Daayra movie review: Kareena Kapoor, Prithviraj Sukumaran shine in Meghna Gulzar’s cop-versus-cop crime thriller
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Daayra film review Photograph: (Instagram)
Daayra film review: Daayra is a thought-provoking crime thriller, starring Kareena Kapoor Khan and Prithviraj Sukumaran. Directed by Meghna Gulzar, the film shows two police officers on opposite sides of a controversial case.
Daayra movie review: After Talvar and Chhapaak, Meghna Gulzar is back with another crime thriller, Daayra, which does not ask you to immediately decide who is right and who is wrong. Instead, it presents two police officers on opposite sides of a controversial case. Starring Kareena Kapoor Khan and Prithviraj Sukumaran as DCP Ajooni Kohli and DCP Raman Kumar, respectively, the centre of the film is a disturbing crime that leads to a controversial police encounter.
While Raman is hailed by the public for delivering what many see as swift justice, Ajooni goes on a mission to uncover the truth. Daayra marks the first collaboration between Gulzar, Kapoor and Sukumaran. But does the film manage to live up to its promising premise? Let's find out.
Daayra's plot
Daayra revolves around a disturbing crime where a young girl goes missing one night and her burned body is found later. Her killing has angered the public and the police are under pressure to catch whoever is responsible.
DCP Raman Kumar (Prithviraj Sukumaran) takes charge of the investigation and assures that he will do justice to the victim and her family. His team manages to track down the suspects, but what follows leads to a controversial police encounter that turns Raman into a public hero.
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Daayra film review Photograph: (Instagram)
While many see the encounter as “justice”, questions soon emerge over what really happened. Was it a genuine encounter or did the police overstep the law? This is when DCP Ajooni Kohli (Kareena Kapoor Khan) enters the picture.
An SIT is formed under her and as she starts probing into the police version of events, she starts noticing discrepancies that just don’t add up. Her investigation takes her deeper into the brutal case and the circumstances surrounding the encounter.
Besides the investigation, the film also gives a glimpse of the personal struggles Ajooni is going through, thus adding another dimension to her character.
Rather than giving us a straightforward hero-versus-villain story, Daayra builds its narrative around a conflict, gradually revealing the events that bring the two officers to opposite sides of the same case.
What works
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The best part about the film is its story. Despite having Kapoor and Sukumaran in the lead, there are no unnecessary hero moments or attempts to make the police officers look larger than the story.
The narrative also does not make the main conflict too simple. Raman and Ajooni represent different approaches to the same question: what should happen when a horrifying crime takes place and the system appears to have failed?
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Daayra film review Photograph: (Instagram)
The film's investigation is what keeps it moving. Just when you think you understand what happened, another detail changes the picture, and the main question, "Was this a genuine encounter?" remains hanging over the film almost till the end.
Coming to performances, Kapoor plays Ajooni with a restrained approach, which suits the character. She does not rely on loud dialogue or exaggerated aggression to establish authority. The character is composed while dealing with a disturbing case, but there is clearly something happening underneath that calm face.
Sukumaran, meanwhile, is equally effective as Raman. His character carries authority from the moment he appears, but there is also something unsettling about the way he approaches justice. He keeps the performance controlled rather than turning Raman into a conventional mass-action cop. That makes the character more interesting.
The professional tension between Raman and Ajooni is one of the film's important strengths.
Gulzar's direction has kept the film grounded in its investigation. Her previous work has often highlighted morally complicated situations, and Daayra continues that interest in the relationship between individual choices and larger systems. Despite dealing with a sensitive topic, Gulzar avoids turning every emotional moment into a dramatic scene. That helps the darker portions land with greater impact.
What doesn't work
The film is gripping overall, but some portions can feel slightly stretched as Daayra takes its time before revealing some of the cards.
Ajooni's personal story is introduced through her father, Judge Kohli, but it could have been explored more.
The same applies to Raman. The film gives us glimpses into his approach to criminals, but does not explore his personal life much. A deeper understanding of the man behind the police officer could have added another layer to his actions.
Also Read: Kareena shares sweet birthday wish for Daayra director Meghna Gulzar, calls her 'tigress'
One of the film's more effective developments is the discovery that the central case may not have been an isolated incident; it would have been more interesting if that angle was explored better to understand the suspects.
Additionally, this is not an easy watch. It is disturbing, and the film does not completely soften the reality of the crime. That said, Gulzar has clearly designed Daayra to make the audience uncomfortable rather than provide an entertaining crime thriller.
Is Daayra worth watching?
Yes! Though the film drags slightly in some portions and a few characters feel underexplored, Daayra has a strong story and a powerful cast. Kareena Kapoor Khan and Prithviraj Sukumaran both deliver solid performances throughout its 143-minute runtime. Neither character is reduced to a conventional hero or villain, which makes their conflict more engaging.
At the end of the day, Daayra is about how people understand justice and what happens when those entrusted with enforcing the law decide how far they are willing to go.
Daayra arrives in cinemas on September 18.
