“The Audience Response to ‘Dacoit’ Has Been Truly Delightful – We Feel Proud of Making a Good Film” – Supriya Yarlagadda
The latest film Dacoit, starring Adivi Sesh and Mrunal Thakur, has emerged as a blockbuster, receiving overwhelming appreciation from audiences. Directed by Shaniel Deo, the film also features Anurag Kashyap in a pivotal role. Produced by Supriya Yarlagadda under the presentation of Annapurna Studios, with Sunil Narang as co-producer, the film released worldwide on April 10 and has been running successfully with excellent reviews.
Speaking to the media, producer Supriya Yarlagadda shared insights into the film’s success and journey.
On the film’s response
“The response from audiences has been incredibly heartwarming. It gives us great satisfaction that we have made a genuinely good film.”
On making the film in two languages
When asked why the film wasn’t shot in one language and dubbed into another to reduce costs, she explained:
“If we think only in terms of budget, we cannot do justice to the story. Cinema needs a certain magic, and this story demanded it. Of course, we ensured careful planning throughout.”
She also added that the Hindi version is receiving a fantastic response and is expected to have a long theatrical run. The film has been dubbed in Tamil, Malayalam, and Kannada as well, though those versions are primarily for OTT platforms.
On special appearances and North Indian appeal
Supriya revealed that the presence of stars like Pawan Singh and Jonita Gandhi greatly boosted the film’s reach in North India.
“Pawan Singh was initially approached for a song, but he himself expressed interest in appearing on screen. Bhojpuri audiences love Telugu mass films, but we didn’t expect this level of popularity. He even wanted to meet Akkineni Nagarjuna. The love we received from everyone for Dacoit has been overwhelming.”
Challenges during production
“Most of our team was new and very young. Usually, at least the cinematographer would be experienced, but in this film, even the DOP was new. That itself was a challenge.”
She added that shooting in multiple locations, especially near a dam, involved major logistical hurdles.
“Getting permissions wasn’t easy, and coordinating around 200 people at once was quite demanding.”
Supriya acknowledged the risk involved:
“There is always risk in making a good film. But the climax is the soul of Dacoit. I personally love drama and romantic stories, which seem to be missing in Telugu cinema nowadays. We wanted to tell this story honestly, and many viewers are specifically appreciating the climax.”
She praised Adivi Sesh’s performance:
“He delivered an outstanding performance as Hari, and both his and Mrunal’s characters connected deeply with audiences on an emotional level.”
Box office performance in the U.S.
“The response in the U.S. is fantastic. The film is likely to cross $1 million over the weekend. It is especially connecting well with women and youth.”
On OTT release window
Regarding the idea of implementing an eight-week window before OTT release, she said:
“This is something all producers must collectively decide. For cinema to thrive, theaters must remain strong.”
Supriya expressed her passion for filmmaking:
“I would love to continue making films. Cinema is my passion, and I enjoy surprising audiences. Making a film like Dacoit has been very fulfilling. Themes like love, sacrifice, betrayal, and deception are timeless elements of classic love stories, and I want to support such narratives.”
Favorite love stories
“I love Manmadhudu, Janaki Ramudu, Majnu, and Satyam. Geethanjali is a favorite among all my friends—initially, not everyone understood its wave, but it became iconic over time.”
On today’s heroines
“Today’s actresses are very confident and are handling multiple projects with great focus. Despite that, Mrunal Thakur dedicated herself wholeheartedly to this film.”
She also emphasized her desire to create more female-driven stories:
“I want to make films with strong female-forward characters, and Dacoit gave me great satisfaction in that regard.”
On working with senior actors
“Anurag Kashyap immediately agreed to be part of the project and was very impressed after hearing the story. Similarly, Prakash Raj took time out of his busy schedule to work on the film.”
On technical aspects
“The Dolby version of Dacoit offers a fresh sound experience. Gnani and Ananth have done exceptional work. Everywhere, we are receiving feedback that the film is technically brilliant.”
On Nagarjuna’s next film
(Laughs) “It’s better if Nagarjuna garu himself shares updates—I shouldn’t reveal anything!”
What’s next?
“I will soon begin listening to new scripts.”
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