By Daayra released in theatres today, marking the first on-screen pairing of Kareena Kapoor Khan and Prithviraj Sukumaran under director Meghna Gulzar.
The investigative thriller follows a rape case probe and the alleged encounter killing of four accused men, raising questions about justice and power.
Kareena Kapoor Khan’s turn as police officer Ajooni has drawn praise for its restraint, steering clear of the aggressive cop archetype common in the genre.
The 143-minute film has been well received, with reviews placing it between 3.5 and 4 stars.
Critic Ramesh Bala called it a ‘gripping investigative thriller backed by a solid police procedural,’ commending the performances of both leads.
Kareena Kapoor Khan plays a police officer named Ajooni, with reviewers noting her performance leans into quiet authority rather than the aggressive cop archetype common in Hindi crime dramas.
The film runs 143 minutes and maintains tension through a police-procedural structure rather than dramatic excess.
Reviewers have rated the film between 3.5 and 4 stars, with critic Ramesh Bala calling it a ‘gripping investigative thriller backed by a solid police procedural.’
The film does not shy away from the harsh realities surrounding its central crime, examining the question of justice from multiple perspectives.
Both lead actors have been praised for holding the film together through restraint, with the story avoiding easy answers about who is right in a cop-versus-cop conflict.
Meghna Gulzar’s earlier film Raazi, also a tense thriller, was a major commercial and critical success and is often cited as a reference point for her directorial style.
The film’s climax has drawn mixed reactions from some critics even as the overall reception remained largely positive.
Daayra released in cinemas nationwide today alongside the regular Friday slate of new film releases in India.
Daayra is directed by Meghna Gulzar, known for previous films including Talvar, Raazi and Sam Bahadur.
Regal Cinema, Mumbai (representative image), Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
