Lust Stories 3 arrives on Netflix on September 18, 2026, bringing the Indian anthology franchise back with four new short films about desire, relationships, vulnerability and the choices people make inside intimate relationships. Netflix has confirmed Vikramaditya Motwane, Kiran Rao, Shakun Batra and Vishal Bhardwaj as the four directors, with a large ensemble led by Radhika Apte, Konkona Sen Sharma, Aditi Rao Hydari, Radhika Madan, Vijay Varma, Siddharth and Ali Fazal.
Lust Stories 3 release date and where to watch
Netflix says Lust Stories 3 will premiere globally on September 18. The official Netflix India listing already carries the film, its trailer and cast details. Netflix has not announced a special India-specific release time, so viewers should rely on the title page in the app rather than unofficial countdowns circulating online.
Lust Stories 3 cast and the four director pairings
The third film keeps the franchise's four-story format but changes the filmmaking line-up again. The confirmed segment pairings are:
Vikramaditya Motwane: Radhika Apte, Konkona Sen Sharma, Vijay Varma and Abhishek Banerjee.
Kiran Rao: Gurfateh Pirzada and newcomer Sana Thampi.
Shakun Batra: Ali Fazal and Radhika Madan.
Vishal Bhardwaj: Aditi Rao Hydari and Siddharth.
Netflix's full ensemble also lists Radhika Apte, Konkona Sen Sharma, Aditi Rao Hydari, Radhika Madan, Sana Thampi, Siddharth, Ali Fazal, Vijay Varma, Abhishek Banerjee and Gurfateh Pirzada. The anthology is produced by RSVP and Flying Unicorn Entertainment, with Ronnie Screwvala and Ashi Dua as producers.
What is Lust Stories 3 about?
There is no single continuous plot. As with the earlier films, Lust Stories 3 is made up of four standalone stories. Netflix describes the new instalment as exploring love, lust, relationships and repressed desire, with the trailer pointing to different combinations of romance, marriage, power, awkwardness and emotional conflict.
That distinction matters for viewers searching for a conventional sequel. The returning element is the anthology concept rather than a continuing set of characters. Each filmmaker gets a separate story and perspective, so audiences can expect changes in tone and setting between segments.
Why the Aditi Rao Hydari and Siddharth segment is drawing attention
Promotion intensified on September 17, one day before release. Vishal Bhardwaj discussed casting real-life couple Aditi Rao Hydari and Siddharth in his Hyderabad-set segment, explaining that the story approaches Siddharth's character through Aditi's perspective. Their pairing gives the anthology an immediately recognisable hook, but it is only one of four stories rather than the film's sole narrative.
How Lust Stories 3 connects to the first two films
The original Lust Stories arrived in 2018 with films by Anurag Kashyap, Zoya Akhtar, Dibakar Banerjee and Karan Johar. It later received International Emmy nominations. Lust Stories 2 followed in 2023 with R. Balki, Konkona Sen Sharma, Sujoy Ghosh and Amit Ravindernath Sharma directing.
The third instalment therefore does not simply repeat the previous directing teams. Its biggest creative draw is the combination of Motwane, Rao, Batra and Bhardwaj, four filmmakers with noticeably different styles working within the same anthology format.
What to know before watching
Netflix India currently labels Lust Stories 3 as an adult-rated romance. The service describes it as an anthology film and a sequel to the Emmy-nominated 2018 title. Viewers do not need to follow a continuing plot from the first two films because the stories and characters are standalone.
For another upcoming Netflix India release, see Headline Thread's The Great Indian Kapil Show Season 5 release date, time and cast explainer.
What happens next
The next meaningful update will come after the September 18 premiere, when reviews and audience reaction can show which of the four segments stands out. Until then, the confirmed information is straightforward: four new stories, four new directors for the franchise, a large ensemble cast and a Netflix release on September 18.
