Dacoit: A Love Story, a bilingual action thriller with Adivi Sesh And Mrunal Thakurhits theaters today (April 10, 2026). Directed by Shaneil Deo and produced by Annapurna Studios, the film created a lot of buzz with its impressive promos and intense premise. Here is our full Dacoit review.
Story
day (Adivi Sesh) ends up in jail for a crime he didn't commit because Saraswathi gave a false statement (Mrunal Thakur), whom he loves very much and calls Julia. He escapes from prison and vows to make her life hell. The rest of the film follows how Hari carries out his revenge plans, what made Saraswathi betray him, and how their tumultuous journey ends.
performances
Adivi Sesh does a decent job in the lead role. He shines in emotional scenes and convincingly delivers some powerful dialogues. However, the inconsistency of his accent is somewhat distracting. Mrunal Thakur is good, she gives her character emotional depth and maintains that intensity throughout the film.
Anurag Kashyap is fine in his role, while Zyan Marie Khan, Prakash Raj, Atul KulkarniSuneel and Zarina Wahab didn't have much scope to showcase their talents.
analysis
Shaneil Deo directs Dacoit Adivi Sesh as a point of attraction. Sesh is known for choosing unique or offbeat scripts, but this time he chooses a relatively conventional story that requires solid script execution to stand out.
The premise is quickly established in the first few minutes. With the story largely revealed in the trailer itself – a hero betrayed by his lover seeking revenge after breaking out of prison – the film relies heavily on emotional moments and twists to keep viewers hooked. The flashback sequences work reasonably well and the Rubaru song provides a romantic high. The Kannepittaro moment brings emotional upliftment while Mrunal ThakurThe character battles are established in the usual way. However, her first meeting with Sesh is well designed.
The crime element adds extra tension and the heist episodes in the first half maintain their momentum. In the second half, Dacoit shifts the focus to emotional storytelling and uses action sequences sparingly but effectively.
The twists and backstory are fairly predictable, but the emotional impact comes through well in key moments – particularly the scene between the child and Adivi Sesh. The action sequence near the climax feels stretched, but the final twist packs the right emotional punch and elevates the ending.
Positive
- Mrunal Thakur And Adivi Sesh's performances
- Heist episodes in the first half
- Visuals and background music
- Emotional climax
Negatives
- Predictable scenes, especially the backstory
- Stretched sequences in the second half
- Overall, the pace feels slow at times
Final verdict
Dacoit offers strong performances from Adivi Sesh And Mrunal Thakurimpressive technical work and an emotionally satisfying climax. While the sprawling script and predictable moments hold it back from greatness, the film still proves to be a decent one-off for fans of emotional action dramas.
