HIT 3 Review: Nani Drives a Stylish, Grit-Heavy Action Thriller on a Vengeful Killing Spree.The HIT franchise has steadily carved a niche for itself within Telugu cinema by threading together intelligent, gritty investigations with strong central performances. HIT 1 (2020) introduced us to a flawed yet brilliant cop Vikram Rudraraju (played by Vishwak Sen), while HIT 2 (2022) turned the lens towards Krishna Dev (Adivi Sesh), weaving a larger canvas of crime and corruption. But HIT 3, directed once again by Sailesh Kolanu, takes a bold departure from the procedural roots of its predecessors and goes full throttle into the action-thriller territory. And at its core is Nani — in arguably one of his darkest, most visceral avatars yet — playing the emotionally bruised but ruthlessly efficient SP Arjun Sarkar. This third entry in the HIT Universe feels like a natural progression and, simultaneously, a risky detour. It ups the ante with a scale that spans states, a labyrinthine criminal network, and stylised violence that at times feels as much John Wick as it does Squid Game. But does this shift away from grounded detective work towards high-concept action cinema pay off? Let’s unpack HIT 3 in its entirety.
The Plot: A Cop’s Rage-Fuelled Descent into Darkness HIT 3 begins on an unexpected note — with Nani’s Arjun Sarkar already behind bars. He’s stoic, introspective, and carrying a weight that feels both personal and professional. As he opens up to a fellow inmate, the narrative plunges into a flashback revealing the violent series of events that led to his imprisonment. 
Arjun is a Superintendent of Police in the Jammu and Kashmir region, a volatile terrain known as much for its beauty as its unrest. Efficient, hot-headed, and known for extrajudicial action, Arjun is more vigilante than bureaucrat. During a routine terror investigation, he stumbles upon a cryptic link — 13 murders committed across 13 different Indian states, all on the same day, all with surgical precision. What begins as a disturbing coincidence snowballs into a full-blown investigation involving a clandestine crime syndicate orchestrating ritualistic killings — a deadly organisation operating beyond the reaches of the law. This leads Arjun down a bloody trail of clues, torture chambers, and chilling ideology, as he races against time to uncover the truth, even as his own demons threaten to consume him.
A Franchise Evolves: From Whodunit to Why-the-Hell-Not
The first two HIT films were deeply rooted in the investigative genre, with slow-burn plotting, psychological profiling, and methodical clue-hunting. HIT 3, in contrast, blows that format wide open.
Here, Kolanu abandons the quiet, creeping dread of prior instalments for a bigger, more action-heavy film. There are explosions, knife fights, car chases, and elaborate sets that mirror dystopian thrillers. In doing so, the director risks alienating die-hard fans of the franchise who tuned in for tight, cerebral mysteries. However, what HIT 3 loses in investigative detail, it compensates with scale, ambition, and an anti-hero who dominates the screen with pure rage.
Nani Unleashed: A Performance That Anchors the Chaos If there’s one reason HIT 3 doesn’t collapse under its own ambition, it’s Nani. As Arjun Sarkar, he is a whirlwind of fury, grief, and resolve. His performance isn’t showy or overly melodramatic — instead, he plays Arjun as a man perpetually on edge, someone who’s lost his faith in the system and now believes violence is the only response to violence. 
The character is a stark contrast to the more restrained protagonists of earlier HIT films. Arjun is volatile, bordering on psychopathic in moments, but Nani plays him with enough restraint to keep him just within the realm of sympathy. In key emotional scenes — particularly one involving a personal betrayal — Nani conveys more with a silent gaze than a page of dialogue ever could. And let’s not ignore the sheer physicality he brings. From close-combat scenes to emotionally charged face-offs, his screen presence is magnetic.
Supporting Cast: Functional, But Largely Underused
Srinidhi Shetty, fresh off KGF: Chapter 2, plays the role of Arjun’s love interest. However, she’s given little to work with beyond a few romantic interludes that serve as breathers from the relentless violence. Samuthirakani as Arjun’s father brings some grounded warmth and father-son banter, which injects fleeting moments of levity.
However, the villains in HIT 3 are less defined. The crime syndicate Arjun goes up against is shrouded in mystery, but its faceless nature leaves little for viewers to latch onto emotionally. The lack of a central antagonist with depth or charisma leaves a void that no amount of stylised bloodshed can quite fill.
Cinematic Influences: Kill Bill Meets Squid Game
The most fascinating aspect of HIT 3 lies in its visual language. Kolanu clearly draws from Korean thrillers and stylised Hollywood action films. The underground killing arenas, the neon-lit torture chambers, and masked executioners evoke the aesthetic of Squid Game, while the hand-to-hand combat and close-range gunplay feel like a nod to John Wick.
There’s even a dash of Kill Bill in Arjun’s vengeance arc — one man slicing through layers of a syndicate to get to the truth, driven more by wrath than duty. This genre-blending lends HIT 3 a unique flavour, even if it sometimes prioritises style over substance.
Technical Merits: A Glossy, Gritty Canvas
Cinematographer S. Manikandan deserves special credit. The film’s look is both gritty and slick — from rain-soaked alleyways in Kashmir to claustrophobic bunkers that hide deadly secrets. The lighting choices — largely in reds, greys, and blacks — underline the emotional bleakness of the narrative.
Mickey J. Meyer’s background score is functional but doesn’t leave a lingering impression. A film this intense could have used a more memorable auditory identity. The action choreography, however, is stellar. Realistic, bone-crunching, and creatively staged, it adds an immersive layer to the film.
The editing, however, falters in the second half. Flashbacks are frequent, sometimes repeated, and occasionally stall the film’s momentum. A more taut screenplay could have helped trim the fat, especially in the middle portions.
Themes: Pain, Rage, and the Quest for Justice
At its heart, HIT 3 is a story about how grief warps a person’s sense of right and wrong. Arjun Sarkar isn’t trying to uphold justice in the traditional sense — he’s seeking personal closure, even if it means burning the system to the ground. This moral ambiguity is where the film occasionally shines.
But Kolanu’s script doesn’t fully explore the philosophical implications of such a character. What happens when your hero becomes a villain in another’s eyes? What lines must never be crossed? These questions hang in the air, but the film is too busy preparing for its next fight sequence to explore them in depth.
Still, there are poignant moments — especially involving Arjun’s backstory — that remind us of the human cost behind every badge, every bullet, every body.
Cameos and the Future of the HIT Universe
In what is perhaps the biggest cheer moment of the film, Tamil actor Karthi makes a surprise appearance towards the climax — likely teeing him up as the protagonist for HIT 4. It’s a move reminiscent of Marvel-style franchise building and hints that Kolanu is steering the HIT universe into a larger, interconnected narrative.
This kind of ambitious world-building is rare in Indian cinema and could be the key to keeping the franchise fresh — provided future instalments return to the investigative strengths that made HIT 1 and HIT 2 so compelling.
Final Verdict: A Violent, Visually Rich Detour That Mostly Works
HIT 3 is not a flawless film. It struggles with uneven pacing, lacks a strong central villain, and sometimes swaps substance for spectacle. But as an action film, it delivers in spades. And as a vehicle for Nani’s darker instincts, it is a rousing success.
Director Sailesh Kolanu has taken a bold gamble with this third instalment — moving from psychological intrigue to action carnage. And while the film loses some of the series’ original charm, it gains a new identity that could attract a broader audience.
For viewers who enjoy stylised violence, raw performances, and cinematic spectacle, HIT 3 offers a satisfying experience. It’s a franchise film unafraid to evolve, and with Karthi on the horizon, the HIT universe might just be getting started.
⭐ Rating: 3/5
Credits:
Director: Dr Sailesh Kolanu
Cast: Nani, Srinidhi Shetty, Samuthirakani, Karthi (cameo)
Music: Mickey J. Meyer
Cinematography: S. Manikandan
Production: Wall Poster Cinema, Nani's Unanimous Productions.
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