedaa.
Banerjee terms dual releases a 'win-win' situation
Banerjee expressed his enthusiasm about the simultaneous releases, describing it as a "win-win" situation. He said, "Stree 2 fans can expect a bigger, better version of everything...Vedaa is a much needed film in India." The actor also revealed his inclination toward characters that are intricately connected to socio-political contexts. "I enjoy my characters more when they are woven in the socio-political context. I don't know how well I will do with just slapstick comedy," he told PTI.
'Stree' success attributed to its timely release
The original Stree film, despite its modest budget, managed to rake in over ₹100cr at the box office. The story revolves around a group of friends in the fictional town of Chanderi who are haunted by a female ghost. Banerjee initially turned down the role of Jana but later accepted it due to unforeseen circumstances. He attributes the film's success to its timely release when feminism was transitioning from academic discussions to mainstream culture.
Banerjee's experiences with diverse directors and future aspirations
Banerjee also shared his experiences working with various directors who have cast him in diverse roles. He mentioned Devashish Makhija, who cast him as a villain in Ajji, Kaushik of Stree, and Sudip Sharma, who gave him a memorable role in Pataal Lok. He expressed his desire to work with directors like Anurag Kashyap, Shoojit Sircar, Hansal Mehta, Abhishek Chaubey, Anubhav Sinha, and Sandeep Reddy Vanga in the future.
