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Stree 2 director Amar Kaushik was recently asked to choose between Alia Bhatt and Deepika Padukone in a rapid-fire interview. Deepika Padukone and Alia Bhatt—two of Bollywood’s most bankable stars—often find themselves compared, and directors are occasionally asked to pick a favorite. After Highway director Imtiaz Ali chose Alia over Deepika in an earlier interview, another filmmaker has now weighed in: Stree 2 director Amar Kaushik.
In a rapid-fire segment on Game Changers with Komal Nahta, Kaushik was asked to choose the better actress between the two. While initially diplomatic—“Mujhe dono ke saath kaam karna hai" (I want to work with both)—he ultimately picked Alia Bhatt. The choice echoes Imtiaz Ali’s own response on the same platform.
Having worked with Deepika in Tamasha and Love Aaj Kal, and with Alia in Highway, Ali also leaned toward Alia when posed with the same question. Interestingly, Amar Kaushik hasn’t collaborated with either actress yet. However, during Pinkvilla’s Directors Roundtable in 2024, he expressed interest in casting Deepika Padukone in a light-hearted role.
“I’d love to make a Chennai Express-style comedy with her," he had said—hinting at an unexpected genre pairing for the actress known for her more intense performances. Kaushik’s most recent project was Stree 2, the latest chapter in the Maddock Horror Comedy Universe. Released in 2024, the film featured Rajkummar Rao, Shraddha Kapoor, Aparshakti Khurana, Abhishek Banerjee, and Pankaj Tripathi.
It was a box office hit and widely praised for its humor-horror balance. Beyond directing, Amar has stepped into producing as well. He co-produced the aerial action drama Sky Force alongside Dinesh Vijan and Jyoti Deshpande.
The film starred Akshay Kumar, Veer Pahariya, Sara Ali Khan, and Nimrat Kaur. Next up on his production slate is Thama, a vampire-themed entry in the Maddock Horror Comedy Universe, starring Ayushmann Khurrana and Rashmika Mandanna. The film is set to release on Diwali 2025 and promises a darkly comic spin on supernatural lore.
Meanwhile, Alia Bhatt continues her hot streak with upcoming titles like Alpha and Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Love & War. Deepika Padukone, fresh off her recent successes, is yet to announce her next project, leaving fans eager to see where she appears next—and maybe, just maybe, it’ll be in a comedy with Amar Kaushik..
