The film was released theatrically on 10 April 2026. It received mixed reviews from critics.[8][9][10][11][12]
Plot
The film follows Haridas "Hari", a convict who seeks revenge against his former lover Saraswati after a betrayal leads to his imprisonment. After being released, Hari becomes involved in a series of robberies while pursuing his personal vendetta, which connects his past relationship with a wider criminal chain of events.
As Hari continues his pursuit, his path crosses with Saraswati again, leading to the unfolding of the central conflict between them.
Pawan Singh as cameo appearance in song 'touch buddy'
Production
Development
The film marks the directorial debut of Shaneil Deo, who previously worked as a cinematographer. Adivi Sesh and Deo co-wrote the script over two years, aiming for a "neo-Western" aesthetic reminiscent of films like Sholay and The Magnificent Seven.[6] The story follows a man wrongfully convicted of a crime who escapes prison to seek vengeance.[13]
Casting
In December 2024, Adivi Sesh pitched a role to Anurag Kashyap at the wedding of Naga Chaitanya and Sobhita Dhulipala in Hyderabad.[14] Kashyap, making his acting debut in Telugu cinema, also assisted the team in writing the Hindi dialogues for the film.[15]Shruti Haasan was initially considered for the female lead but was replaced by Mrunal Thakur due to creative differences.[13]
Filming
Principal photography was primarily conducted in North India and the deserts of Rajasthan to capture the Western theme.[6] Filming was completed in March 2026, followed by a wrap party in Hyderabad.[16]
Music
The music was composed by Bheems Ceciroleo. The audio rights were acquired by Sony Music India for ₹8 crores.[17] The first single, a romantic track titled "Rubaroo", was released in February 2026.[18] A cross-cultural track titled "Touchbuddy", featuring Pawan Singh and Jonita Gandhi, was launched in Gorakhpur on 25 March 2026.[19]
Release
Theatrical
The film was originally scheduled for a March 19, 2026, release to coincide with the Ugadi, Gudi Padwa and Eid festivals.[7][20] However, it was postponed to 10 April 2026 to avoid a box-office clash with Dhurandhar 2.[21] The film released worldwide theatrically on April 10th, 2026.
Yashaswini Sri of The Indian Express gave the film 3.5/5 stars and noted that it earns its emotional punches slowly rather than announcing them early.[8] Vinamra Mathur of Firstpost also gave the film 3.5/5 stars and wrote "Adivi Sesh-Mrunal Thakur's crime-drama is powered by its swiftness and unpredictability". She called it a drama about hope and despair and wrote "You sit back and enjoy the twists and turns that the makers throw at you. But you also feel afraid for the fate of the two characters who are now united by their catastrophic circumstances."[9]
Devesh Sharma of Filmfare gave the film 3/5 stars and said "Dacoit: A Love Story is a film of compelling beginnings and uneven resolutions. It sets out to explore the fragile boundary between love and vengeance with emotional sincerity, and for a time, it succeeds. Yet, in its pursuit of narrative complexity and spectacle, it loses sight of the intimacy that once defined it."[10] Simran Singh of Daily News and Analysis gave it 3/5 stars writing "Adivi Sesh and Mrunal Thakur's Dacoit is certainly an engaging, entertaining watch, and the credit goes to smart writing, giving a new spin to a mundane love story."[23]
Sangeetha Devi Dundoo of The Hindu wrote "For that to land, the writing of both characters and subplots needs to hold. Sesh and Shaneil, who share screenplay credits, pack the film with layered, often complex characters. Threads of possible deceit and double-crossing keep the narrative engaging at key moments. While a few characters verge on being one-note, the complexity of the central figures ultimately works in the film’s favour."[24]
T Maruthi Acharya of India Today rated 2.5/5 stars and wrote "The first half earns your attention, the second half spends it unevenly, and you leave the theatre thinking about what it could have been rather than what it was."[25]
Ronak Kotecha of The Times of India rated 2/5 stars and noted "Dacoit: The Love Story aims to ride that high with a mix of intensity, emotion and swagger. But instead of coming together as a gripping entertainer, it ends up feeling uneven and overstuffed - a film with big intentions that ultimately turns into a misfire."[26] Mayank Shekhar of Mid-Day rated 2/5 stars and wrote "Within all that design, gritty sepia tones, though, that tells you nothing about the characters, or takes the story forward - I've spent more time wondering about what was going through the filmmakers' heads, rather than what's in the film!"[27]
Aishani Biswas of Outlook India rated 1.5/5 stars and wrote "Dacoit is a romance weighed down by ambition, where strong themes fail to find a convincing story."[28]
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