Daayra review: Kareena Kapoor, Prithviraj face off over justice and law
Meghna Gulzar's crime drama with Kareena Kapoor Khan and Prithviraj Sukumaran asks what real justice means, not just who committed the crime
A crime drama usually follows the hunt for who committed a crime, the investigation, and the eventual arrest of the accused. But Daayra does not stop there. Rather than staying limited to the investigation, the film puts the question of what real justice means directly before the audience. The film is directed by Meghna Gulzar and stars Kareena Kapoor Khan and Prithviraj Sukumaran, both playing police officers.
Kareena Kapoor Khan plays DCP Anjini Kohli in the film. Her body language conveys authority, but the director has not confined her to the mould of a typical action hero. Anjini's real strength lies in her style of investigation - she listens carefully to everything, observes minutely, and gradually connects the different threads of a case. Kareena has played the role with restraint and equal impact.
Prithviraj Sukumaran, on the other hand, plays DCP Raman Kumar. The severity of crimes affects him deeply, and Raman firmly believes that some crimes must be met with harsh and swift punishment. Prithviraj has brought Raman's outlook to the screen with full force, while the character has also been given different shades rather than being painted in a single colour.
The film's story does not revolve only around the police investigation. It takes on several issues - the legal system, institutional accountability, pressure from the media and the public, and the way society views women after sexual violence. Writers Meghna Gulzar, Seema Agrawal and Yash Keswani have tried to weave these issues into the narrative. As a result, Daayra is not merely a crime drama that unravels a mystery but presents a distinct perspective on the justice system.
Daayra is a crime drama that takes on a serious subject, and its pace feels a little slow in places. Even so, its grip on the central conflict holds until the end. The performances of the cast and the film's firm conviction in its subject keep the story moving forward. In short, Daayra is not just a film about finding out who committed the crime, but a crime drama that makes viewers think about what justice after a crime really means and how it should be delivered.
Daayra has been produced by Junglee Pictures and Dr. Jayantilal Gada's Pen Studios, and is being distributed by Pen Marudhar. The film releases in cinemas on September 18.
