Following the critically and commercially acclaimed Sam Bahadur (2023), starring Vicky Kaushal in the titular role, director Meghna Gulzar is all set to make a comeback with Daayra. The highly anticipated crime thriller also marks the first on-screen collaboration of actors Kareena Kapoor Khan and Prithviraj Sukumaran, adding to the movie’s hype.

Daayra revolves around a police investigation into a horrific rape case in which an underage boy is one of the accused. The makers unveiled its trailer on Monday, August 31, sparking discussions about the movie’s theme. While addressing the media at the trailer launch event, both Prithviraj and Kareena were asked how much the crime thriller affected them as parents.

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Prithviraj : ‘What can we do but get worried and be hopeful?’

“We are not worried just as parents. I am worried as a husband, as a friend to someone, as a responsible citizen of this country, and yes, as a father as well,” Prithviraj said. “Unfortunately, as citizens, what can we do other than get worried and be hopeful? Yes, the film speaks about a very ugly truth within which society today exists, and we are all part of that society. We are all one side of an equation, and hope that the equation gets solved one day.”

The Malayalam actor continued, “I have an 11-year-old daughter. I am at that uncomfortable stage as a parent where now I have to start talking to her and letting her know about what is safe and what is unsafe. If we lived in an ideal world, we wouldn’t have had to have that conversation. But we do not live in an ideal world. But what can we do as citizens other than talking to our children?”

‘The conversation shouldn’t just be with girls’

“Make no mistake,” Prithviraj added, “the conversation should not just be with your girl children. It should be equally and vociferously with boys as well. I strongly feel that if there’s an extra ounce of responsibility on any side, it is with us, the men. We are the ones who should carry the torch to make sure that this conversation is heralded.”

When asked if they found themselves caught in the middle of such a daayra (circle), which side they would prefer to be on, Prithviraj noted, “You really can’t take a side. The side is that of justice. We are having this conversation because there’s a problem with the delivery of justice. We are living in a system where the delivery of justice is so cumbersome, so slow and so drawn out, that it is humanly understandable that we sometimes lose hope in it. That needs to be addressed.”

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“In terms of justice, there are no two sides to it. We have a system of law, and every criminal, citizen, and victim is a subscriber to the same system of law. I just hope for a day and time when the delivery of justice is faster, more coherent and does not come with years and years of waiting for it to arrive,” Prithviraj noted.

‘I keep praying for kindness’: Kareena Kapoor Khan on raising two sons

Kareena Kapoor added to Prithviraj’s statement, “It is the responsibility of men as well. I’m a mother of two sons, and of course, I’m terrified. As a mother, you want to do your best; you want to protect them; you also want to show them that they are responsible. So the only thing I keep praying for is kindness. Men should be kinder; boys should be kinder.”

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She added, “This thought is always there that girls are always very sensitive. But that’s not true. I think there are men and boys who today have no fear of being sensitive… of crying in front of a girl or crying in front of their mother. I always tell my son, ‘If you want to cry, you should.’ He has to experience that, and he has to know. There are some scenes in this film that would just automatically choke you.”

Daayra release date and plot details

The makers noted in the trailer’s description box on YouTube, “Inspired by true events, Daayra is a gripping crime thriller that follows DCP Raman Kumar (Prithviraj) and DCP Ajooni Kohli (Kareena Kapoor) as a case places them on opposing sides of the same system. As their paths collide, the film examines truth, accountability and the moral boundaries of justice, leaving the audience to confront the questions at its heart.”

Penned by Yash Keswani, Sima Agarwal, and Meghna Gulzar, Daayra will hit the screens worldwide on September 18.