Bhediya 2 2026: Cast, Plot, Release Date and Everything You Need to Know

Bhediya 2 is shaping up to be one of the most closely watched Hindi releases of the year, not just because it brings Varun Dhawan back as the shapeshifting wolf Bhaskar, but because it is the next big step in Maddock Films' horror-comedy universe. If you are trying to figure out when the film releases, who is in it, what it is about, and how it fits alongside Stree, Munjya and Thamma, this guide covers what is known so far and, just as importantly, what is still unconfirmed.

Bhediya 2 at a Glance

Release Date: What We Know So Far

The most concrete date on record comes from an official studio announcement. On January 2, 2025, Maddock Films announced that Bhediya 2 would release on August 14, 2026, as part of a larger slate that also locked Chamunda for December 4, 2026 and Stree 3 for August 13, 2027, according to ANI. The project was first unveiled much earlier, at Jio Studios' "Infinite Together" event in April 2023, when a 2025 release was initially promised (Devdiscourse).

Since then the date has been the subject of conflicting reports. In January 2025, Bollywood Hungama reported that the film would no longer release on August 14, 2026, to avoid a clash with other big films eyeing the Independence Day weekend (Bollywood Hungama). By September 2025, OTTplay was reporting the release as postponed, and Varun Dhawan told fans on X that details would be revealed in time.

In mid-2026, however, multiple listings still point to August 14, 2026. Gadgets 360 and Bollywood.com both carry the date, and ticket platform District lists the film as "coming soon." Given the back-and-forth, the safest reading is that the August 14, 2026 window is the working date, but it should be treated as unconfirmed until the makers announce it again.

That window is a busy one. Several major Hindi and Tamil titles are also scheduled around Independence Day, including Awarapan 2 and Batwara 1947 on August 14 (Times Now) and Vishwanath and Sons the same day (The Hollywood Reporter India). This crowded frame is exactly why the date has bounced around, so check for an official confirmation before planning your tickets.

Cast and Characters

Varun Dhawan is the only fully confirmed lead, returning as Bhaskar, the road contractor turned werewolf from the 2022 original. The studio announcement covered by ANI named both Varun Dhawan and Kriti Sanon as leads of the sequel, and District also lists Kriti Sanon alongside Dhawan.

Beyond that, the supporting cast has not been officially announced. Aggregator listings such as Plex include Abhishek Banerjee and Paalin Kabak, both of whom played key roles in the first film, but these are database entries rather than studio confirmations.

From Bhediya (2022), the original cast also included Kriti Sanon as Dr. Anika Mittal, Deepak Dobriyal as Panda, Abhishek Banerjee as Janardan, and Paalin Kabak as Jomin, per Wikipedia. Whether all of them return for the sequel remains to be seen.

Story Details

There is no official synopsis for Bhediya 2 yet. What exists is a short description on ticket platform District: "Bhaskar's extraordinary journey continues in this sequel to Bhediya. Expanding the world of supernatural creatures and folklore, the film promises more thrills, mystery and monstrous mayhem."

The original film set the template. In Bhediya, Bhaskar travels to Arunachal Pradesh for work and is bitten by a wild animal, after which a werewolf legend appears to come true around him. It was released on November 25, 2022, and was billed as Bollywood's first creature comedy by ANI.

For the sequel, expectations around the story, including how Bhaskar's powers evolve and how the creature world expands, are based on the broader universe plans rather than any confirmed plot details.

The Maddock Horror Comedy Universe Connection

This is where Bhediya 2 matters beyond its own story. It is part of the Maddock Horror Comedy Universe (MHCU), a shared universe of Hindi supernatural comedies based on Indian folklore and produced by Maddock Films with Jio Studios. The universe began with Stree (2018) and grew through Bhediya (2022), Munjya (2024), Stree 2 (2024) and Thamma (2025), with the franchise crossing roughly ₹1,520 crore at the box office across its releases, per Wikipedia.

The crossovers are already in place. Varun Dhawan shot a cameo as Bhediya for Stree 2 (Bollywood Hungama), and the character appeared again in Thamma in a vampire versus Bhediya setup (Bollywood Hungama).

The announced roadmap for the universe places Bhediya 2 right in the middle of it. Per the January 2025 announcement covered by The Hollywood Reporter India, the slate runs from Bhediya 2 (2026) to Chamunda (December 2026), Stree 3 (August 2027), Mahamunjya (December 2027) and a two-part multiverse finale, Pehla Mahayudh and Doosara Mahayudh, in 2028.

Creative Team

The core team from the first film is back. Amar Kaushik, who directed both Stree and Bhediya, returns to direct. Dinesh Vijan produces under Maddock Films with Jio Studios. Niren Bhatt writes the story, and Sachin-Jigar returns as music composers, per BollywoodMDB.

Production status is less clear. Reports from late 2024 indicated the makers planned to take the film into production around the end of 2025 (Bollywood Hungama), but there has been no official confirmation that shooting has wrapped.

Trailer and Promotions

No official trailer has been released for Bhediya 2. The only official promotional material so far is the special announcement video released by Jio Studios back in 2023, when the sequel was first unveiled with Varun Dhawan and Dinesh Vijan (Bollywood.com). Expect a proper teaser or trailer only once the makers lock the final release date and the marketing cycle begins.

Where to Watch and OTT Expectations

There is no announced OTT deal for Bhediya 2 yet, and none of the studios has said where the film will stream after its theatrical run. For context, the original Bhediya premiered on JioCinema on May 26, 2023, after its theatrical release (Bollywood Hungama via Wikipedia). With JioCinema now merged into JioHotstar, home viewing for the sequel could land there, but that is an inference rather than a confirmed fact.

For now, Bhediya 2 is planned as a theatrical release first, and any streaming details are expected only after that.

What Remains Unconfirmed

• The final release date, which reports have placed at August 14, 2026 but have also claimed was postponed.
• The full cast, including whether Kriti Sanon, Abhishek Banerjee, Deepak Dobriyal and Paalin Kabak return.
• The official plot synopsis.
• Whether a trailer has been scheduled and when the marketing campaign begins.
• The runtime, certification and any OTT streaming deal.
• Whether production has been completed.

Information last checked on 2026-08-02.