Adivi Sesh is currently immersed in the making of "Dacoit," a bilingual film simultaneously shot in Hindi and Telugu. The film, co-starring Mrunal Thakur and directed by Shaneil Deo, is slated for release on March 19, 2026. Adivi Sesh, who also doubles as the screenwriter, recently shared insights into the nuances of creating the same story in two different languages.
According to Sesh, "Dacoit" isn't simply a film translated from one language to another. Instead, it's a carefully constructed narrative where the characters live and express emotions distinctly, tailored to the linguistic and cultural landscape of both Hindi and Telugu audiences. He emphasizes that shooting bilingual films is akin to making two separate movies.
Sesh highlights the importance of ensuring that each scene resonates authentically in its native language, avoiding a translated feel. This involves adapting content and dialogue to suit the cultural nuances of each language. Humor, for instance, is treated differently in the Hindi and Telugu versions to better connect with the respective audiences. The actor believes that the emotional undercurrents and essence of the story can be lost when a film is merely dubbed or translated. To avoid this, every scene in "Dacoit" is shot twice, once in Hindi and once in Telugu.
"For me, language is not just a medium; it's emotion," Adivi Sesh stated. He believes that staying true to the original dialogue makes the emotions more personal, allowing the love story at the heart of "Dacoit" to connect with honesty and authenticity. He also mentioned cultural nuances shift slightly, but the soul of the character remains the same.
"Dacoit" faced an initial hurdle when Adivi Sesh sustained an injury, which temporarily halted production and led to a postponement of the original release date of December 25, 2025. The film also stars Anurag Kashyap and Prakash Raj in pivotal roles. Mrunal Thakur replaced Shruti Haasan as the female lead. The film is produced by Supriya Yarlagadda and co-produced by Suniel Narang and presented by Annapurna Studios.
The film's narrative revolves around two former lovers who reunite to commit a series of robberies. A teaser released earlier this year offered glimpses of Sesh, Thakur, and Kashyap, hinting at a raw and explosive story.
Adivi Sesh acknowledges the challenges of releasing "Dacoit" alongside Yash's "Toxic" on the same date. He sees himself as the underdog and draws inspiration from past experiences where films released on the same day have both succeeded.
