Stree 2: Financial frights and delights—Key money insights from your favorite horror comedy

We’re back in a small town called Chanderi, and this time the town is haunted by a headless monster who’s kidnapping young women who are smarter than what’s socially acceptable. Did you scratch your head to say, ‘Whaaa…?!’

Pankaj Tripathi who plays Rudra Bhaiyya is here to help: Are you a woman who prefers to be active on social media instead of doing housework, then be assured that you are going to be the next victim.

It is up to the bumbling Bicky the ladies tailor (played with much enthusiasm by Rajkummar Rao and his friends Bittu (Aparshakti Khurrana) and Jana (the wonderfully talented Abhishek Bannerjee) save the day. Not to forget we have Stree - the witch with no name - on our side. Shraddha Kapoor, who has a menacing screen presence despite her sweet smiles supplies supernatural help

Apart from non stop one liners (and not all politically correct) does this horror-comedy offer money lessons?

Local legends need to be investigated

In the original Stree, we found townsfolk following bizarre rituals like painting, 'O Stree Kal Aana’ on the walls of their homes and men wearing sarees if they ventured out of their homes. This time too the women being abducted have a ‘type’ that the headless monster ‘sarkata’ chooses.

No matter what the legend holds, an investigation is a must. Bicky and his bumbling friends are good at tracking down the monster, whose lair resembles Munjjya’s forest and something from LOTR.

When it comes to your investments, sometimes you just read the headlines and the promises made by the financial instruments. Most of us are scared to read the fine print and are scared that we will get lost down the rabbit hole. But they say that there is God in the details. You must make that cup of strong coffee and get reading. Knowledge will lessen the power of what you think is a monster.

Beware of investment opportunities

It’s almost 2025, and movies are still making jokes about how a chap might never find a girl. Stree 2 is rather unsubtle when it comes to making a point about girls who are ‘too forward’ thinking, but the movie is fun nevertheless.

You, dear investors, must be careful when financial institutions begin to offer ‘tailor-made’ offerings for a particular gender. Ask the most important question here: Is this offering only a token gesture or is it truly meant for women/ students/the elderly.

Lip service often means there are hidden traps which they think nobody will ever notice (because of the hoopla around the target audience). So read everything thoroughly, and then make use of the various offers! If they’re offering you a day at the spa for using their special ‘women only’ demat account, then by all means go ahead and enjoy being treated as special! Also, as the headline suggests, keep an eye on hidden fees that might get charged to the account. After all, there really is no such thing as free anything!

The cameos in Stree 2 are fun, and do get your full ‘paisa vasool’ moments by staying on for the after credits scene!

Manisha Lakhe is a poet, film critic, traveller, founder of Caferati — an online writer’s forum, hosts Mumbai’s oldest open mic, and teaches advertising, films and communication. She can be reached on Twitter at @manishalakhe.