Adivi Sesh is approaching the box office clash of his upcoming film, "Dacoit," with a sense of calm and confidence. "Dacoit," a pan-Indian action drama co-starring Mrunal Thakur, is set to release on March 19, 2026. This release date pits it against two major films: Ranveer Singh's "Dhurandhar 2" and Yash's "Toxic".
Originally slated for a December 2025 release, "Dacoit" faced delays due to an injury sustained by Adivi Sesh during filming. This pushed the release to March 2026, coinciding with Ugadi. The film is being shot simultaneously in Telugu and Hindi. Supriya Yarlagadda and Sunil Narang are bankrolling the film, with Annapurna Studios presenting it. Danush Bhaskar is the cinematographer, Bheems Ceciroleo is composing the music, and Kodati Pavan Kalyan is the editor. The teaser of "Dacoit" offers a glimpse into a fractured love story with high-octane action. It also features Anurag Kashyap, Prakash Raj, Atul Kulkarni, and Sunil.
The clash with Yash's "Toxic," in particular, has generated significant buzz, considering Yash's massive popularity after the "KGF" franchise. "Toxic" is Yash's first film after "KGF 2" and is described as a gritty, dark thriller with stylized violence.
Adivi Sesh, however, seems unfazed by the competition. He acknowledges that "Toxic" is one of the most anticipated films, marking Yash's return after four years. Despite this, Sesh embraces the underdog label.
Sesh recalls the release of "KGF: Chapter 1" alongside Shah Rukh Khan's "Zero" in 2018, where "KGF" emerged successful despite being the underdog. He emphasizes that his career has been about surprising people and that he has "happily made a career being the underdog".
Sesh views the notion of a "clash" as a media construct. He believes that if a film is good, it will find its audience. He cites his own film, "Major," which did well despite clashing with "Samrat Prithviraj". He also notes that with Ugadi, Gudi Padwa, and Eid occurring around the same weekend, it will be a celebratory time for moviegoers.
While Adivi Sesh downplays the clash, the simultaneous release of these films sets the stage for a potentially exciting box-office showdown. The success of each film will depend on its individual merit and appeal to the audience.
