Tu Cheez Badi Hai Mast inclusion in Dacoit rooted in my childhood: Adivi Sesh

Adivi Sesh has included the iconic 90s song Tu Cheez Badi Hai Mast in his upcoming film Dacoit, calling it a deeply personal choice rooted in childhood memories and nostalgia, with the film gearing up for a pan-India release.

Mumbai: Adivi Sesh has incorporated the iconic 90s Akshay Kumar and Raveena Tandon-starrer chartbuster ‘Tu Cheez Badi Hai Mast’ to upcoming film “Dacoit”. The actor-writer said that it is not just a creative choice, but a deeply personal one, rooted in cherished childhood memories.

When the teaser of Dacoit was being conceptualised, Sesh was clear about wanting to recreate that sense of nostalgia. He consciously chose to acquire the rights to the song legally so it could be used in the film, allowing him to relive a piece of his childhood.

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Sesh told IANS: “There are certain songs that become a part of who you are, and Tu Cheez Badi Hai Mast has always been one of those for me. As a kid in the 90s, this track was impossible to escape, and I was completely drawn to it.”

“It featured in the very first time I ever performed on stage at school, as part of a dance medley, and that memory has stayed with me all these years.”

The song was from the 1994 action thriller “Mohra” by Rajiv Rai. The film also stars Naseeruddin Shah, Akshay Kumar, Sunil Shetty, Raveena Tandon, Poonam Jhawer, Raza Murad, Paresh Rawal, Gulshan Grover, and Sadashiv Amrapurkar. The film was reported to be inspired by the 1987 film Death Wish 4: The Crackdown. While the climax was inspired by the 1992 Hong Kong film, Hard Boiled.

While shaping Dacoit, Sesh felt a natural urge to bring that emotion back.

“Not as a novelty, but as something honest and instinctive. Including the song was my way of acknowledging that younger version of myself who discovered the excitement of music, performance, and connecting with an audience.”

He concluded: “It was important for me that we secured the rights correctly, because this wasn’t just a creative decision, it was a personal one. It’s a small fragment of my past that now lives within the film, and I hope it evokes the same nostalgia and energy for viewers when they hear it.”

Dacoit also stars Mrunal Thakur, Prakash Raj, Sunil, Atul Kulkarni, Zayn Marie Khan, and Kamakshi Bhaskarla among others.

It traces the journey of an angry convict determined to seek revenge on his ex-girlfriend, who betrayed him. As he crafts a perilous plan to trap her, the story evolves into an emotionally intense tale of love, betrayal, and vengeance.

Shot simultaneously in Hindi and Telugu, the film’s story and screenplay have been jointly crafted by Adivi Sesh and Shaneil Deo. Currently in post-production, Dacoit is gearing up for a grand pan-India release.