Dacoit Review: Climax saves a dull ride

What’s Dacoit about?

Haridas (Adivi Sesh) has spent the last 13 years in prison, holding on to a single goal, escaping from jail. With the help of Ishad Bhai (Atul Kulkarni), he finally gets an opportunity to break free, with plans to settle in Dubai. But Haridas needs to arrange a substantial amount of money to make it possible. He decides to steal.

Haridas also carries a deep emotional wound. He wants to confront his former lover Saraswathi (Mrunal Thakur), whom he fondly calls Juliet and whose name he has tattooed on his hand. In his mind, she is the reason he ended up in prison.

Fate brings them face to face at a hospital, where Saraswathi is desperately trying to arrange Rs 1 crore for her husband’s transplant. She now has a six-year-old daughter, Chinnu, and is dealing with a completely different life from their past.

At the same time, Haridas notices the hospital chairman moving large amounts of unaccounted cash in an ambulance. He sees an opportunity, but there is a problem. He does not know how to drive. He seeks Saraswathi’s help, offering her the money she urgently needs if she agrees to drive the vehicle.

Why did Saraswathi send him to prison? Did she really betray him? Now that they have come face to face again, will Haridas choose revenge or redemption?

Analysis

“Dacoit: Oka Prema Katha” as the title suggests promises a love story with action, but what it delivers is neither a conventional romance nor a proper dacoity drama. Not only is the title misleading, the film itself turns out to be a mishmash of multiple ideas with no compelling drive.

Adivi Sesh has co-written the story along with debutant director Shaneil Deo, but the narrative lacks novelty. It throws in several ideas, yet the blend is far from seamless. The film keeps shifting tones without settling into a clear direction.

It begins on a note reminiscent of The Shawshank Redemption, then moves into a Hollywood-style action zone, slips into Tamil-style sentiment, briefly touches the terrain of Mississippi Burning, and eventually reminds one of Blood Diamond and Preyasi Raave. This is not to suggest copying, but the writing constantly evokes other films, never giving the impression of a cohesive or original script.

Moreover, Adivi Sesh’s films usually rely on logic and reasoning, but here, logic often takes a backseat. Several scenes unfold for convenience.

This is perhaps the first time in recent years that an Adivi Sesh film appears so confused about its core story. Leave aside the plot, even the screenplay and narrative style lack freshness and engagement. The entire first half feels bland. The much-hyped songs like “Palapittaro Kannukottaro” and item song “Chicchubuddi” barely leave an impact and are forgotten by the interval.

Thankfully, the film finds some footing in the second half, particularly in the final stretch. The last 30 minutes, which reveal several withheld moments and secrets, are engaging. The climax portion works effectively.

The very title raises a basic question. A dacoit is someone involved in robbery and murder, someone in the league of Phoolan Devi. But what exactly makes Adivi Sesh a “dacoit” in this film? The label feels forced rather than earned. To make matters worse, the film ends with a character saying, “vaadu dacoit anukunna kaani hero.” It sounds clichéd. One hardly expects such writing from an Adivi Sesh film.

Even the characterization of Sesh lacks depth and consistency. In the beginning, he is portrayed as someone weak in English due to his underprivileged and lower-caste background. Yet, he keeps referring to Saraswathi as “Juliet,” which feels tonally inconsistent. He struggles to learn driving despite repeated attempts by Mrunal Thakur’s character to teach him.

However, after spending 13 years in prison, he suddenly appears transformed. He rides a bike like a professional while evading the police and handles machine guns and revolvers with ease. This shift is not backed by convincing progression. If he can ride a bike with such skill, learning to drive a car should not have been this difficult. The inconsistency stands out.

Mrunal’s character also raises questions. She is introduced as someone from an affluent background, yet later struggles to arrange money for her husband’s transplant. What happened to that affluence? The film does not offer clarity.

There are too many such logical gaps. These inconsistencies weaken the narrative and make it difficult to stay invested.

Set in the Madanapalle region of Andhra Pradesh during the COVID-19 period, the backdrop has limited impact. While the pandemic setting has some relevance, the regional setting does not add much. Adivi Sesh’s attempt at the local dialect feels inconsistent, and some dialogues are difficult to follow.

Mrunal Thakur delivers a strong performance and shines in the final act. She deserves appreciation for both her role and acting.

Among the supporting cast, most characters lack proper arcs. Anurag Kashyap stands out with a better-defined role, while Zayn Marie Khan has no proper characterization. Prakash Raj and Sunil appear more like extended cameos.

On the technical front, Gyaani’s background score is the film’s biggest strength. It is impactful and often elevates the proceedings. Bheems delivers a different musical approach, with “Rubaru” standing out, though the songs do not leave an impression due to the dominance of the background score. Cinematographer Dhanush Bhaskar gives the film a slick visual texture.

Writer Abburi Ravi appears in a brief role apart from penning dialogues, but his screenplay lacks effectiveness.

Bottom line: “Dacoit” has a terrific background score and effective climax portion. But the overall experience remains underwhelming.

Rating: 2.5/5

By Jalapathy Gudelli