Filmmaker Meghna Gulzar has shed light on the contrasting personalities of Kareena Kapoor Khan and Prithviraj Sukumaran in her upcoming crime thriller Daayra, saying their characters are not fundamentally opposed but are placed on different sides of an incident by circumstances.
Speaking to IANS during the film’s promotions in Mumbai’s Andheri West, Meghna said both characters belong to the same world of law enforcement and police work. Their differences emerge from the circumstances surrounding the case and the way each responds to them.
“They are actually not at the opposite ends of the spectrum. They are part of the same spectrum. They are part of the same world of law enforcement and the police force. It is circumstances that put them on opposite sides of an incident,” she said.
The filmmaker explained that the two characters must navigate changing boundaries while remaining within the framework of the law.
“Sometimes the line of law can entrap you. Sometimes it can show you the way. And that’s what they are navigating through ‘Daayra’,” she said.
Describing the characters as both righteous, Meghna said Kareena’s Ajooni Kohli takes her commitment to righteousness to an extreme. Prithviraj’s character Raman is similarly principled but has a fierce temperament that can sometimes overpower his sense of righteousness.
The crime thriller explores justice, power and the grey areas within the system, with Kareena portraying a morally conflicted character. The film brings together her recent work in layered, content-driven roles with Meghna’s restrained, issue-oriented storytelling, known for films such as Talvar, Raazi and Sam Bahadur.
Produced by Vineet Jain under the banner of Junglee Pictures, Daayra is scheduled to release in theatres on September 18, 2026.