Adivi Sesh has steadily built a reputation as one of Telugu cinema’s most dependable actors, largely because of the subjects he chooses and the involvement he has in his films. Over the years, he has delivered a string of successful movies, and Major even found success in the Hindi market. After a gap of four years, his latest film Dacoit released on Friday in both Telugu and Hindi. The film marks the directorial debut of Shaniel Deo, while Mrunal Thakur plays the female lead. Anurag Kashyap, Prakash Raj, Sunil and Atul Kulkarni appear in important roles.

Whenever Adivi Sesh is involved in the story and screenplay, audiences expect something different. That has been one of the key reasons behind his success. With Dacoit too, the makers promoted it as a love story wrapped in an action backdrop.

At its core, however, Dacoit follows a familiar template. It is a story about whether the man at the centre is ultimately a good dacoit or a bad one. Telugu cinema has explored such characters for decades, where the hero may become a thief or an outlaw, but eventually reveals a softer side. Dacoit also follows that route, though it adds a few twists along the way.

Director: Shaniel Deo

Cast: Adivi Sesh, Mrunal Thakur, Prakash Raj, Atul Kulkarni, Anurag Kashyap, Sunil, Vaibhav, Kamakshi Bhaskarla, Zayn Marie Khan and others

Haridas (Adivi Sesh) has spent the last 13 years in prison after being convicted in a murder case. During the COVID period, while being shifted from Kadapa Central Jail to another prison, he escapes with the help of his friend Ishad (Atul Kulkarni). Hari has only one plan in mind. He wants to go to Dubai and settle there, but for that he needs Rs 60 lakh. Before leaving, however, he wants to take revenge on his former girlfriend Saraswathi, also known as Juliat (Mrunal Thakur), whom he believes is responsible for sending him to jail.

When Hari finally meets Saraswathi after many years, he finds that she is now married and has a six-year-old daughter. Her husband Bhaskar (Vaibhav) is seriously ill and needs an expensive heart transplant. Desperate for money, Saraswathi is struggling between the hospital and her home. Hari decides to use her situation to his advantage. He plans a heist and involves Saraswathi as the driver of the stolen vehicle. His intention is twofold: to arrange the money he needs for Dubai and to make Saraswathi the scapegoat as part of his revenge.

Meanwhile, police officer CI Swami (Anurag Kashyap) and his daughter, who is also a cop (Zayn Marie Khan), are searching for Hari after his escape. The owner of Karuna Hospital (Prakash Raj), who exploits patients during the COVID crisis, also becomes an important part of Hari’s plan. Malli (Kamakshi Bhaskarla), who was once close to Hari before he went to prison, also has an important connection to him. What follows is a series of twists and turns as Hari’s carefully laid plan begins to change.

Adivi Sesh has co-written the story and screenplay along with debut director Shaniel Deo. Since the story is set during the COVID period, the film briefly touches upon how hospitals exploited patients in the name of the pandemic. It also hints at caste issues. However, both these themes are only touched upon and never explored in depth. These are serious issues that could have made the film more powerful, but the makers choose to focus more on the action and the heist.

The film is marketed as a love story with action, but the romantic angle loses momentum within the first half hour. The emotional bond between Hari and Saraswathi is not developed strongly enough. Their relationship is conveyed quickly through a few scenes and the song 'Rubaroo', making it difficult to feel deeply invested in them.

The biggest issue with Dacoit is that the story becomes predictable after a point. Once it is revealed that Saraswathi is married and has a daughter, the audience begins to expect a major twist in the second half. Since this is an Adivi Sesh film, there is an expectation that the screenplay will take an unexpected turn, but the film does not fully deliver on that promise.

Instead of remaining a love story, the film gradually becomes more about Hari sacrificing himself for his former lover after seeing her difficult circumstances. Telugu cinema has explored such stories many times before, and Dacoit does not offer much that feels fresh.

Another drawback is the lack of emotional depth in the supporting characters. The roles of actors like Anurag Kashyap, Prakash Raj and Sunil are not written strongly enough to leave a lasting impact.

At the same time, the film works well whenever it shifts into action mode. Hari’s prison escape, the chase sequences and the heist portions are designed effectively and keep the audience engaged. These scenes are among the film’s biggest strengths. Some scenes, however, lack logic. Saraswathi agreeing to take part in the heist despite her personal situation feels unconvincing. Similarly, there are moments where dozens of police officers fire at the lead pair, yet they still find enough time to have long conversations in the middle of the chaos.

Still, the climax offers a genuine surprise and carries some emotional weight. It is here that the film finally answers whether Hari is truly a good dacoit or a bad one.

Technically, Dacoit is mounted on a rich scale. Cinematographer Dhanush Bhaskar gives the film a polished look, and every frame appears visually strong. Gyaani’s background score is one of the film’s biggest highlights. His music elevates many scenes, especially the action episodes. Bheems Ceciroleo’s songs are decent, with 'Rubaroo' standing out the most.

As for the performances, Adivi Sesh once again proves why he is such a reliable actor. As Haridas, he handles both shades of the character well — the man driven by revenge and the man still carrying traces of love. Mrunal Thakur delivers another performance-oriented role in Telugu cinema. She is particularly effective in the second half, where she brings intensity and emotion to Saraswathi. Prakash Raj has only a limited role, while Sunil’s character is underwritten. Anurag Kashyap is decent as CI Swami, though Zayn Marie Khan’s role feels unnecessary. Kamakshi Bhaskarla leaves an impression in her key scenes, while Atul Kulkarni has only a brief but important part. Abburi Ravi’s dialogues are effective in several places.

Overall, Dacoit does not offer anything particularly new, but it works as a passable action drama. Adivi Sesh and Mrunal Thakur carry the film with their performances, while the action episodes provide enough thrills to keep it engaging.