Dacoit: A Love Story Review — Adivi Sesh’s Revenge Drama Is Flawed, Fierce, and Surprisingly Hard to Shake

Published: May 10, 2026 | Platform: Amazon Prime Video | Genre: Action Romance Drama | Runtime: 2 hours 29 minutes | Theatrical Release: April 10, 2026 | OTT Release: May 8, 2026 | OTT Languages: Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam

Let me tell you something about the kind of movies that leave you sitting there after the credits roll — not because they were perfect, but because they got under your skin in ways you did not quite expect. Dacoit: A Love Story is very much that kind of film.

I went in knowing the box office numbers had been ugly. Around 41 crore gross at the Indian box office against a budget that clearly wanted to be taken seriously at the national level. I went in knowing the critics had been split almost perfectly down the middle — some calling it one of Adivi Sesh’s most ambitious works, others calling it a beautiful mess. I went in thinking I would give it ninety minutes and then move on to something else.

Two hours and twenty-nine minutes later, I was still watching. And I was not entirely sure whether to be moved or frustrated. Somehow, I ended up being both.

That is exactly what Dacoit: A Love Story does to you. It is not a clean film. It is not a perfectly written film. But it has a raw, beating emotional core — a love story that dares to put caste injustice, betrayal, and the wreckage of COVID-era corruption right at the center of a mass commercial entertainer — and that ambition alone deserves to be taken seriously.

So let us take it seriously.

What Is Dacoit: A Love Story — The Full Setup

Dacoit: A Love Story is a 2026 Indian action romantic drama, simultaneously shot in Telugu and Hindi. The Telugu title is Dacoit: Oka Prema Katha and the Hindi title is Dacoit: Ek Prem Katha. It was produced by Supriya Yarlagadda under the legendary Annapurna Studios banner, in association with SS Creations and Suniel Narang Productions. The film was directed by Shaneil Deo in his feature directorial debut, and co-written by Deo and Adivi Sesh — who also stars as the lead.

The film released in theatres worldwide on April 10, 2026, after being originally scheduled for March 19, 2026. It was postponed to avoid a box office clash with Dhurandhar 2. Its OTT streaming rights were acquired by Amazon Prime Video, and the film began streaming on May 8, 2026.

The premise is deceptively simple. A man wrongfully convicted for crimes he did not commit walks out of prison after thirteen years with one thing on his mind — revenge. Then the woman who caused his ruin walks back into his life. And nothing stays simple after that.

Sesh and director Shaneil Deo co-wrote the script over two years, chasing what they described as a neo-Western aesthetic — something that carried the DNA of Sholay and The Magnificent Seven while being rooted in contemporary Telugu cinema. That is an ambitious target. Whether they hit it fully is a different conversation. But the target itself tells you everything about the kind of film they were trying to make.

Languages Available on Amazon Prime Video — Get This Right

This needs to be stated clearly and accurately because there is a lot of misinformation floating around online.

Dacoit: A Love Story is currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video in exactly four languages:

Telugu — the primary production language and the version in which Adivi Sesh’s performance carries the most authentic weight and texture. This is the version to watch if you understand the language.

Tamil — available as a dubbed version.

Malayalam — available as a dubbed version.

Kannada — available as a dubbed version.

Now here is the important clarification. The film was simultaneously shot in Hindi as a full production — not a dub. A Hindi version exists. However, the Hindi version was part of the theatrical release, and it has not been made available on Prime Video as part of the OTT streaming package. Several pre-release articles incorrectly predicted Hindi would be included on Prime Video. It was not. If you are a Hindi-speaking viewer, the Hindi version is not available for streaming on Prime Video as of the date of this review.

The Complete Cast and Their Roles

Adivi Sesh as Haridas (Hari)

Hari is a Dalit man from Hindupuram whose life was destroyed by a society that was never designed to give him a fair chance. He loved Saraswati across caste lines, was falsely implicated in crimes he did not commit, served thirteen years in Kadapa Central Jail, and walked out with nothing but rage and a plan. Sesh brings genuine physical commitment to the role, and this is one of the most ambitious performances of his career. When the film lets him be quiet and wounded, he is excellent. The Rayalaseema dialect he attempts draws criticism from Telugu-speaking audiences for sounding studied rather than inhabited in places — that is a fair point — but the emotional sincerity he brings to the character’s grief and fury throughout the runtime never wavers.

Mrunal Thakur as Saraswati (Juliet)

Mrunal is the film’s most valuable asset and its true emotional backbone. She plays Saraswati, a woman whose life and choices are considerably more complicated than the simple betrayer label the story initially puts on her. Her job is to make the audience understand a character they are supposed to hate — and she does it with extraordinary restraint and layered precision. Across multiple publications and platforms, critics and audience members have independently identified this as among the finest work she has delivered in a South Indian production. That consensus is entirely earned. There is a particular sequence in the second half, involving a revelation about her real motivations, that lands exactly as intended — because Thakur has spent the entire film quietly building the emotional foundation it needs.

Anurag Kashyap as the Antagonist Cop

This is Anurag Kashyap’s acting debut in Telugu cinema. Adivi Sesh pitched the role to him personally at the wedding of Naga Chaitanya and Sobhita Dhulipala in Hyderabad in December 2024, and Kashyap agreed on the spot. Beyond acting, he also contributed to writing the Hindi dialogues for the film. On screen, he plays a cop pursuing Hari after Hari incapacitates his daughter — also a cop — during one of his escapes. Kashyap brings a natural gravitational darkness to every scene. The disappointment is that the character is underwritten for most of the runtime. His climax scene, however, has been called out specifically by OTT audiences as one of the film’s genuine highlights.

Prakash Raj as the Hospital Owner

Prakash Raj plays the owner of the hospital chain that Hari targets repeatedly for dacoity — a man connected to the COVID-era corruption that runs beneath the film’s crime plot. He is one of South Indian cinema’s greatest living character actors. He delivers everything written for him, elevates it, and is then gone before the film has truly used him. It remains one of the film’s most glaring missed opportunities.

Atul Kulkarni as Ishaq Bhai

Ishaq Bhai is Hari’s ex-cellmate from Kadapa jail — the man who helps him escape and continues to support his mission of revenge and escape from the country. Kulkarni brings quiet authority to the role. The character has a clear and important function in the story, but like most of the supporting cast here, he deserved more development.

Sunil as the Corrupt Cop

Sunil plays a corrupt cop on Prakash Raj’s payroll, tasked with outsmarting Hari and Saraswati for a substantial reward. He brings comic energy and some sharper dramatic beats, and his familiarity to Telugu audiences keeps his performance grounded.

Zayn Marie Khan and Kamakshi Bhaskarla

Both play female supporting roles. Kamakshi Bhaskarla in particular makes a genuine impression in a brief but pointed sequence. Both deliver their parts well within the limited screen time they receive.

The Full Technical Team

Director: Shaneil Deo — a former cinematographer making his feature directorial debut. His visual instincts are consistently strong. The second half demonstrates real narrative confidence. As debuts go, this is a promising one.

Screenplay: Shaneil Deo and Adivi Sesh, with additional writing from Yash Eshawari and Abburi Ravi.

Producer: Supriya Yarlagadda under Annapurna Studios, with SS Creations and Suniel Narang Productions.

Music: Bheems Ceciroleo — The album is decent. A couple of songs land emotionally. The special track Touchbuddy, featuring Bhojpuri star Pawan Singh and singer Jonita Gandhi, was launched in Gorakhpur on March 28, 2026. It works as a crowd-pleaser for single-screen audiences but feels slightly out of register with the film’s emotional tone. Audio rights were acquired by Sony Music India for Rs. 8 crore. The first single, a romantic track called Rubaroo, was released in February 2026.

Background Score: Gyaani — Consistently strong, particularly during action sequences. Multiple reviewers singled out the background score as one of the film’s reliable technical strengths.

Cinematography: Danush Bhaskar — The film’s most consistent department. Bhaskar shoots the deserts of Rajasthan with a dusty, golden menace that earns the neo-Western visual identity the filmmakers were chasing.

Editing: Kodati Pavan Kalyan — Mixed. Sharp cuts in the second half, inconsistent pacing in the first.

Production Designer: Sri Nagendra Tangala

Costume Designer: Rekha Boggarapu

Post-production: DI, sound mix, and VFX completed at Annapurna Studios.

US Distributor: Moksha Movies

The Plot of Dacoit: A Love Story — Full Breakdown

The film opens in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Haridas — Hari — is a Dalit convict from Hindupuram serving time in Kadapa Central Jail. With the help of his ex-cellmate Ishaq Bhai, Hari escapes. The reason he is in prison: he was falsely accused of killing Saraswati’s brother Ramesh and raping a woman named Malli — crimes he did not commit — because those with social power around Saraswati could not tolerate a love that crossed caste lines.

After his escape, Hari becomes a dacoit. He targets the hospital chain owned by Prakash Raj’s character — not randomly, but with specific, calculated intent against a system of COVID-era corruption that exploited the poor and vulnerable during the pandemic. SI Janaki is assigned to capture him. In one of the film’s early sequences, Hari holds her at knifepoint and escapes.

Then destiny pushes Hari and Saraswati back into the same orbit. Saraswati is already navigating her own painful personal circumstances involving her husband and daughter. The mission that reunites them is one of Hari’s robberies — and he has deliberately framed Saraswati in the process, giving himself leverage over the woman he once loved and then came to hate.

As the two of them navigate this forced proximity, the full story of what actually happened between them begins to emerge. Was Saraswati’s betrayal voluntary? Was she coerced? What really led to Hari’s conviction? The film builds toward these answers carefully across its second half, and the revelation about Saraswati’s true motivations is the film’s strongest and most emotionally honest sequence.

The final act brings everything back to the question of love, guilt, sacrifice, and whether justice and forgiveness can coexist. When Dacoit trusts these questions fully — which it does in its closing act — it reaches a level of emotional honesty that the first half did not fully set up, but cannot diminish.

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The OTT Reception — A Theatrical Flop That Became a Streaming Hit

When Dacoit hit Prime Video on May 8, 2026, something genuinely interesting happened. A film that had struggled at the box office trended at number one across Amazon Prime Video India on its very first day of streaming.

OTT audiences, watching without the pressure of ticket prices and multiplex expectations, responded very differently than theatrical audiences had. Social media reactions were a mix of genuine praise for Adivi Sesh and Mrunal Thakur’s performances, specific appreciation for Anurag Kashyap’s climax scene, and honest criticism about pacing and the film’s inability to fully deliver on its own ambition. Even the critics who found fault acknowledged the performances.

India TV gave the film 3 out of 5 stars in its OTT review and noted that the film leans into its style and larger-than-life moments, and that Sesh and Thakur keep you invested even when the writing wavers.

The number one trend on the day of release, despite the theatrical disappointment, says something real about how differently the same film can land in two different viewing environments.

Box Office Performance in Detail

Opening day: Rs. 7.63 crore Day two: Rs. 8 crore First week total: Rs. 28.45 crore Second week total: Rs. 5.45 crore (83 percent decline from first week) Final India gross: Rs. 41.25 crore

The Telugu states contributed approximately Rs. 28 crore, with Rs. 15.50 crore from Nizam, Rs. 11 crore from Andhra, and Rs. 1.50 crore from Ceeded. North India added Rs. 8.50 crore. Karnataka contributed Rs. 4 crore.

Against a reported budget of Rs. 65 crore, this made Dacoit a box office disappointment by any measure.

What Is Genuinely Great

Mrunal Thakur’s performance is the film’s most durable achievement. Not just as a standout turn in an uneven film, but as genuinely great screen acting that deserves attention entirely on its own terms.

The cinematography by Danush Bhaskar is consistently excellent. He gives the film a visual identity that the script could not always match.

The second half is substantially stronger than the first. The tonal escalation, the narrative unpredictability, and the emotional payoff in the final act are all things the film earned.

The background score is one of the best technical contributions across the runtime.

The themes are brave. Caste injustice, COVID-era exploitation, and inter-caste love as an act of defiance are conversations that deserve exactly this kind of mainstream platform, and the film does not shy away from them.

Anurag Kashyap’s climax scene delivers the dramatic moment the film needed from him, even if the character could have been developed better across the full runtime.

What Could Have Been Better

The first half has serious structural problems. The romance is familiar, the pacing drags, and the key sequences — the jail escape, the interval robbery — lack the craft and staging impact they needed to set up a stronger second half.

The supporting cast is underused. Anurag Kashyap, Prakash Raj, and Atul Kulkarni are three of the most capable actors available in Indian cinema. All three are given insufficient material. For a film built for pan-Indian reach, this is a significant oversight.

Adivi Sesh’s Rayalaseema dialect does not land consistently. This became one of the most consistent criticisms in Telugu-language reviews, and it is a valid one. The dialect sounds studied rather than inhabited in places, which creates a recurring disconnect.

The Touchbuddy special song interrupts the film’s emotional flow at the wrong moment.

The organ trade subplot, which touches on COVID-era hospital corruption with real social specificity, is not developed with the depth it deserves. It ends up serving plot mechanics rather than thematic argument.

Ratings and Reviews From Top Publications

Indian Express: 3.5 out of 5 Praised the film for earning its emotional punches slowly rather than announcing them early. Patient viewers are rewarded.

Firstpost: 3.5 out of 5 Called it a crime drama powered by swiftness and unpredictability. A story about hope and despair that keeps you afraid for its characters, despite some implausible scenes.

Filmfare: 3 out of 5 Compelling beginnings, uneven resolutions. Sets out with emotional sincerity but loses sight of the intimacy that defined it.

DNA (Daily News and Analysis): 3 out of 5 Smart writing that gives a new spin to a familiar love story structure and keeps audience engagement alive.

123Telugu: 3.25 out of 5 Praised the cinematography and action sequence design. Noted the dialect and editing inconsistency as weak points.

The Hindu Acknowledged layered characters and threads of deceit that keep the narrative engaging at key moments, while noting that subplot writing does not always hold.

Open Magazine: 3 out of 5 The cross-caste love story is where the film’s best instincts live. The mass entertainment elements work against the intimacy the story needed.

Times of India: 2 out of 5 The film fails to deliver on its intensity and emotional swagger ambitions.

Outlook India: 1.5 out of 5 A romance weighed down by ambition where strong themes fail to find a convincing story.

India TV (OTT Review): 3 out of 5 A full-blown masala entertainer that leans into its style. The performances by Sesh and Thakur keep you invested even when the writing wavers.

IMDb: 7.9 out of 10 Audience score that reflects a considerably more generous reception than the mixed critical consensus.

OTT Chart: Trended number one on Amazon Prime Video India on its first day of streaming, May 8, 2026.

My Personal Take and Rating

Dacoit: A Love Story is not the film its makers set out to make. The neo-Western ambition — Sholay meets modern Telugu cinema — is visible in flashes but never fully assembled. The first half has real structural weaknesses. The supporting cast deserved better writing. The dialect work is a recurring distraction from what is otherwise a committed lead performance.

And yet this film is worth your time on Prime Video.

Mrunal Thakur’s work here is exceptional by any standard. The themes the film carries — caste injustice, inter-caste love as defiance, COVID-era exploitation — are handled with more seriousness and social honesty than most mainstream Indian films attempt. The second half is genuinely strong. The final ten minutes are moving in the way that only films with something real to say can be.

Stream it in Telugu if you can. If not, the Tamil, Malayalam, or Kannada dubbed versions are solid alternatives. Note that the Hindi version is not available on Prime Video. Give the first half the patience it demands, and the second half will give you more than you expected.

My Rating: 6.5 out of 10

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Dacoit: A Love Story about? It follows Haridas (Hari), a Dalit man wrongfully convicted after loving Saraswati across caste lines. After thirteen years in Kadapa Central Jail, he escapes, becomes a dacoit targeting corrupt hospital networks, and plans his revenge against Saraswati. When they are forced back together, the real truth of what happened between them begins to surface.

Where can I watch Dacoit: A Love Story? The film is streaming on Amazon Prime Video from May 8, 2026. A Prime subscription is required.

In which languages is it available on Prime Video? On Amazon Prime Video, the film is available in four languages: Telugu (original), Tamil (dubbed), Malayalam (dubbed), and Kannada (dubbed). Hindi is not available on Prime Video despite the film being simultaneously shot in Hindi for theatrical release.

Is the Hindi version of the film available anywhere? The Hindi version (Dacoit: Ek Prem Katha) was released theatrically. It has not been made available on Prime Video as part of the OTT release. No official announcement has been made about a separate Hindi OTT release as of the date of this review.

Who directed the film? Shaneil Deo, a former cinematographer, directed the film in his feature debut. He co-wrote the screenplay with Adivi Sesh over approximately two years.

Who produced the film? Supriya Yarlagadda produced the film under Annapurna Studios, in association with SS Creations and Suniel Narang Productions.

What is the runtime? 2 hours and 29 minutes.

When did it release theatrically? April 10, 2026, worldwide. Special premiere shows were held on April 9 in Hyderabad and select US cities. The film was originally scheduled for March 19, 2026, but was postponed to avoid clashing with Dhurandhar 2.

How did it perform at the box office? It was a box office disappointment. The final India gross was approximately Rs. 41.25 crore against a reported budget of Rs. 65 crore.

How has it performed on OTT? Very well. Dacoit trended at number one on Amazon Prime Video India on its first day of streaming, May 8, 2026, drawing strong positive responses across social media.

Who composed the music? Bheems Ceciroleo composed the songs. Gyaani handled the background score. Sony Music India acquired the audio rights for Rs. 8 crore. The first single Rubaroo released in February 2026, and the special track Touchbuddy featuring Pawan Singh and Jonita Gandhi launched on March 28, 2026.

What is the IMDb rating? 7.9 out of 10 as of the time of writing.

What role does Anurag Kashyap play? A cop pursuing Hari after Hari incapacitates his daughter during an escape. This is Kashyap’s acting debut in Telugu cinema. He was cast after Adivi Sesh personally pitched him the role at the Naga Chaitanya and Sobhita Dhulipala wedding in December 2024. He also contributed to writing the Hindi dialogues for the film.

Why was Shruti Haasan not in the final film? Shruti Haasan was initially considered for the female lead and reportedly shot some sequences. She was replaced by Mrunal Thakur due to creative differences.

What are the main themes of the film? Caste discrimination and inter-caste love, betrayal and the possibility of forgiveness, COVID-era hospital corruption and exploitation, systemic injustice against Dalit communities, and the tension between revenge and redemption.

Where was the film shot? Primarily across North India and the deserts of Rajasthan, chosen to support the neo-Western visual aesthetic the filmmakers were pursuing. Filming was completed in March 2026.

Is it worth watching on Prime Video? Yes, with realistic expectations. The first half has pacing problems and the supporting cast is underwritten. But Mrunal Thakur delivers exceptional work, the second half is genuinely strong, and the film engages with its themes — caste, betrayal, love, COVID-era corruption — with real seriousness. Viewers who appreciate emotionally driven Telugu action dramas will find it worth the time.

Will there be a sequel? No sequel has been announced or confirmed as of May 10, 2026.

What age rating does the film carry? U/A 13+ in India. It contains action violence, intense dramatic sequences, and mature themes. Suitable for teenagers and adults. Parental guidance recommended for younger viewers.

Every fact in this review — cast, crew, languages, box office figures, OTT streaming details, critical ratings, and release history — has been verified from Wikipedia, Filmibeat, Sacnilk, Pinkvilla, Indian Express, Firstpost, Filmfare, 123Telugu, IMDb, India TV News, Telugu Times, and the official Amazon Prime Video listing. Reviewed May 10, 2026.

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