Movie: Daayra
Starring: Kareena Kapoor Khan, Prithviraj Sukumaran, Pragati Mishra, Jitendra Joshi, Kshitee Jog
Director: Meghna Gulzar
Genre: Crime Thriller / Drama
Duration: 2 hrs 23 mins
Release Date: 18.09.2026
Rating: 2.5/5
Daayra by Meghna Gulzar is more than just another police thriller. It’s an unsettling look at what occurs when a terrible crime incites public outrage, police action, and two very different conceptions of justice. The inquiry into a young woman’s rape and murder, as well as the accused’s contentious encounter, are the main subjects of the movie. Two police officials, DCP Raman Kumar (played by Prithviraj Sukumaran) and DCP Ajooni Kohli (played by Kareena Kapoor Khan), who are on opposing sides of the same system, are at the center.
Daayra is intriguing because it doesn’t provide the spectator with a simple, black-and-white solution. Is punishment meted out right away? Is a meeting fair? Or does justice start only when all legal issues have been resolved? These issues continue to be central to the movie.
One of the best performances in the movie is given by Prithviraj Sukumaran. He doesn’t portray Raman Kumar as a typical, exaggerated police officer. His attitude to police exudes confidence, authority, and an alarming conviction.
Ajooni Kohli gains maturity and self-control from Kareena Kapoor Khan. She portrays the investigating officer with conviction and steers clear of needless theatrics. Her character isn’t usually given enough dramatic or emotional depth in the writing, though. The movie occasionally finds it difficult to properly establish the fundamental conflict, which promises an equally potent ideological clash between Raman and Ajooni. This has also been mentioned in a number of recent reviews.
The main issue is that the movie sometimes seems to be more interested in posing questions than in providing dramatic answers.
As the plot progresses into its later parts, the pacing gets erratic. The conclusion falls short of the emotional impact that the premise suggests, and the main confrontation could have been far more intense. Daayra asks for patience at 143 minutes. The cautious approach may seem slow to those who anticipate a fast-paced investigative thriller.
Daayra is a serious, morally complex crime drama that wants the audience to think rather than simply react. Meghna Gulzar succeeds in creating an atmosphere of discomfort, Prithviraj delivers a compelling performance and Kareena brings credibility to her role. But the screenplay occasionally holds back when it should have pushed the conflict harder. So, overall, it can be said as an average film.
