‘There’s Room at the Top for More Than One Film’

Adivi Sesh, who is busy completing his Dacoit, believes that other films can also be successful despite the Dhurandhar wave sweeping the country. Here he is, talking to DC about the upcoming film and the future of movies in general

Did Dacoit take shape as you imagined?

We are in the final stages of shooting. But there are some moments on set when you really feel that feeling coming on, and I had a lot of those on this movie, especially when we were shooting on top of a mountain for the huge, violent climax. It was quite surprising. I’m definitely optimistic.

How do you think Dhurandhar will impact your film?

Dhurandhar is now clearly the ‘film of the country’… However, I believe there is room for more than one film today.

For example, three or four Telugu films this Sankranti did really well. So, I think the combination of Ugadi, Eid and Sri Ram Navami, just like Sankranti, creates a beautiful opportunity for multiple films to be incredibly successful.

Dacoit is an action movie, but it is also a love story. So think of it like an M&M; action is its shell, but its heart is love; And I think that’s what makes it special.

Think FX-driven movies aren’t doing well in Telugu?

I do not agree with this opinion. Whenever you tell a great story that has soul, you think it will do well and if it needs VFX as embellishment, so be it. But it has to do with whether it’s a great story with soul. I think 2026 will be a fascinating year for Telugu cinema.

Many experts think that the Indian film industry needs to reinvent itself…

People say that the film industry in general is in decline and that it’s the death knell for watching movies, but I think it’s just a pile of garbage. At the end of the day, we are all storytellers sitting around the fire just as we would a thousand years ago, and if we tell a good story to those sitting with us, they will love it; In today’s terms, that means people will flock to theaters to watch it.