Daayra

cop-versus-cop crime drama that revolves around an encounter carried out by a police officer and the questions it raises about justice and the law. The story follows a crime, how the police handle the investigation, and how Kareena Kapoor’s character becomes involved in uncovering the truth behind the encounter carried out by Prithviraj’s character. The story moves between the past and the present to gradually reveal what actually happened. The contrasting working styles of Prithviraj’s and Kareena Kapoor’s characters are designed as two different paths, which gives the investigation a sense of a cat-and-mouse game. The culprit-hunt portions involving Prithviraj’s police character are presented quite rawly, which creates a sense of tension and gives the investigation a slightly gritty feel. However, Kareena Kapoor’s character and the way her scenes are designed feel much more artificial and filmy, especially during her introduction. It becomes difficult to take her character as a serious police officer because, at times, it simply feels like Kareena Kapoor playing a version of herself rather than fully becoming the character. As the film moves into the second half and eventually towards the climax, the writing seems increasingly unsure about how to use her character. The interrogation portions also do not properly connect with the climax, making her investigative track feel disconnected from the film’s eventual resolution. Overall, Daayra raises relevant questions about encounter justice, public demand for quick punishment, and the loopholes in juvenile law. But despite having a promising subject, the uneven writing and execution made it feel unlike the Meghna Gulzar films we have seen before, leaving me with a sense that something was missing.