HIT: The Third Case
| HIT: The Third Case | |
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Sailesh Kolanu |
| Written by | Sailesh Kolanu |
| Produced by | |
| Starring |
|
| Cinematography | Sanu John Varghese |
| Edited by | Karthika Srinivas |
| Music by | Mickey J. Meyer |
Production companies |
|
Release date |
|
Running time | 157 minutes |
| Country | India |
| Language | Telugu |
| Budget | ₹70 crore |
| Box office | ₹120 crore |
HIT: The Third Case is a 2025 Indian Telugu-language action thriller film written and directed by Sailesh Kolanu. Produced by Wall Poster Cinema and Unanimous Productions, it is the third installment in the HIT film series following HIT: The First Case (2020) and HIT: The Second Case (2022). The film stars Nani and Srinidhi Shetty (in her Telugu film debut). In the film, a ruthless police officer is sent by the Homicide Intervention Team (HIT) to find a group of killers and put an end to their grisly murder spree.
The Third Case was first teased in the credits of its predecessor, with Nani leading the cast. In February 2024, Nani's commitments went to Nani 32, directed by Sujeeth and produced by DVV Entertainment. However, due to delays with the director's They Call Him OG (2025) led to postponement with the start of its production. By September, Nani began prioritising The Third Case. Principal photography took place from September 2024 to March 2025 in Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam and Jammu and Kashmir. The film has music composed by Mickey J. Meyer, cinematography handled by Sanu Varghese and editing by Karthika Srinivas.
HIT: The Third Case was released worldwide on 1 May 2025 in theatres. The film received mixed reviews from critics, who praised Nani's performance, cinematography, visuals, soundtrack and action sequences but criticized the story and excessive violence. It emerged as the fifth highest-grossing Telugu film of the year. A sequel, HIT: The Fourth Case, is announced.