Adivi Sesh and Mrunal Thakur’s much-awaited romantic action thriller Dacoit has made a respectable entry at the box office, collecting approximately ₹6.5 crore net in India on its opening day (Friday, April 10). According to the latest Sacnilk tracker data, the film registered a worldwide gross of ₹13.57 crore, with overseas markets contributing a healthy ₹6 crore.
The Telugu version led the charge with ₹5.60 crore net at a strong 41% occupancy across 1,883 shows, while the Hindi dubbed version managed ₹90 lakh net at a lower 12% occupancy from 1,917 screens. In key Southern territories, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana alone delivered ₹5.50 crore gross, underscoring the film’s robust hold in its core market
Morning shows painted an even more encouraging picture. Dacoit clocked a 30.54% occupancy, slotting it into the Top 5 highest morning occupancies for Telugu films in 2026. BookMyShow data showed nearly 30,000 tickets sold by noon, with a sharp spike in the 11 AM–12 PM window (9,200 tickets), signalling positive word-of-mouth that could drive stronger evening and weekend crowds.
Trade observers note that the film is on track to surpass the opening day of Adivi Sesh’s earlier hit HIT: The Second Case (₹6.4 crore), especially with no major Telugu competition this week. However, it still trails some expectations set by bigger 2026 openers. For context, it opened lower than the sleeper hit Anaganaga Oka Raju (₹5.5 crore) but comfortably beat early projections in several circuits.
Story, Cast & Reception
Directed by debutant Shaneil Deo, Dacoit follows a murder convict (Adivi Sesh) who escapes prison seeking revenge on his former lover (Mrunal Thakur). What begins as a revenge drama quickly spirals into a high-stakes tale of robberies, blurred morals, and unexpected romance. Supporting roles by Prakash Raj and Anurag Kashyap add star power, though critics point out that Kashyap’s quirky cop character lands more as comic relief than intended impact.
Reviews have been mixed. While audiences appreciated the slick action, emotional second half, and lead performances — with Sesh bringing sincerity and Thakur delivering despite a limited role — many felt the film squandered its promising premise with uneven execution and occasional absurdity. An ETimes review gave it 2/5 stars, noting that “the music fails to add emotional depth” and some twists needed tighter writing to truly land. Yet, social media buzz remains largely positive, with actor Nani reportedly calling it a “true blockbuster” on X.
Business Angle
The film entered theatres after a delay to avoid clashing with bigger releases like Dhurandhar: The Revenge. Pre-release theatrical business is pegged at around ₹30 crore worldwide, meaning it needs roughly ₹60 crore gross to break even and emerge as a clean hit. With strong Telugu-state performance and overseas traction already boosting Day 1 numbers, the focus now shifts to weekend growth. Early signs of rising occupancy and minimal competition suggest Dacoit could build steadily through Saturday and Sunday.