'Stree 2,' 'Munjya': Decoding Maddock Films's phenomenal 2024
What's the story
Under Dinesh Vijan's leadership, production house Maddock Films has had an incredible 2024.
The studio's success is defined by a string of genre films such as the horror-comedy Munjya and the franchise sequel Stree 2.
Their phenomenal year started with the blockbuster rom-com Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya, featuring Kriti Sanon as SIFRA (Super Intelligent Female Robot Automation) and Shahid Kapoor as her robotics engineer lover Aryan.
Post-that, Maddock delivered numerous successful films.
Box office hits
'Munjya' and 'Stree 2' validated Maddock's franchise strategy
After Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya, Maddock Films released Munjya. The horror-comedy centers on a young man who discovers a family secret and a vengeful spirit in his native village.
Despite not having major star power, the film crossed the ₹100 crore mark at the box office.
Vijan told Variety, "Munjya is our biggest victory because it clearly states that without any face value, you can do a film that does 100 crore."
Narrative strategy
Maddock Films's unique approach to universe-building
Vijan explained that Maddock's universe-building approach is to weave standalone stories into a larger narrative.
He said, "The film on its own has to land, and that landing gives it an entry into some sort of universe."
"A true universe is having its own battles and ultimately being part of the bigger war."
This strategy was further validated with the success of Stree 2, a sequel to 2018's horror-comedy Stree.
Growth plans
Maddock Films's expansion and distribution strategy
Maddock Films has also explored other genres with its thriller Sector 36, which did well on Netflix. It stars Vikrant Massey and Deepak Dobriyal.
The whodunnit Murder Mubarak, with an all-star cast, was another Netflix hit.
Vijan stressed distribution strategy in their expansion plans, saying "Content is king, but distribution is God."
He hinted that advancing tech and AI could cut production costs, making the studio "screen agnostic."
Creative focus
Maddock Films's commitment to original storytelling in 2024
Throughout 2024, Maddock Films has stayed true to original storytelling.
Vijan reminisced the year as one of "interesting risks" that didn't feel like risks due to their unique narratives.
He said, "2024 was a few interesting risks, but I think they didn't feel like risks because I believe that there were stories that in one line were clutter-breaking."
This is in line with the company's mantra for the last five years: "Go unique or go home."