Stree 3 set for 2028 release as Dinesh Vijan maps out production timeline

Stree 3 will release in 2028, producer Dinesh Vijan confirmed during Day 2 of FICCI Frames 2026 in Mumbai, according to The Indian Express. Vijan said the next instalment in the horror-comedy franchise could arrive around either Independence Day or Christmas that year.

Rajkummar Rao and Vijan appeared at the event to discuss the Stree universe during a panel with author-journalist Anupama Chopra, The Indian Express reported. Bollywood Hungama, which said the pair were also promoting their upcoming film Prahaar at FICCI Frames 2026, reported that director Amar Kaushik is expected to begin work on Stree 3 after completing Mahavatar.

Stree 3 release and production: key facts

• Dinesh Vijan confirmed that Stree 3 is planned for release in 2028, according to The Indian Express.
• Vijan indicated that the film could arrive around Independence Day or Christmas in 2028, The Indian Express and Bollywood Hungama reported.
• Amar Kaushik will direct Stree 3, according to The Indian Express.
• Bollywood Hungama reported that Stree 3 will star Rajkummar Rao, Shraddha Kapoor, Pankaj Tripathi, Aparshakti Khurana and Abhishek Banerjee.
• Bollywood Hungama said Akshay Kumar is expected to play a key role in Stree 3.
• Before Stree 3, Kaushik is set to direct Mahavatar, starring Vicky Kaushal as Bhagwan Parshuram, according to The Indian Express.

When will Stree 3 release in cinemas?

Vijan placed the release firmly in 2028 during the FICCI Frames discussion. The Indian Express quoted him as saying, "Stree 3 arrives in 2028." He added that he did not want to reveal more because Kaushik had only just finished writing the film and was wary of the producer giving away too many spoilers.

Vijan nevertheless offered a broad indication of the intended release window. According to The Indian Express, he said the film "might be a nice Independence Day or a Christmas Day present in 2028." Bollywood Hungama reported a similar comment from Vijan, saying the film might be positioned as an Independence Day or Christmas release.

No exact theatrical release date was given by either outlet. The confirmed information from Vijan, as reported by The Indian Express, is that the film is targeting 2028, while the Independence Day and Christmas references remain possible release windows rather than fixed dates.

Stree 3 production will follow Amar Kaushik's Mahavatar

The schedule for Stree 3 is tied closely to Kaushik's work on Mahavatar. The Indian Express reported Vijan as saying that Kaushik, whom he described as integral to Stree and the wider horror-comedy franchise, will first direct Mahavatar, a film based on Bhagwan Parshuram and starring Vicky Kaushal.

According to The Indian Express, Vijan said Kaushik would begin directing Mahavatar at the end of January, finish it in June and then move towards putting Stree 3 on floors at the end of the following year. Bollywood Hungama gave the same broad production sequence, reporting that Mahavatar would start at the end of January, wrap in June and be followed by Stree 3 going on floors at the end of 2027.

Vijan described Mahavatar as Kaushik's most ambitious film yet, according to The Indian Express. That project therefore sits directly ahead of Stree 3 in Kaushik's schedule and helps explain why the next Stree film is being positioned for a 2028 theatrical release.

Stree 3 production timeline

Milestone	Timing	Reported by
Mahavatar shoot starts	End of January 2027	The Indian Express, Bollywood Hungama
Mahavatar shoot wraps	June 2027	The Indian Express, Bollywood Hungama
Stree 3 goes on floors	End of 2027	The Indian Express, Bollywood Hungama
Stree 3 releases	2028	The Indian Express, Bollywood Hungama

What Dinesh Vijan said about the Stree 3 story

While confirming the timeline, Vijan also suggested that audiences should not assume they know where the next film will go. Bollywood Hungama quoted him as saying, "Anything you have thought, remove that from your mind," before adding that viewers would still get the elements they had loved about the franchise.

The Indian Express reported Vijan making a similar point, saying that while familiar aspects would remain, "where it starts and where it ends, will be a complete revelation." His comments indicated that the creative team intends to retain recognisable elements of Stree while changing expectations around the story's direction.

Vijan was also careful not to disclose further plot information. According to The Indian Express, he joked that Kaushik would be upset if he said more because the director had only just finished writing Stree 3 and believed Vijan had a habit of revealing too many spoilers.

Who is in the Stree 3 cast?

Bollywood Hungama reported that Rajkummar Rao will return for Stree 3 alongside Shraddha Kapoor, Pankaj Tripathi, Aparshakti Khurana and Abhishek Banerjee. The outlet also reported that Akshay Kumar is expected to play a key role in the film.

Akshay Kumar's involvement should therefore be treated as expected rather than confirmed on the basis of Bollywood Hungama's report. The outlet's cast list places the returning ensemble at the centre of the third film while indicating that Kumar may have an important part in the next chapter.

The Indian Express confirmed Rao's involvement and identified Kaushik as the director, while its FICCI Frames coverage focused primarily on Vijan and Rao discussing the development of the franchise and the timing of the third instalment.

Rajkummar Rao recalls how Stree grew from a small-budget film

Rao used the panel to look back at how the franchise began. The Indian Express quoted him describing the first Stree as an "independent small-budget film" whose team nevertheless had strong faith in the story and in Kaushik's work on set.

Rao said the group spent time joking and trying to make the film together, and he felt that energy was visible on screen. He added that a similar atmosphere carried into Stree 2, according to The Indian Express.

Rao also recalled Kaushik's surprise at the first film's box-office performance. According to The Indian Express, Rao said Stree earned around Rs 70-75 crore and remembered Kaushik reacting nervously to the unexpected success by saying, "Bhai, ye kuch zyada nahi kama liye." Rao said he responded by telling him that the strong earnings were a good thing.

How Stree 2 changed expectations for the franchise

By the time Stree 2 arrived, Rao said Kaushik was more confident after directing Bala and Bhediya, according to The Indian Express. Rao recalled the director saying, "Aur kamayenge, aur kamayenge," and joked that Kaushik had by then become "a producer's friend."

Bollywood Hungama reported that the original Stree was released in 2018, while Stree 2 followed in 2024 and became a Rs. 500 crore-plus grosser. The scale of Stree 2's reported business provides the immediate backdrop to the attention now surrounding the third film's schedule, cast and release window.

With Kaushik set to complete Mahavatar first, Vijan's comments at FICCI Frames 2026 establish the broad path ahead: Mahavatar is due to shoot through the first half of 2027, Stree 3 is expected to go on floors at the end of 2027, and the film is planned to reach cinemas in 2028.

Frequently asked questions

When will Stree 3 release?

Dinesh Vijan confirmed at FICCI Frames 2026 that Stree 3 will release in 2028, according to The Indian Express. He suggested that the film could arrive around Independence Day or Christmas that year. Neither The Indian Express nor Bollywood Hungama reported a specific release date beyond those possible windows.

When will filming for Stree 3 begin?

Bollywood Hungama reported that Stree 3 is expected to go on floors at the end of 2027. Before that, director Amar Kaushik is set to begin Mahavatar at the end of January 2027 and complete its shoot in June 2027, according to both Bollywood Hungama and The Indian Express.

Who is in the cast of Stree 3?

Bollywood Hungama reported that Stree 3 will star Rajkummar Rao, Shraddha Kapoor, Pankaj Tripathi, Aparshakti Khurana and Abhishek Banerjee. The outlet also said Akshay Kumar is expected to play a key role, meaning his involvement is reported as expected rather than presented as confirmed.

What is Amar Kaushik directing before Stree 3?

Amar Kaushik is set to direct Mahavatar before beginning Stree 3. The Indian Express reported that Dinesh Vijan described Mahavatar as Kaushik's most ambitious film yet. The film stars Vicky Kaushal as Bhagwan Parshuram and is scheduled to begin shooting at the end of January 2027.