Daayra REVIEW: Kareena Kapoor Khan VS Prithviraj Sukumaran – An Unapologetic Mirror Of Society

Film:
Daayra

Director: Meghna Gulzar

Writer: Meghna Gulzar, Sima Agarwal, Yash Keswani

Cast: Kareena Kapoor, Prithviraj Sukumaran, Kanwaljit Singh, Achint Kaur, Anuja Sathe, Seema Azmi, Biswapati Sarkar, Jitendra Joshi

Runtime: 143 Minutes (2 Hours, 23 Minutes)

Platform: In Theatres

Daayra Review

“The law will take its course.” “The law would have done it’s justice.” “Law has to do it’s duty.” Whenever a heinous crime like rape and murder is committed in the India and the judiciary system takes time we demand fast justice and the above-mentioned statements are what we hear to justify the delay. Daayra is battleground where one character treats law and justice as their duty while the other must investigate it was moral.

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Directed by Meghna Gulzar – who has helmed raw and hard-hitting titles like Talvar and Raazi, once again delivers a powerful crime thriller that depicts both sides of an argument people have been havign for ages – should rapist, especially those who are guilty of repeatedly committing it, be tried in court and given leniency due to a number of issues or should they killed immediately after they accept their crime. It’s more than just a police-versus-criminal drama, it makes you dig deeper and question yourself on where you stand in this arguement.

The film follows DCP Ajooni Kohli (Kareena Kapoor Khan) as she investigates an incident (her words – I don’t investigate my colleagues, I investigate incidents), involving DCP Raman Kumar (Prithviraj Sukumaran) and his team killing four accused of raping and murdering a young girl. Along with dealing with the heinous crime, Daayra also touches upon issues such as delayed justice, institutional power, and whether taking the law in ones hands i justified. Daayra is unapologetic as it not only shows Ajooni and Raman as the opposite sides of a coin but also the raw truth of what individuals go through when they ask the authorities for help.

Read our detailed review to know why Daayra is worth a watch in theatres.

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What Works

The film’s story and writing paired with Meghna Gulzar’s direction is top-notch. It present the raw and unfiltered reality of India and the trials victims of such heinous crimes have to face. Kareena and Prithviraj’s acting is on-point and beautifully showcase their clash of their sense of duty and law.

Technical Analysis

Direction

Meghna Gulzar has once more delivered exactly what she promised – a nail-biting thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat rooting for one character but acknowledging what the other is saying as equally true.

Story & Screenplay

Ever since the nation united in 2012 and demanded justice following the brutal gang rape and death of 23-year-old Jyoti Singh Pandey (popularly known as the Nirbhaya case), conversations around this heinous crime and the consequences the accused need to face have been on. However, we yet see a delay in judgement being delivered and the victims (and their families) having to suffer the trials for years. Meghna, Sima Agarwal and Yash Keswani have brought this conversation to the big screen by presenting it in an interesting manner where the justice you want delivered may not be the same as the one a judge may pass.

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The film, rather than going the normal route and presenting a straightforward rape investigation of good vs evil, right vs wrong, add in integral aspects that are normally over looked such as legal process, police accountability, and whether delayed justice is still justice.

The dialogues too are impactful and carry the weight of the character’s ethics and dilemmas.

Star Cast

Kareena Kapoor Khan delivers a brilliant and convincing performance as DCP Ajooni Kohli. She respectfully balances the weight of the stars on here shoulders (her police uniform) and the emotions a woman goes through while working a disturbing rape and murder case. She showcases Ajooni’s strength though her dialogues and principals and not wild aggression we generally see on the big screen.

Prithviraj Sukumaran as DCP Raman Kumar is something we all want to be when such crimes are spoken of in the news and he does justice to the character. He adds an extra sense of authority and tension to the narrative without overdoing it. He’s restrained but still quiet intensity as someone who follows procedures to the T but still believes in delivering justice before its delayed.

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The chemistry and professional friction between Prithiviraj and Kareena is palatable and one of the film’s biggest highs.

The film’s supporting cast, including Kanwaljit Singh, Achint Kaur, Anuja Sathe, Seema Azmi, Biswapati Sarkar, Jitendra Joshi do justice to their roles. They add layers and tension to the narrative despite some not having much screentime.

Conclusion

Daayra is unapologetic and raw as it shows the opposite sides of a coin and how individuals – based on their personal ethics, choose which side they want to be on. It doesn’t praise or demean either side, however, it justly shows how both are right. If you enjoy thrillers, this is unlike any you have seen before. Book your tickets and watch the film in theatres this weekend as it’s a mirror of society and depicts the mindset of the people living in it.

Watch the trailer of Daayra here:

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Also Read: Haiwaan REVIEW: Saif Ali Khan, Akshay Kumar’s Thriller Will Have You On The Edge Of Your Seat Cheering For The Hero