Adivi Sesh’s Dacoit Movie Review: ‘Kshanam,’ ‘Gudachari,’ ‘Evaru?’ and ‘HIT 2’—with such thrilling superhit movies, audiences already know the caliber of actor Adivi Sesh. The latest film coming from this hero is ‘Dacoit’ (డెకాయిట్). This is a romantic and thrilling action love story, coming nearly three years after Adivi Sesh’s solo hero stint. Mrunal Thakur is playing the heroine.
The film is set to release in theaters on April 10. On April 9, special premiere shows were held for the media in Hyderabad. So, did this action-thrilling story impress the audiences? Could you read our perspective/review?
Movie: Dacoit
Lead Cast: Adivi Sesh, Mrunal Thakur, Anurag Kashyap, Sunil, Kamakshi Bhaskarla, Atul Kulkarni, Zayn Marie Khan Direction: Shaneil Deo
Production: Annapurna Studios, Supriya Yarlagadda, Sunil Narang
Music: Bheems Ceciroleo, RR – Ghani
Cinematography: Dhanush Bhaskar
Editing: Kodati Pavan Kalyan
Runtime: 2 hours, 32 minutes
Release Date: April 10
Rating: 2.5/5
Story
Haridas (Adivi Sesh) and Saraswati (Mrunal Thakur) are lovers. One day, suddenly, Haris house owner Malli (Kamakshi Bhaskarla) Raped. Saraswati’s brother Ramesh and his Supporters attempt to assault her.
To save Malli… Hari arrives at the spot and kills Ramesh. Saraswati knows exactly why Hari killed her brother Ramesh. However, at the police station, she hides the truth and lies that she doesn’t know who Hari is at all. Because of this lie told by Saraswati, Haridas ends up spending **13 years** in Kadapa Central Jail. Believing that his lover Saraswati is the reason his entire life was destroyed, Haridas develops intense hatred towards her and decides to take revenge. With the help of Isaac Bhai (Atul Kulkarni), Haridas escapes from jail. He then comes searching for Saraswati to settle his score with her. By then, Saraswati has married Bhaskar. The couple has a young daughter named Chinni. Bhaskar is undergoing treatment in a hospital. For a surgery, Saraswati needs nearly **one crore rupees** in cash. On the other side, Hari needs money to go to Dubai. With no other option, both of them plan a robbery together.
Now, the remaining story is
– Did their plan succeed?
– What did the police, especially CI Rambabu (Anurag Kashyap), do in the middle?
– Why did Saraswati lie about Hari?
– What happened to Mallipai’s life?
Review & Analysis:
As soon as we hear **Adivi Sesh**, movies like *Kshanam*, *Evaru*, *Gudachari*, and *HIT 2* come to mind—thrilling films that showcase his intensity. In this movie, it seems they have mixed a love story into this kind of genre and made *Dacoit*.
However, debut director Shaneil Deo and Adivi Sesh have not fully succeeded in blending thrilling twists with love emotions. Even though there are one or two thrilling moments and twists, they don’t feel sufficient for this story. The reason is once the main conflict in the story is revealed, the audience can easily predict the climax. This is a major minus for the film. Also, the hero and heroine repeatedly going back to the same place they robbed earlier as thieves doesn’t feel convincing at all. The fact that a person needs heart surgery in just two or three days, yet doesn’t get admitted to the hospital immediately, distances the audience from connecting with the story. Car chases, action sequences, and the casual way they carry bags full of one crore rupees — all these elements seem to pull the audience away from the emotion present in the story.
It is also not understandable why the director designed a concept where a dacoit (bandit) doesn’t know how to drive a four-wheeler car. However, the **heart operation twist** and the main villain’s background story revelations are good and thrilling for the audience. Some sequences after the interval are gripping. The climax twist is predictable.
Adivi Sesh’s stylish on-screen story writing presence felt missing somewhere, especially in the second half and pre-climax scenes. The movie works well from the point of view of an intense love story. But in terms of thrilling elements, the audience may not be fully satisfied. The dialogue delivery by the hero and heroine in the Rayalaseema accent doesn’t feel accurate. Old movies like *Venkatesh* in *Seenu*, *Srikant* in *Preyasi Raave*, etc., might come to mind. However, the attempt to show how corporate hospitals looted people during the corona period is commendable—it is shown very realistically. The love track is good.
Performances & Technical Aspects:
Adivi Sesh, as Haridas, has performed very well. In his previous films, he mostly impressed with intense and thrilling scenes. In this movie, he has excelled even more in emotional scenes. He conveyed emotion effectively in the scene where he says, “It’s not hatred, it’s love.” He also delivered an intense performance in the scene “For me it’s jail… for you it’s home.”
Mrunal Thakur** (as Saraswati) played a strong role, not a regular heroine character. She drove the story forward. It is an action-oriented role filled with intensity, emotions, and love scenes. Mrunal once again scored marks with her unique acting style.
– Police officers: **Anurag Kashyap**, **Zayn Marie Khan**, and **Sunil** acted in their roles. Anurag Kashyap was not utilized properly. Sunil’s character gives a surprising feel in one scene. Zayn Marie Khan’s role didn’t get proper importance.
– **Kamakshi Bhaskarla** appeared in key scenes for the story but didn’t get a role with much acting scope.
– **Atul Kulkarni** as Isaac Bhai and **Prakash Raj** as the CEO of Karuna Hospital performed within the limits of their characters.
– **Bheems Ceciroleo** did not compose the music, but the RR (background score) by Gyan is good at places — especially the song “Kannepettaro” and in emotional scenes.
– Bhaskar’s visuals and editing aspects are good. Some edit scenes in the first half felt superb. Supriya’s production values are rich.
Overall Note from the review:
The film is an intense love story mixed with revenge and robbery elements. It may appeal to audiences looking for strong emotions, but regular thriller lovers might not be fully satisfied with the thrill and action factors.
