Maddock Films has stepped in to address rumours around the casting of their much-anticipated horror-comedy universe. Following the blockbuster run of Saiyaara, Aneet Padda has been the talk of the town, with several reports hinting that she would headline Dinesh Vijan’s upcoming film Shakti Shalini.
On Friday, the production house issued an official clarification on Instagram. In the statement, the production house expresses that they value the excitement around their horror-comedy universe, and they want to clarify that any reports regarding the casting of the upcoming films, including Shakti Shalini and Maha Munjya, are purely speculative. Added to that, the production house urges the media to avoid misinformation and to wait for official announcements from us.
Despite the denial, the buzz around Aneet only intensified. Social media was filled with comments backing her entry into the Maddock Horror-Comedy Universe. One netizen wrote, “Aneet would have been a great choice BTW,” while another insisted, “Pls cast Aneet then if you haven’t already.” Some, however, voiced their wish to see Kiara Advani in the role.
Adding to the rumours, a source revealed to Pinkvilla that Aneet has indeed been in talks for Shakti Shalini for the last two months. According to the source, Dinesh Vijan was impressed by her performance in Saiyaara and wanted to inject “new energies” into his expanding cinematic universe. Earlier, Kiara Advani’s name was also linked to the project when she was spotted at Maddock Films’ office, though nothing official ever followed.
Maddock’s horror-comedy franchise started with Stree (2018), featuring Rajkummar Rao and Shraddha Kapoor, which became a major success, along with its sequel Stree 2 in 2024, which earned ₹857.15 crore at the box office. Bhediya (2022), led by Varun Dhawan and Kriti Sanon, carried the franchise forward.
Now, Maddock is all set to come again with Thama featuring Ayushmann Khurrana, Rashmika Mandanna, Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Paresh Rawal. Along with Thama, Maddock’s horror-comedy franchise has Shakti Shalini, Bhediya 2, Chamunda, Stree 3, Maha Munjya, Pehla Mahayudh and Doosara Mahayudh lined up in a straight row.
For now, Maddock has made it clear that casting rumours remain speculation, leaving fans waiting for the official announcement on Shakti Shalini.
