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

Adivi Sesh, who is busy completing his Dacoit, feels that, despite the Dhurandhar wave that’s sweeping the country, there’s space for other films to do well too. Here he is, in conversation with DC about the upcoming movie and the future of films in general

Has Dacoit shaped up the way you had imagined?

We’re on the last leg of shooting. But, there are certain moments on a set where you really feel that emotion coming through, and I've had quite a few of those on this film, especially shooting on top of a mountain for the huge, violent climax. It's been quite amazing. I’m definitely optimistic.

How do you think Dhurandhar will impact your film?

Dhurandhar is clearly the ‘movie of the country’ now... That said, I do believe today there's room for more than one film.

For example, this Sankranti, three or four Telugu films have done really well. So I feel Ugadi, Eid and Sri Ram Navami coming together creates a beautiful opportunity, just like Sankranti, for more than one film to do amazingly well.

Dacoit is an action film but it’s also a love story. So think of it like an M&M – the action is the shell but the heart of it is love; and I think that's what makes it special.

Do you think FX driven films are not doing well in Telugu?

I disagree with that view. I feel anytime you tell a great story with soul, it does well, and if it needs VFX as an embellishment, so be it. But it has everything to do with whether it was a great story with soul or not. I think 2026 is going to be fascinating year for Telugu cinema.

Many experts feel the Indian film industry needs to reinvent itself...

People keep saying the film industry in general is in decline, and that the death knell has sounded for film watching, but I think that’s just a pile of garbage. At the end of the day, we're all really just storytellers sitting around a fire like we would have sat a thousand years ago, and if we tell those sitting with us a beautiful story, they will love it — in today’s terms, that means people will throng to theatres to watch it.