Shraddha Kapoor Announces Animated Chhoti Stree; Film Will Lead Into Stree 3

Shraddha Kapoor announces Chhoti Stree as a theatrical animated film

The Stree universe is expanding in an unexpected direction. Shraddha Kapoor has announced Chhoti Stree, a new animated theatrical film connected to the popular horror-comedy franchise. The announcement was made at the trailer launch of Thamma in Mumbai on September 26, 2025, where Kapoor appeared alongside producer Dinesh Vijan and other members of the Maddock Films team.

Unlike a conventional spin-off, Chhoti Stree is being positioned as an animated film designed for children, families and general audiences. More importantly, Vijan revealed that the film will connect directly to the next live-action chapter of the franchise, Stree 3.

What is Chhoti Stree about?

The makers have not yet revealed a detailed plot or announced a release date for Chhoti Stree. However, Dinesh Vijan has indicated that the animated film will explore the backstory of Stree, the mysterious supernatural character played by Shraddha Kapoor.

That gives the project a specific purpose within the larger franchise rather than making it simply an animated retelling of an existing story.

The original Stree, released in 2018, introduced audiences to the folklore-inspired world of Chanderi and the mysterious woman who appears during a particular period of the year. The film combined supernatural elements with comedy and social commentary.

The success of Stree eventually helped Maddock Films build a connected horror-comedy universe incorporating films such as Bhediya and Munjya.

The animated film will connect with Stree 3

The biggest revelation surrounding Chhoti Stree came from Dinesh Vijan.

According to Vijan, the animated film is planned to end with a sequence from Stree 3. The transition will reportedly move from animation into live action, creating a direct bridge between the two films.

Vijan also said that Chhoti Stree is expected to arrive approximately six months before Stree 3.

This makes the animated project more than a standalone experiment. It could effectively function as part of the narrative build-up to the next major Stree instalment.

Bollywood Hungama currently lists Stree 3 with a theatrical release date of August 13, 2027.

Shraddha Kapoor remains central to the franchise

Shraddha Kapoor's character has been one of the most intriguing elements of the Stree films because the identity and history of the mysterious woman have deliberately been revealed gradually.

The first Stree established the mystery, while subsequent developments in the franchise expanded the mythology surrounding its supernatural characters.

With Chhoti Stree, the makers now appear to be using animation as a way to explore material that could be difficult to present within the conventional structure of a live-action horror comedy.

The project also gives the franchise an opportunity to introduce its mythology to a younger audience while retaining a connection to the existing films.

Why animation could work for the Stree universe?

Animation gives the filmmakers considerably more freedom when dealing with supernatural folklore.

The world of Stree already relies on elements such as spirits, legends, mysterious transformations and exaggerated supernatural imagery. An animated format can potentially allow those elements to be presented in a more stylised manner while maintaining the humour associated with the franchise.

However, the success of the idea will ultimately depend on the story rather than the format alone.

The makers have so far revealed the concept and its connection to Stree 3, but details about the animation studio, director, voice cast, runtime and exact storyline have not been publicly established in the material reviewed for this report.

Maddock is continuing to expand its horror-comedy universe

The announcement comes as Maddock Films continues to expand its interconnected supernatural universe.

At the Thamma trailer launch, Dinesh Vijan discussed additional characters and projects planned within the universe, while Shraddha Kapoor herself presented the announcement of Chhoti Stree.

The strategy indicates that Maddock is treating its horror-comedy properties as an interconnected storytelling ecosystem rather than as completely independent franchises.

That approach has already allowed characters and references from different films to overlap, creating anticipation around how future projects will connect.

What we know about Stree 3 so far?

While Chhoti Stree is expected to lead into Stree 3, the makers have not yet disclosed the complete storyline of the third live-action film.

The currently listed theatrical date for Stree 3 is August 13, 2027.

The new animated film therefore becomes an interesting piece of the franchise's timeline. If the six-month gap mentioned by Vijan remains unchanged, Chhoti Stree would arrive ahead of the third instalment and potentially provide information about Stree's origins before the live-action story continues.

The Celebrity Hour Take

The most interesting aspect of Chhoti Stree is not simply that the Stree franchise is getting an animated film. It is that the makers appear to be using animation as a storytelling bridge.

By exploring Stree's backstory and then transitioning into a scene from Stree 3, the film could become an important piece of the franchise's larger mythology rather than functioning only as a children's spin-off.

The concept also reflects how Indian filmmakers are increasingly experimenting with interconnected cinematic worlds. Maddock's horror-comedy universe has already moved beyond the boundaries of a single franchise, and Chhoti Stree suggests that the studio is willing to use different formats to expand that world.

For now, the key details remain limited: the film has been announced, it will be released theatrically in animated form, it will explore Stree's backstory, and the makers have said it will connect directly to Stree 3. The eventual trailer and further production announcements will reveal whether the animated format becomes an integral part of the franchise's storytelling.

Sources & Verification

This report was prepared using the announcement made by Shraddha Kapoor and Dinesh Vijan at the Thamma trailer launch, established reporting on Chhoti Stree, and available information about the Stree franchise and Stree 3. The central details about the animated format, theatrical release, exploration of Stree's backstory and planned connection to Stree 3 were cross-checked across multiple reports.

The release date of Stree 3 has been referenced only as currently listed by Bollywood Hungama and should be updated if the makers subsequently announce a change.