DACOIT
January 27, 2026
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🎬 Movie Introduction & Basic Information
Full Title: Dacoit – Ek Prem Katha
Genre: Action – Romance
Director: Shaneil Deo – debut director, worked as cinematographer on previous projects
Screenwriter/Screenwriter: Shaneil Deo & Adivi Sesh co-wrote the script
Producer: Supriya Yarlagadda, co-produced by Suniel Narang, under the banner Annapurna Studios / SS Creations
Music: Bheems Ceciroleo
Cinematographer: Danush Bhaskar
VFX/Editor: Kodati Pavan Kalyan as editor
👥 Notable Cast & Roles
Adivi Sesh – the male lead, is said to play a prisoner/convict with vengeance against her betrayed ex
Mrunal Thakur – the female lead, plays playing the role of the betrayed female character; notably, she was originally from the project of the same name but another actress withdrew, and she replaced her in this role
Anurag Kashyap – plays the role of the Captain/police officer (Inspector Swamy), this is considered to be the first time participating in a villain/powerful role in the context of a bilingual film (Telugu & Hindi). This film marks the first time Anurag Kashyap has participated in Telugu cinema.
Supporting roles and other actors: Prakash Raj, Atul Kulkarni, Sunil, Zayn Marie Khan, Kamakshi Bhaskarla…
📅 Release date & launch strategy
The makers officially announced the global theatrical release date of December 25, 2025 (Christmas)
The first teaser/Glimpse was released on May 26, 2025
The first teaser/GR image revealed that the film will be shot simultaneously in two languages: Telugu and Hindi
The film is being touted as a “pan-India” project (entering the vast Indian market, not just Telugu)
🎞 Trailer/Teaser & first impressions
The trailer/teaser and glimpses (short snippets) show:
A relationship between two people that has broken down, but now leads to conflict, betrayal and revenge.
The dark lighting, Mrunal Thakur’s pained facial expression, teary eyes, gloomy atmosphere, fire and gun are also emphasized.
The appearance of Anurag Kashyap in the first image: serious outfit, fierce eyes; his role is an authority figure (police).
The trailer/teaser also emphasizes the tagline “Witness a wicked FIRE between two EXES”
🔍 Notable points & expectations
The combination of romance and crime action
The subtitle Ek Prem Katha (A love story) suggests a layer of mixed romantic emotions, but the teaser and description show a very strong action-revenge element. This blend, if done well, can create a big attraction.
Anurag Kashyap’s Role
The presence of a renowned director/filmmaker like Anurag Kashyap in a powerful/cop role is seen as a highlight to attract a diverse audience, and also marks his progress in Southern (Telugu) cinema.
Change of female lead & role pressure
Initially, Shruti Haasan was linked to the project, but later withdrew and Mrunal Thakur took on the female lead. This could put a lot of pressure on her to get into the emotional and violent role alongside an action star like Adivi Sesh.
Christmas release – high competition
Choosing December 25 to release is a strategy to take advantage of the holiday season, increasing the number of audiences going to the cinema. However, it also means having to compete with many other “holiday hunting” films.
Expectations and Risks
If the script, editing, and acting are well taken care of, the film has the potential to make its mark in the action-romance genre in the pan-Indian market.
The risk lies in the fact that there are only teasers/glimpses available at the moment, the audience still needs more complete content and the ability to harmonize the two aspects of emotion and action.