Nani nails it !

Nani Nails It : My quick take on Nani’s “Hit: case 3” (Theatrical Release)

They say third time’s the charm — and HIT: The Third Case doesn’t just charm, it storms in like a crime thriller on pre-workout. With Nani leading the charge, sleeves rolled, stare smouldering, and voice dipped in gravel, this might just be the sharpest case the HIT franchise has cracked so far.

It’s incredibly satisfying to watch the HIT series finally live up to its name, evolving into a legitimate challenger to Rohit Shetty’s muscle-and-masala cop universe. For the first time, I felt the urge to go back and revisit Case 1 and Case 2 — like a crime buff flipping through old files after a fresh lead.

Nani is in blazing form — gritty, brooding, and carrying the weight of every unsolved case on his shoulders. He doesn’t just play a cop; he embodies one, like a human polygraph machine with a simmering rage and a backstory begging for closure. He fits the role like a silencer on a revolver — sleek, precise, and deadly.

The plot takes us on a true crime road trip — from the snow-kissed valleys of Kashmir to the scorching plains of Bihar, into mystical Rajasthan, then down to Visakhapatnam, and finally into the misty, mysterious corners of the Northeast. The first half is riveting — a trail of similar-looking murders playing out like a gory jigsaw puzzle, keeping us hooked, breath held, knuckles white.

But just when the film feels like a desi Zodiac, the second half abruptly takes a U-turn into Enter the Dragon territory. Like Bruce Lee walking into Han’s forbidden island, Nani dives into the villain’s underground dungeon — and suddenly, it’s less investigative thriller, more Mortal Kombat cosplay. What should have been a tense psychological showdown turns into a dimly lit punch-fest with shaky logic. The villain, instead of evoking fear, feels about as menacing as a yoga instructor with laryngitis. You expect Hannibal Lecter; you get part-time kung fu faculty.

To top it off, there’s a fair bit of ketchup spilled — not quite Animal or Marco levels, but enough to give a tomato processing unit second thoughts. And the romantic subplot with our namma hudgi, KGF’s Srinidhi Shetty, feels like an awkward extra. Forced, redundant, and about as essential as an umbrella in a drought. In fact, the emotional arc of Nani’s character — a man scarred by the loss of a mother’s love — would’ve landed harder without it.

Still, despite the kung-fu detour and a villain who seems better suited to a costume trial than a crime climax, HIT 3 is worth the ride. Nani carries the film like a veteran detective lugging a dossier full of secrets — intense, magnetic, and unflinching. The visuals are sleek, the background score adds weight, and the franchise is clearly building momentum.

Watch it for Nani. Tolerate the villain. And bring on Case 4 — with fewer chops and way more chills, please.