Daayra Review / Meghna Gulzar's Film Sees Kareena Kapoor And Prithviraj Sukumaran At Top Of Their Game

Mumbai, Sept 18: Director Meghna Gulzar’s Daayra brings a fresh perspective to the Hindi police thriller, combining the intensity of a crime drama with the procedural elements of a police investigation. Starring Kareena Kapoor Khan and Prithviraj Sukumaran, the film examines the complex relationship between crime, justice, police action and the rule of law.

Returning to the world of crime and investigation after Talvar, Meghna Gulzar adopts a restrained storytelling approach in Daayra. The film avoids conventional police heroics and instead focuses on two contrasting police officers whose differing views on justice form the core of the narrative.

Kareena Kapoor Khan plays DCP Ajooni Kohli, while Prithviraj Sukumaran portrays DCP Raman Kumar. Unlike the stereotypical fast-talking and action-driven cops often seen in Hindi cinema, both characters are presented as committed officers with distinctly different approaches to their duties.

Raman Kumar believes in quick action and immediate results, while Ajooni Kohli places greater emphasis on procedure and allowing the law to take its course. Their contrasting perspectives drive much of the film’s central conflict.

The story moves between a gangrape investigation, the police response and an internal inquiry into an alleged fake encounter. Through these interconnected events, Daayra explores questions surrounding police ethics, accountability and the growing demand for instant justice.

The film is set in 2019 and draws parallels with real events that sparked widespread public debate around crimes against women and the functioning of the justice system. Without directly recreating specific cases, the narrative reflects the atmosphere surrounding incidents such as the Nirbhaya case and the 2019 Hyderabad sexual assault and murder case.

One of the film’s key strengths is its editing. Meghna Gulzar, who also serves as co-writer and co-editor, works with editor Charu Shree Roy to create a fast-moving narrative through frequent parallel cutting. Separate events gradually begin to mirror one another, adding tension and keeping the investigation moving across different timelines.

Cinematographer Saurabh Goswami also contributes to the film’s visual identity with atmospheric lighting and dynamic camera work. Several chase sequences in the second half use energetic camerawork while retaining the film’s grounded police-procedural tone.

Kareena Kapoor Khan and Prithviraj Sukumaran carry much of the film’s dramatic weight. Their contrasting performances reinforce the central debate between immediate action and adherence to due process.

The supporting cast, including Jitendra Joshi and Kanwaljit Singh, also contribute to the film’s layered portrayal of the police and judicial systems.

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Produced by Junglee Pictures and Pen Studios, Daayra presents itself as a police drama that goes beyond the conventional crime thriller formula. At its centre is a debate over whether justice should be pursued through immediate action or through established legal procedures.

With its focus on police ethics, crime against women, accountability and the rule of law, Daayra attempts to use the thriller format to examine difficult questions about justice and institutional responsibility.

Daayra brings together Meghna Gulzar’s investigative storytelling, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Prithviraj Sukumaran’s performances, and an editing-driven narrative to create a police drama centred on the complexities of law enforcement and justice.