Daayra review: Kareena Kapoor Khan, Prithviraj Sukumaran shine in tense crime drama

Meghna Gulzar’s ‘Daayra’ is a gripping crime drama that explores law, justice and institutional power through two police officers with contrasting approaches. Kareena Kapoor Khan and Prithviraj Sukumaran deliver strong performances in a tense narrative that avoids easy answers

Stars: 4.5/5
Director: Meghna Gulzar
Cast: Kareena Kapoor Khan and Prithviraj Sukumaran

There are films that simply tell a story, and then there are films that leave you questioning where the line between justice and injustice really lies. Meghna Gulzar’s ‘Daayra’ belongs to the latter category.

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The film stars Kareena Kapoor Khan and Prithviraj Sukumaran and brings together two police officers who believe in justice but have very different ideas about how it should be delivered. Set against a disturbing rape case and its aftermath, ‘Daayra’ explores law, accountability, institutional power and the uncomfortable grey area between what is legally right and what may emotionally feel right.

The first collaboration between Meghna Gulzar, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Prithviraj Sukumaran is one of the film’s biggest talking points, and the combination works remarkably well.

‘Daayra’ follows DCP Ajooni Kohli, played by Kareena Kapoor Khan, and DCP Raman Kumar, played by Prithviraj Sukumaran. A serious rape case brings their paths together, but their approaches to justice put them on opposite sides of the system.

Raman believes that criminals responsible for such a heinous act deserve the harshest punishment, even if the process moves outside conventional legal boundaries. Ajooni, meanwhile, is given the responsibility of investigating an encounter and examining the circumstances surrounding it.

What begins as an investigation gradually becomes much more complicated. As Ajooni digs deeper, the case raises questions about police authority, evidence, public pressure and the way society often judges women even when they are victims.

The film’s strength lies in the fact that it does not make the conflict completely black and white. Both characters have their own understanding of justice, and watching those beliefs collide gives the narrative its tension.

Kareena Kapoor Khan delivers one of the film’s strongest performances as DCP Ajooni Kohli.

There is no unnecessary shouting or exaggerated aggression in her portrayal. Instead, Kareena relies heavily on her body language, expressions and quiet authority. She looks and feels like someone who has spent years understanding the system and knows exactly when to speak and when to hold back.

Ajooni is also not written as the usual stereotypical “tough female cop”. She has individuality and personality beyond her uniform, which makes the character feel more believable. Kareena handles the emotional portions with restraint, allowing the character’s seriousness to come through naturally.

Prithviraj Sukumaran is equally effective as DCP Raman Kumar. His character carries anger, conviction and a strong belief in his own version of justice. But instead of playing Raman as an outright aggressive cop, Prithviraj keeps the performance measured. There is an underlying intensity in the way he speaks, reacts and handles confrontation.

His professional friction with Kareena becomes one of the film’s most engaging elements. Their scenes work because the conflict is not simply personal. It is fundamentally about two different interpretations of law, punishment and justice.

The supporting cast, including Kanwaljit Singh, Trupti Khamkar and Kshitee Jog, also add weight to the proceedings and fit naturally into the film’s tense world.

Meghna Gulzar has consistently shown an interest in stories where individual choices intersect with larger social issues, and ‘Daayra’ continues that approach. The screenplay by Meghna Gulzar, Sima Agarwal and Yash Keswani does not rush towards easy answers. Instead, it allows the investigation to gradually reveal the complexities surrounding the case.

What works particularly well is that sexual violence is not treated merely as a convenient shock element. The film looks at the aftermath, the investigation and the institutional response, while also touching upon how public perception and social judgement can influence such cases.

The question running through the film is simple but uncomfortable: when justice takes too long, at what point does the wait itself begin to feel like injustice? That question gives ‘Daayra’ its emotional and contemporary relevance.

The film is not completely without flaws. It gets technical and very dialogue-heavy in the second half during the investigation of the encounter and could have been pacier here. The legal and procedural portions could also have been made slightly more organic in places. However, these are relatively minor issues considering the overall impact of the film.

‘Daayra’ is a gripping crime drama that chooses questions over easy answers. Meghna Gulzar keeps the film serious and grounded, while Kareena Kapoor Khan and Prithviraj Sukumaran give the story the emotional and moral weight it needs. Their contrasting approaches to justice create a compelling central conflict, while the screenplay keeps the audience engaged with the investigation.

The film is thought-provoking without losing its thriller element, and its biggest strength is that it does not tell you exactly what to think. It gives you a situation, presents conflicting perspectives and lets the questions stay with you. With strong performances, assured direction and a subject that remains deeply relevant, ‘Daayra’ makes for a compelling theatrical watch.

‘Daayra’ is produced by Junglee Pictures and Dr Jayantilal Gada (Pen Studios). It is distributed by Pen Marudhar. The film releases in theatres on September 18.