Dacoit Movie Review: Good Twists, Weak Emotional Connect

Adivi Sesh has a unique identity among the audience. He has received a series of successes as a hero with content-driven stories. His latest film is Dacoit and has Mrunal Thakur as the female lead. Shaniel Deo makes his directorial debut with this film which was released in Telugu and Hindi.

Story:

Hari Das (Adivi Sesh) is a prisoner. Due to the lies and betrayal of the woman he loves, Saraswati (Mrunal Thakur), he ends up in jail despite committing no crime. After escaping and coming out of prison, Hari plans to take revenge on Saraswati. What exactly was the betrayal (the lie) that Saraswati did to Hari? What happened to Hari’s plan to take revenge on Saraswati? What happens in the end? The answers to all these questions can be found by watching the film.

Performances

Dacoit is a different film for Adivi Sesh as an actor. So far, he has not done such a mass role. He also speaks in a different accent. The film shows that he can handle commercial and mass roles as well. Mrunal Thakur once again delivers an emotional performance. She expresses the emotions of making mistakes under pressure very well. The lead pair competes well in acting.

When it comes to the rest of the cast, Kamakshi Bhaskar’s role is limited, but she does justice to it. Care should be taken to avoid typecasting. Prakash Raj is a strong presence and suits his role well. Anurag Kashyap as SI, Jayan Maria Khan as his daughter and a police officer, Sunil as another cop, and Atul Kulkarni play routine characters. John Kokken, known for villain roles, surprises in this film, and the twist in his role works well. Singer Jonita Gandhi appears in a special song.

Technical Aspects

Technically, the editing and sound mixing in Dacoit are fantastic. Gyani’s re-recording and sound mixing give even normal scenes and action episodes an adrenaline rush. The film reaches the interval without much story progression, but the background score creates interest. Even after the interval, the technical team delivers well.

Analysis

When it comes to the story of Dacoit, Srikanth’s Preyasi Raave comes to mind. It cannot be said that both stories are the same, but similarities are visible. Writers Adivi Sesh and Shaniel Deo have tried to tell such a story afresh. By giving a thriller touch to the love story, they wanted to present the film in a racy manner. To some extent, it works.

But in the second half, maintaining the same tempo becomes frustrating. The writers and director focused more on twists than emotions and sentiments. However, the screenplay magic did not work out. As the story progresses, the feeling of routine increases. When the climax arrives, the routine is given a slightly different ending. This has become somewhat routine in Sesh’s films.

The main reason for Dacoit’s disappointment is the story and background. Especially some of the elements shown in the story. There seems to be no need for caste discrimination in such a story. It does not add much impact. Another issue is the time period. There have been allegations that some hospitals looted people during the COVID period. These two elements were used to move the story forward, but they failed to create an impact. The AB negative blood group and heart transplant angle also do not create much impact.

However, the main story and twists are not impressive enough, which may disappoint the audience. This is Shaniel Deo’s first film as a director, but his experience in cinematography is evident, as the film looks good visually. Producer Supriya Yarlagadda has not spent unnecessarily on the film. Bheems has given good songs.

Twists work well for thriller movies. But for a love story, it is very important to have a soul. Thriller movies can be driven by narrative rather than story. But in a love story, the emotional core is more important than twists and turns. In Dacoit, the story is less, and the technical touch is more. So, at the end of the day, there is no satisfying feeling.

Verdict

Adivi Sesh is known for thriller films, and twists are a strong point in his movies. Dacoit also has good twists. However, this is a love story, not just a thriller. The emotional depth required for such a story is missing. There is love in the story, but more focus is given to thrills than emotions. Except for the climax, there are hardly any heart-touching moments. Adivi Sesh and Mrunal Thakur deliver solid performances, but the film fails to fully engage the audience. It is better to watch it without expectations.