The promotional poster for Stree 2, slated to release on Independence Day, is being trolled on social media for its uncanny resemblance with that of Netflix series Stranger Things 2.

The similarities regarding the colour scheme and layout of the two posters have already prompted side-by-side comparisons of the posters, with many users accusing the makers of the Bollywood movie of lifting the artwork from the popular Netflix series.

Sharing the two posters on their X handle, one user wrote: “Same Same ... But Different”. Another user commented “The pinnacle of 'You can copy my homework. Just don't make it look too obvious' type of excuse” on Reddit, while another stated, “What Bollywood does best tbh. Copying.”

Stranger Things is a popular Netflix series that blends elements of science fiction, horror and 1980s nostalgia into a captivating storyline. Created by the Duffer Brothers, the show is set in the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana, and follows a group of young friends as they encounter supernatural forces, secret government experiments, and a parallel dimension known as the Upside Down.

Stree 2, a sequel to Amar Kaushik’s 2018 horror comedy film Stree, is set to bring back fan-favourite characters played by Shraddha Kapoor, Rajkummar Rao, Pankaj Tripathi, Abhishek Banerjee and Aparshakti Khurana. The film is the fifth instalment in the supernatural universe created by Maddock Films, following the success of Stree, Roohi (2021), Bhediya (2022) and Munjya (2024).

The 2018 original was set in the small town of Chanderi where the menfolk live in fear of an evil spirit named Stree. The sequel introduces a new malevolent spirit named Sarkata, who is said to harm the women of the village. This prompts the Vicky (Rajkummar Rao), Bittu (Aparshakti Khurana), Jaana (Abhishek Banerjee) and Rudra (Pankaj Tripathi) to seek the help of Stree (Shraddha Kapoor) to defeat sarkata.

As Independence Day approaches, Stree 2 has emerged as the top pick for moviegoers, outpacing Khel Khel Mein starring Akshay Kumar, and John Abraham’s Vedaa in terms of advance ticket sales.

According to industry data-tracking portal Sacnilk, Stree 2 has already sold 2.2 lakh tickets in advance bookings for a gross collection of Rs 8.06 crore.

Khel Khel Mein, on the other hand, has sold only 5,500 tickets, while Vedaa managed to sell 10,506 tickets in advance bookings.