An Intriguing Crime Thriller That Falls Short of Its Potential Release Date: September 18, 2026 TT Rating: ⭐ 7.1/10 Starring: Prithviraj Sukumaran, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Jitendra Joshi, Kshitee Jog and Others Director: Meghna Gulzar Producer: Dhaval Jayantilal Gada Music: Amit Trivedi Cinematography: Saurabh Goswami ISC Editor: Charu Shree Roy Story A gruesome rape case sparks widespread outrage, with the public demanding instant justice. The police arrest four accused, but the situation takes a dramatic turn during the crime scene recreation. DCP Raman Kumar (Prithviraj Sukumaran) and his team confront the accused, following which Raman builds a narrative that the police retaliated only after the accused attacked them and took away some of their weapons. As pressure mounts from the Human Rights Department, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) is formed, headed by DCP Ajooni Kohli (Kareena Kapoor Khan). What follows and how the investigation unfolds forms the crux of the story. Plus Points The film starts on a slow note, but gradually becomes engaging. One of its biggest strengths is the gloomy and serious atmosphere maintained throughout, which suits the nature of the story. The first half works reasonably well, with a few gripping moments. The way the police track down and arrest the accused is presented in a realistic manner. The sequence where Kshitee Jog questions the cops over their careless attitude is emotionally effective. Prithviraj Sukumaran delivers another strong performance. He convincingly portrays a police officer who has his own interpretation of justice and stands firmly by his beliefs. Minus Points The film attempts to establish a moral conflict between Prithviraj and Kareena's characters — instant justice versus justice through the judicial system. Considering the setup in the first half, the audience naturally expects the second half to explore their ideological differences through intense confrontations. Unfortunately, the film barely explores this conflict. There are very few substantial combination scenes between the leads, and the much-awaited confrontation arrives only briefly towards the end. As a result, the payoff feels weak. The subject had considerable scope for deeper conversations about staged encounters, justice and the contrasting viewpoints of the two characters. The film, however, does not explore these aspects to their full potential. Prithviraj's Jana Gana Mana, which also dealt with the Hyderabad Disha case, explored the larger questions around justice through more detailed episodes and revelations. Kareena Kapoor Khan also gets limited screen time, which affects the impact of the story. Her character needed stronger writing and greater presence. The second half becomes directionless at times and eventually turns monotonous. Technical Aspects Ketan Sodha's background score is decent, while Saurabh Goswami's visuals are impressive. The cinematography complements the dark tone of the film, and some of the intercuts are neatly executed. The production values are good, but the direction does not consistently reach the level expected from Meghna Gulzar. More focus was needed on the ideological conflict between the lead characters. Stronger combination scenes between Prithviraj and Kareena could have given the film much more impact. Verdict Daayra has an intriguing premise but does not make the most of it. The first half builds the story reasonably well and offers a few gripping moments. However, when the film needs to deliver its strongest impact, the second half loses momentum. The ideological differences between the lead characters had the potential to create a powerful face-off and a compelling climax. Unfortunately, the film does not explore that conflict deeply enough. Overall, Daayra is a serious crime thriller with a promising premise, but its execution leaves the film underwhelming.