Aashiqui 2, Stree, Haseena Parkar: Shraddha Kapoor's best experimental roles ahead of Stree 2

Come Independence Day, Shraddha Kapoor will be dominating screens with the much-awaited sequel of the film which spun Dinesh Vijan's expanding horror-comedy universe — Stree 2. Shraddha's return as Stree marks the next milestone in the actor's niche filmography. Though the Stree franchise is Shraddha's first-ever dabble with the horror comedy genre, it is not the only time she has opted to essay a role 'hatke' from the usual. Let's take a look at all the times Shraddha chose to break the mold.

Aashiqui 2

Mohit Suri's Aashiqui 2 (2013) effectively encashed the evergreen cult status of the 1990 Rahul Roy and Anu Aggarwal starrer original to present audiences with one of the most fondly remembered musical romances from contemporary Bollywood. Needless to mention, Aashiqui 2 shot Shraddha Kapoor and Aditya Roy Kapur to literal overnight fame.

Prior to Aashiqui 2, Shraddha had starred in all of 2 movies — Teen Patti (2010) and Luv Ka The End (2011) both of which failed to do much in establishing her either as an actor or as a star. Aashiqui 2 on the other hand, managed to do both. Shraddha played Arohi Keshav Shirke, a talented but vulnerable singer, who is taken under the wings of Aditya Roy Kapur's Rahul Jaykar, a successful but alcoholic  musician on the verge of decline. The film went on to make ₹109 crores at the box office.

Haider

The very next year, Shraddha temporarily opted out of her lover-girl era in films drastically switching things up with Vishal Bhardwaj's Haider (2014). A modern-day modified re-telling of Shakespeare's Hamlet, the film was led by Shahid Kapoor and carried acting heavyweights such as Tabu and Irrfan Khan as part of its star cast. Shraddha still managed to make a mark with her role of Arshia Lone inspired from the character of Ophelia.

Though at the time of its release the film entertained its fair share of controversy owing to the sensitive topic of Kashmir making up its backdrop, Haider still managed to mint ₹85 crores, spelling out a profit. 

Haseena Parkar

Apoorva Lakhia's Haseena Parkar, despite its humdrum box office performance, is a keynote film in Shraddha Kapoor's career. The 2017 release is easily the actor's meatiest role also making for the only female-led film she has ever been a part of, besides the Stree franchise of course. Shraddha leads Haseena Parkar in the titular role, earnestly attempting to step into the skin of mob boss Dawood Ibrahim's sister. Though this was an absolute upgrade in terms of scope for Shraddha, the film failed to break even despite having a humble budget. 

Chhichhore

Shraddha was also part of Nitesh Tiwari's Chhichhore (2019), a film that saw her appear on screen as an aged version of her character. She played the mother of a suicidal teen also portraying her younger self as the narrative of the film switched between the past and the present. At the time of it's release, Chhichhore was appreciated by many for addressing the topic of mental health and suicide with mainstream cinema. Made on a budget of ₹50 crores, the film went on to earn an impressive ₹215.41 crores. 

Stree and Stree 2

Zooming back to 2018, Shraddha featured in what can best be described as a career-defining role with Amar Kaushik's Stree. She essayed the elusive titular character, masquerading as a feisty girl next door through the course of the film. Rajkummar Rao and Shraddha's on screen camaraderie, paired with Pankaj Tripathi and Abhishek Banerjee's comic timing made Stree one of the most wholesome hits of the year. Made on a budget of ₹25 crores, the film minted around ₹180 crores worldwide.

Stree 2 has been in the works for a while. Much of the original cast will be returning for the sequel. An exclusive teaser of the movie is currently playing in theatres, attached to shows for Munjya — yet another horror-comedy universe film.

As we wait for Stree 2, Stree is available for streaming on OTT.