Dacoit Review {2.5/5} & Review Rating
Star Cast: Adivi Sesh, Mrunal Thakur, Anurag Kashyap
Director: Shaneil Deo
Dacoit Movie Review Synopsis:
DACOIT is the tale of a man who is running away.
The story starts in 2005. Haridas, also known as Hari (Adivi Sesh), meets Saraswati (Mrunal Thakur) in the village of Hindupuram, and they fall in love. They spend a couple of years together. Hari is from a lower caste and is an orphan, whereas Saraswati comes from a wealthy upper-caste family. Saraswati wants Hari to become financially stable, believing that only then can he ask for her hand in marriage. But things take a turn when Hari and Saraswati are caught together by her family. A series of events follow, and because of Saraswati, Hari ends up in jail. Thirteen years pass. Now it is 2021, during the time of the coronavirus, and Hari is in Kadapa Central Prison. His old friend, Ishaq Bhai (Atul Kulkarni), visits him. Hari tells him about how he was wrongly treated by Saraswati and expresses his wish to escape from jail. Ishaq helps him plan an escape. He also arranges a way for Hari to leave the country on a ship that is set to go from Mumbai soon. Hari needs 70 lakhs to escape, so he decides to steal the money. Before doing this, he watches Saraswati and finds out she also needs money badly. So, he asks her for help in carrying out the plan. Saraswati agrees because Hari promises to steal a large sum that can solve both their problems. However, Hari has a hidden agenda. The rest of the film follows what happens next.
Dacoit Movie Story Review:
The story by Adivi Sesh and Shaneil Deo is complicated but has potential.
The screenplay, also written by Kaarthikeya Kalakota, is interesting but has a few issues. The Hindi dialogues by Yash Eshwari are a mix of good and bad parts. Some one-liners add drama, but many are weak and poorly worded.
Shaneil Deo's direction is not the best.
But he made the film look big and cinematic. Some scenes are fun, like Hari escaping from jail, getting an idea to steal from the hospital, and the intermission. One of his special techniques is using multiple scenes at the same time, instead of just switching between two things. This works well, especially in the scene where Hari tells Ishaq about his wrongs, and the visuals jump between different parts of his prison life with strong music. The makers also add some twists that can surprise the audience.
On the other hand, the flashbacks are messy.
The makers wanted to hide some important details, but the way it's done is not effective. There are too many changes to the story, and the biggest one is revealed before the big twist. Even though the twist gives a quick surprise, it raises questions about how such a weak script got approval.
Dacoit Movie Review Performances:
Adivi Sesh delivers a subtle and massy performance.
He handles both aspects well and gives a good show. Mrunal Thakur gets a role backed by an author and she does it with conviction. After SITA RAMAM [2022] and THE FAMILY STAR [2024], she again proves she can carry leading roles in Telugu cinema easily. Anurag Kashyap (D Rambabu) plays a different kind of character this time and he is reliable. Prakash Raj (Karuna Hospital founder) starts off like the villain from GABBAR IS BACK [2015], but his character changes later. He adds his own style to it. Atul Kulkarni supports well. Sunil (Prasad; cop) makes an impression, while Zayn Marie Khan does a decent job but isn’t given much to work with. The same goes for Kamakshi Bhaskarla (Malli). Her character is important but she isn’t given enough credit. Vaibhav Tatwawadi (Bhaskar) is okay.
Dacoit Movie Music and Other Technical Aspects:
Bheems Ceciroleo’s music is forgettable.
None of the songs – 'Tu Jahaan', 'Rubaroo', or 'Touch Buddy' – will be remembered. Gyaani’s background score, with additional work by S Anant Srikar, has a massy feel.
Datta Pawar, Shashank Singh, and Rahul Bandi’s cinematography adds to the film’s grand scale.
Rekha Boggarapu’s costumes and Sri Nagendra Tangala’s production design look real. The action by A Vijay, Maibam Nabakanta, Rabin Subbu, King Solomon, Jeevan Botimala, and Naba is entertaining and not overly violent. Kodati Pavan Kalyan’s editing is okay but a bit messy in the flashbacks at the start.
Dacoit Movie Review Conclusion:
Overall, DACOIT holds interest thanks to its massy moments, action, and performances.
However, the story is let down by poor execution, weak points, and a confusing twist. At the box office, the Telugu version is expected to do well on its opening day, while the Hindi version is likely to start off slowly. If it gains popularity among Hindi-speaking audiences, it might benefit from its clear week in the market.
