Varun Dhawan's Werewolf Howls Again on 14 August

Bhediya 2 lists on 14 August, placing Varun Dhawan's werewolf at the centre of the Independence Day pile-up, inside the Maddock horror-comedy universe that Stree 2 turned into the most valuable franchise machinery in Hindi cinema.

The universe logic changes the stakes. Bhediya's first film was a respectable earner; its sequel arrives with Stree 2's ₹599 crore halo and a connected-world audience trained to show up for every chapter.

For Varun, whose recent slate has swung between hits and misses, this is the safest big bet available: a franchise, a festival window and a fanbase that belongs to the universe more than to any single star.