The best part of the covert operations with an interesting name 'Wild Dog' has the ageless wonder Nagarjuna Akkineni, making light of the head of an NIA officer. Marshalling his resources to a nicety, the actor pulls off a seemingly difficult role with panache, grit and endless determination.

With a fitness level that can test a youngster, the actor essays his character to perfection. That these officers are unsung heroes is told explicitly, that if they fall on duty, they could languish in a prison abroad and if they are lucky to return home successfully, the best part is in their identity getting protected and they can move on to their next mission.

Getting fine-tuned to his character, thanks to the training from ace choreographer David Ismalone, known for his expertise in the Fast and Furious 7 and Ong-Bak: Muan Thai Warrior films, the actor's painstaking lessons in combat postures, communicating with signs and the best part of how to hold the gun in a losing situation has been brought out with great visuals.

No stranger to the cop roles, Nagarjuna is in familiar terrain in the picturesque areas of Manali, and the culmination round in Nepal. As an NIA officer, Vijay Varma, the actor banks on the solid support of Saiyami Kher as an astute RAW agent who knows her job like the back of her end. The investigating segments are well brought out in the old city of Hyderabad and shifting gears in the hustle and bustle of Mumbai and Pune.

Director Ahishor Solomon, who had impressed Nagarjuna with his story-telling in Oopari, has churned out a well-researched story, taking his own time to script before the execution part. A story inspired by the aftermath of the devastating blasts which shook Hyderabad in the early 2000s has been told with all the faithfulness. The longing and suffering of the beloved ones are the pièce de résistance of the script which stays focussed like a horse with blinkers on.

When the horse goes by the name of Nagarjuna, you expect the other competitive horses to put their might on. The supporting actors rise to the occasion, underplaying the role and taking the instructions of their head to the letter.

Nagarjuna impresses with his raw acting and appeal - the grey hair, clean-shaven look with a bit of scar on the face, helping with the characterisation. On the flip side, while director Solomon has tried his best to avoid cliches, one or two creep in. However, he must be lauded for not wasting time and getting to the plot quickly.

While the climax twist is to be appreciated, in hindsight, it does come across as a job not well-thought-out, but kudos for the experimentation. For those of you who haven't had much of their fill of spy thrillers, Wild Dog is an amiable ride.