Sep. 16, 2022|India|R
Genre: Action;Comedy;Drama;South;Indian
Description: Saakini Daakini is a 2022 Indian Telugu-language action comedy film directed by Sudheer Varma and produced by Suresh Productions, Guru Films, and Kross Pictures. It serves as an official remake of the 2017 South Korean film Midnight Runners and stars Regina Cassandra and Nivetha Thomas in lead roles. The music for the film was composed by Mikey McCleary. Principal photography took place from March 2021 to August 2021, entirely in Hyderabad. The film was released theatrically on September 16, 2022.
The story follows Shalini and Damini, two best friends and police trainees who witness the kidnapping of a girl by gangsters involved in a women’s egg harvesting ring. Determined to save the girl, they embark on a fearless mission, disregarding the potential consequences.
The project began in January 2020 when producer Suresh Babu acquired the remake rights for Midnight Runners in collaboration with Seoul-based Kross Pictures. Sudheer Varma was brought on board to direct the remake, and Regina Cassandra and Nivetha Thomas were cast as the leads in August 2020. Filming commenced in March 2021 but was paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Production resumed in July 2021 and concluded in August. The title, Saakini Daakini, was confirmed in November 2021.
Unlike the original film, which featured two male protagonists, Varma reimagined the roles as female characters and adapted the script accordingly. The film was shot entirely in Hyderabad, marking Varma’s first directorial remake.
Critics had mixed reactions to the film. Balakrishna Ganeshan of The News Minute gave it 2.5 out of 5 stars, noting a lack of narrative progression and underwhelming comedy in the second half. The Times of India also rated it 2.5 out of 5, praising the entertaining first half but criticizing the overambitious and disjointed second half. Sakshi Post awarded it 2 out of 5 stars, recommending viewers to watch the original Korean version instead.
Cast director: Sudheer Varma
Cast actor: Regina Cassandra, Nivetha Thomas, RJ Hemant, Lahari Shari, Johnson D M, Prudhviraj, Bhanuchander, Chammak Chandra, Nellore Sudharshan, Ravi Varma
Original name: శాకినీ ఢాకినీ