One of the most anticipated Hindi crime thrillers of 2026, Daayra stars Kareena Kapoor Khan and Prithviraj Sukumaran together for the first time. The film, helmed by Meghna Gulzar, delves into the themes of crime, justice, accountability and the complex dilemmas that can emerge when they seem to be at odds. It is an actual event that inspired the movie and already has created a lot of curiosity due to the intensity of the topic and the power of the lead cast. The makers have officially announced the release date of Daayra on 18 September 2026 in theaters.
Daayra Movie Overview
| Category | Information |
| Movie Name | Daayra |
| Release Date | 18 September 2026 |
| Lead cast | Prithviraj Sukumaran, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Mounis Ratta, Prammod Sanghi, Aarti Desai |
| Writer | Meghna Gulzar, Yash Keswani, Sima Agarwal |
| Director | Meghna Gulzar |
| Producer | Vineet Jain, Dhaval Gada |
| Genre | Crime, Drama, Thriller |
| Language | Hindi |
| Platform | Theatrical Release |
Daayra Movie Release Date
Daayra will be released on 18 September 2026. It was officially announced by the producers back in June 2026, with a behind the scenes look at the film with Kareena Kapoo Khan and Prithviraj Sukumaran. Both Stars are playing the cops in a complex and controversial crime drama, which is being billed as a “gritty” investigative thriller case. The announcement of the release made everyone more interested in the project as it will be the first on screen collaboration between Kareena and Prithviraj.
Daayra Movie Cast & Crew
Daayra stars Kareena Kapoor Khan, Pritviraj Sukumaran, and it will be the first time working together on screen. Kareena stars as DCP Ajooni Kohli and Prithviraj as DCP Paman Kumar, two cops who are related to the main investigation in the film. Pragati Mishra, Mounis Ratta, Aarti Desai, Man Singh Karamati, Md Ahshanul Haque, Sumit Rana and ashiesh Bist are the other actors.
Meghna Gulzar directs the film, which is written by her along with the other writers, Yash Keswani and Sima Agarwal. Daayra is made by Vineet Jain, Dhaval Gada , Amrita Pandey, Akshay Valsangakar. Saurabh Goswami has done the cinematography, while Charu Shree Roy and Meghna Gulzar have done the editing. Amit Trivedi has been credited for the music of the film and Ketan Sodha is the original composer of the background music while Gulzar is credited for the lyrics. Production Co’s Junglee Pictures & Pen Studios
Daayra Movie Storyline and Plot
The film follows two senior Police officers – DCP Ajooni Kohli (Kareena Kapoor Khan) and DCP Raman Kumar (Prithviraj Sukumaran). They meet in the middle through an intensely politicised criminal investigation which is soon subject to public debate. The movie starts with a controversial interaction between officers and ends by revealing the intricacies of the case. As the investigation progresses, Ajooni and Raman come to oppose one another, their philosophies of policing, justice and accountability forming the main conflict.
Things take a darker turn when a family approaches the authorities as their daughter goes missing. As the investigation starts to reveal unsettling information around a serious crime, questions are raised as to who did what and what happened when the police intervene. The meeting gets contentious, and Raman’s method is studied in detail, whilst Ajooni investigates what really went on. The trailer also poses challenging questions when it comes to juvenile justice for serious crimes, raising another layer in the story.
Daayra is more than just a typical crime fiction; it is about the intersection of the law, justice and punishment. As Ajooni takes a deeper look at the case, the film offers two sides to every story and makes us question that there’s a simple solution to any crime with complexities. The story is based on actual events, and tells about truth, accountability and the moral limits of law enforcement officials. So, much of the drama will likely play out between the two cops, and the investigation will keep the audience pondering where justice lies.
Daayra Movie Budget
Daayra’s official budget hasn’t been officially confirmed by the filmmakers yet, so any number you can see floating around online is merely an estimate and not the official number. Produced as a serious crime thriller, the movie is being backed by Junglee Pictures and Pen Studios, and has a big production team. The shooting started in 2025, helmed by Meghna Gulzar and her technical crew which comprises cinematographer Saurabh Goswami, editor Charu Shree Roy and Production designer Subrata Chakraborty and Amit Ray
Final Word
Daayra Movie has a fascinating true-to-life story, a great cast featuring two strong actors, and a fantastic director. The film stars Kareena Kapoor Khan and Prithviraj Sukumaran as cops on two extremes of a tricky situation, while Meghna Gulzar brings her unique perspective to a crime, justice and accountability film. The movie is scheduled to be released in theatres on 18 September 2026 and is among the Hindi movies to watch in this year.
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