Rating: 2.5/5 Duration: 2 hrs 23 mins Genre: Crime Thriller / Investigative Drama Director: Meghna Gulzar Lead Cast: Kareena Kapoor Khan, Prithviraj Sukumaran, Kshiti Jog, Kanwaljeet Singh, Jitendra Joshi Release Date: 18 September 2026 Some films keep you on the edge of your seat because you have to know what will happen next. ‘Daira’ does exactly the same thing in the beginning. The brutal murder of a girl, the police quickly reaching the accused, then their encounter and after that the big question that arises is was this really justice or was the decision taken keeping the law aside? Meghna Gulzar’s film is inspired by the 2019 Hyderabad rape-murder case and the subsequent police encounter. Instead of replicating the real incident exactly, the film has created its story with imaginary names and situations and this is where the film becomes interesting, as it does not let you sit comfortably on any one side. But the problem is that a film which has such a strong beginning should have an equally strong ending. In ‘Daira’, the more one catches hold of the first part, the more slowly the second part slips out of one’s hands. How is the story of the film? The story starts with Ragini (Pragati Mishra), who gets into trouble near the highway one night. After this she disappears and the next day her burnt body is found. Ragini’s mother Parvati (Kshiti Jog) and brother Kabir (Bhavesh Babbani) seek help from the police, but the way the system treats the case at the initial stage lays the foundation for the entire story. The case comes up in the media and DCP Raman Kumar (Prithviraj Sukumaran) gets the responsibility of investigation. Raman along with his team captures four accused, but all four are killed in a police encounter before the case can reach the court. Police claim that the accused had tried to escape and attack. They were killed in retaliation. Well, this is where the real movie begins. On one hand the public is considering Raman as a hero. On the other hand, the question is arising, did this encounter really happen or was everything pre-decided? A special investigation team is formed under the leadership of DCP Ajooni Kohli (Kareena Kapoor Khan) to investigate the case. Ajooni’s job is not just to investigate the encounter, but to connect the entire chain that started with Ragini’s disappearance. And then the film becomes not a debate of Raman versus Ajooni, but of swift justice versus correct justice. How is the acting in the film? Prithviraj Sukumaran in the role of Raman Kumar is one of the strongest links of the film. His character has the authority of a police officer, but behind it there is also a man who believes that his decisions are right. Prithviraj’s acting does not make much noise. Especially there is a lot of weight in his eyes and the way he speaks dialogues. He stops Raman from becoming a complete villain and this was necessary for the film. Kareena Kapoor Khan is not the same glam police officer as Kareena. She is a more calm, organized and cerebral officer. Kareena does not act over-the-top here and this works in her favour. She asks questions, reads people, and catches small inconsistencies. However, the film is not able to fully utilize the potential the character had. Kshiti Jog As Ragini’s mother Parvati, Kshiti Jog overshadows the entire film at many places. Their sorrow is more visible in their silence than in screaming. The most human and emotional parts of the film are related to him. The rest of the actors also handle their parts and help make the film believable. How is the direction of the film? Meghna Gulzar knows that a crime story should not be left as just a crime story. Like ‘Talvar’, here too she tries to take the viewer inside the process of investigation. The first part of the film is quite effective. The way the events unfold slowly is good and the viewer keeps wondering what the truth is, but after the interval the tempo of the film drops a bit. At some places the story starts explaining too much and that becomes the biggest weakness of the film. The idea of how the storyline of the film is is very strong. The real question of the film is not whether Raman is right or Ajooni. The question is that if the system is slow then does the police get the right to take the law into their own hands? And if a criminal is killed before reaching the court, will that be called justice? The film definitely raises these questions, but at many places there is a need to delve deeper into them. How is the screenplay of the film? The beginning of the screenplay is quite tight. The events connect with each other and the mystery slowly unravels, but some things seem to drag on in the second half. At many places the pace of the story slows down and the viewer feels that the film is explaining the same thing again in a slightly different way. The biggest problem is the climax. The way the film ends after raising so many questions, it leaves the viewer a little incomplete instead of satisfying. It seems as if the film showed a lot of firecrackers, but went home after lighting the sparklers. How is the technical aspect of the film? The camera work supports the mood of the film well. Closed frames and close-ups increase the tension of the characters. The editing is quite effective in the first half, although the film could have been a little tighter after the interval. What are the shortcomings of the film? The biggest drawback is its weak second half. The second big problem is that in trying to answer the brilliant question with which the film starts, at some places it starts explaining too much. And then comes the climax. After such a serious story the viewer expects a strong confrontation and emotional payoff, but the film pales a bit there. This is the reason why ‘Daira’, despite coming very close to becoming a good film, does not become a completely memorable film. How is the music of the film? The music of the film is not its selling point. Ketan Sodha’s background score gives strength to the tense parts of the film. There is one main song in the film, but it’s not one you start humming as soon as you leave the theatre. The background music does the real work here. Final Verdict on the film ‘Daira’ is a film in which the questions are very good, the actors are very good and the beginning is also strong, but by the time it reaches the answer, the grip of the film becomes loose. Kareena Kapoor and Prithviraj Sukumaran play their characters with utmost seriousness and Meghna Gulzar’s direction is impressive at places. But if you are going in expecting a crime thriller that will keep you glued to your seat for the last 20 minutes, then you may be a little disappointed here.
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