Nani said in an interview that whereas the earlier films in the HIT franchise were whodunits — with the investigation opening and the killer revealed only at the end — HIT 3 is concerned not with 'who' but with 'how'. He went on to state that the film does not justify police brutality.
Nani has confirmed that viewers do not need to have seen Hit (2020) or HIT: The 2nd Case (2022) to enjoy the film, and regards it as a self-contained instalment.
Besides Retro (2025), the film shares its release date with Raid 2 (2025). When making their earlier installments, the filmmakers on both projects had no plans for a follow-up. Nani made a brief appearance as Arjun Sarkaar at the end of HIT: The 2nd Case (2022), but there was no story in place for a third instalment until Sailesh Kolanu devised a plot that Nani approved. Likewise, Raj Kumar Gupta had not intended to make Raid 2 while working on Raid (2018); only after the first film’s success and nearly eighteen months spent on the screenplay did Raid 2 begin to take shape.
As to whether he had seen Suriya's Retro (2025), which was also released on 1 May as rival competition, Nani said it felt more like a celebration, with both of them there to join everyone in marking their films. He said he regarded Retro as rightly the first choice for Tamil audiences and hoped they would enjoy it, while also assuring them that HIT 3 would provide a terrific experience afterwards. At the pre-release event for Retro's Telugu version, Suriya reiterated that the simultaneous releases were to be celebrated and expressed hope that Nani would complete a hat-trick with HIT 3 following Saripodhaa Sanivaaram (2024) and Court - State Vs. A Nobody (2025).
Nani was criticised online for refusing to call off the film's success meet amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan. His remarks at the event — in which he urged his supporters not to give Pakistan the "satisfaction" of calling off a press conference — were condemned by some social media users.
