Saakini Daakini Review, Rating 

Regina Cassandra, Nivetha Thomas-starrer Saakini Daakini has released in theatres. The female-centric film has been promoted extensively in the Telugu States. Does this adaptation of the Korean film Midnight Runners live up to the audience's expectations? Check out this review before you book your tickets:

Plot: Shalini (Nivetha) and Damini (Regina) join a police academy to get trained as cops. They start out as enemies, getting into petty fights over every trivial thing. With time, they become good friends. 

One day, while on a holiday, Shalini and Damini  encounter a kidnapping incident that eventually makes them join forces with each other. At first, they file a complaint at the police station, only to face apathy. Shalini and Damini then decide to solve the case by themselves. They learn that there is a big mafia behind the kidnappings racket. How they courageously take down the mafia is what the film is about. 

What's hot: Regina is pretty good in the stunts, and is satisfying overall. Nivetha Thomas gets into the skin of her character and steals the show with her Telangana dialect. Prudhviraj and Bhanu Chandar at the police academy are okay. 

The film tries to be as non-preachy as possible. And that's a good sign. The technical ingredients are strong enough. 

What's not: The premise is pretty exciting. But the narration feels rushed. A lot of scenes work only in bits and pieces. 

The dialogues are average. Director Sudheer Varma, despite his experience, misses the target by a wide mark. The egg-harvesting racket hasn't been exploited effectively. 

Verdict: Watch Saakini Daakini at your own risk. If you love Korean movies, check out the original version instead!

Rating: 2