The Chanderi gateway in Stree: A real-life haunted location?

Stree 2

Amar Kaushik's Stree franchise was mainly filmed in Chanderi, with its sequel recently released. One notable scene, where Shraddha Kapoor says goodbye to Rajkummar Rao, features a significant structure in the background. The location is actually Kati Ghati, a gateway to Chanderi situated in Madhya Pradesh's Ashoknagar district.

Where is Chanderi? Is it a real-life haunted location?

The massive gate is carved out of a large rock on a hillside, standing 10 meters tall and 25 meters wide. According to swatijain.com, inscriptions in Devnagari and Nashq scripts on the gate reveal that Kati Ghati was commissioned by Jiman Khan, the son of Sher Khan, who was the governor of Chanderi at the time, in 1480 CE.

Legend has it that when Sultan Ghiyasuddin Khilji of Malwa announced a sudden visit to Chanderi, a gate was urgently needed for his welcome. Jiman Khan, who was responsible for the task, had just one night to get it done and promised a generous reward to anyone who could accomplish it. Out of 100 masons, only one accepted the challenge and, astonishingly, managed to complete the gate overnight, leaving Khan both shocked and impressed.

However, Jiman intentionally avoided rewarding the mason by claiming that the gateway lacked a door, which could compromise the Sultan of Malwa's safety. Heartbroken by the unfairness and not receiving recognition for his efforts, the mason took his own life on the spot. The grave seen beside the gate is said to be where he fell after ending his life.

Today, his sacrifice remains Chanderi's most famous tourist attraction, though the tale attached to it is far from joyful. An alternate story about Kati Ghati suggests that Babur's army was blocked by the hill when trying to enter Chanderi, leading him to order the hill to be cut through, creating the passage. However, this version of the story is less commonly known.

About Stree

Directed by Amar Kaushik, 'Stree 2' raked in Rs 55.40 crore in India on Day 1 at the Box Office. It was released in theatres on Independence Day and faced a massive clash with Akshay Kumar's ‘Khel Khel Mein', ‘John Abraham's ‘Vedaa', and Vikram's ‘Thangalaan'.