Daayra Review: Kareena Kapoor Khan, Prithviraj Sukumaran Lead A Tense And Thought-Provoking Investigative Thriller
Meghna Gulzar’s Daayra tells the story of a rape case and a controversial police shootout from two perspectives. Kareena Kapoor Khan and Prithviraj Sukumaran impress as investigating officers, while Kshitee Jog stands out among the supporting cast. The film builds tension effectively and ends on a thought-provoking note, making it a compelling theatrical watch.
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Title: Daayra
Director: Meghna Gulzar
Cast: Kareena Kapoor Khan, Prithviraj Sukumaran
Where to watch: In theatres
Rating: 3.5 stars
Daayra Review: Meghna Gulzar, who is known for directing some amazing movies like Talvar, Raazi, Sam Bahadur, and others, is all set for the release of Daayra, her next directorial. The film releases on September 18, 2026, and the trailer of Daayra grabbed everyone's attention. Also, with Meghna teaming up with actors like Kareena Kapoor Khan and Prithviraj Sukumaran, we surely had high expectations from the movie. So, does Daayra live up to the expectations or fail to impress us? Find out in our review below...
The movie revolves around an alleged shootout between police officers and four rape accused. The accused are killed in the shootout, and the cops say that they had to shoot them in self-defence. The rape case was headed by DCP Raman (Prithviraj Sukumaran), and there's a question being raised about whether it was a shootout or a planned encounter. To investigate it, a SIT (Special Investigation Team) is formed, headed by DCP Ajooni (Kareena Kapoor Khan). So, what's the truth? Who is wrong? Who is right? To know that, you need to watch the film...
Daayra is written by Meghna Gulzar, Sima Agarwal, and Yash Keswani, and Meghna has directed it. The movie is set in two timelines: the investigation of the rape case done by Raman and the investigation of the shootout done by Ajooni. The film starts on an interesting note and keeps us engaged with the screen till the interval. The first half has scenes that will keep you on the edge of your seat and will also make you feel angry and emotional at the same time. In some scenes, Meghna creates a fear on screen that maybe every girl's parent goes through. Some dialogues and scenes hit you hard.
After the interval, the film concentrates more on Ajooni's investigation into the shootout, and there are many interesting moments that will keep you hooked to the screen. In the last 30–40 minutes, the film goes to a totally different level. Some scenes will make you uncomfortable; some scenes will make you angry; some scenes will make you feel satisfied about what happened with the rape accused, but most importantly, some scenes will leave you with a BIG question!
Daayra shows two perspectives brilliantly, but it doesn't give a judgement about any of them. You will leave the theatre thinking about who was right and who was wrong.
The movie is shot wonderfully by Saurabh Goswami, and Charu Shree Roy's editing is just perfect. The runtime of Daayra is 143 minutes, and thankfully, it doesn't drag.
Daayra Review - Actors' Performances
Prithviraj Sukumaran as DCP Raman shines in the film and delivers a very impressive performance. His performance will be a surprise for Hindi moviegoers, who mostly know him for dancing to the song Dreamum Wakeupum with Rani Mukerji in Aiyyaa.
Kareena Kapoor Khan as DCP Ajooni gets some of the best scenes and dialogues in the film, and she does justice to the character with her wonderful performance. Also, it is good to see a female cop in a Bollywood film who isn't de-glam.
When it comes to the supporting cast, it is Kshitee Jog who steals the show as the rape victim's mother. She is simply fantastic. Other actors like Jitendra Joshi, Pragati Mishra, Upendra Chauhan, and Trupti Khamkar are good in their respective roles.
Daayra Review - Music
Daayra has only one song that comes at the end of the film. Amit Trivedi composed it, B Praak sang it, and veteran writer and lyricist Gulzar wrote it. While Sach Ka Daayra grabs our attention, it is Ketan Sodha's amazing background score that impresses us most and creates the perfect tense atmosphere for the film.
Daayra Review - FPJ Verdict
Overall, Daayra is undoubtedly one of the best works of Meghna Gulzar. The film deals with a sensitive topic maturely. It stays in its 'daayra', never goes overboard, and leaves us with a lot of questions. So, do watch it in a theatre near you because it is a must-watch!
P.S. This film will start a lot of discussions on social media.
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