Daayra (Malayalam)

Daayra is a 2026 Indian crime drama and investigative thriller directed by Meghna Gulzar. The film stars Prithviraj Sukumaran and Kareena Kapoor Khan in the lead roles and marks their first screen collaboration. Inspired by real-life events, the movie explores crime, justice, police investigation, accountability and the difficult boundaries between law and morality.

The film was released in Hindi and Malayalam on September 18, 2026. The Malayalam version has an additional connection to Kerala cinema: actress Parvathy Thiruvothu lent her voice to Kareena Kapoor Khan’s character, DCP Ajooni Kohli. This marked Parvathy’s first reported voice-acting/dubbing assignment for another leading actress. Daayra Movie Details

The film’s published credits list Meghna Gulzar, Sima Agarwal and Yash Keswani as writers, with Amit Trivedi credited for music and Gulzar for lyrics. The reported theatrical runtime is 143 minutes and the film received an A certificate.Daayra Malayalam Cast

Prithviraj Sukumaran as DCP Raman Kumar

Prithviraj Sukumaran plays DCP Raman Kumar, a senior police officer placed in charge of a highly controversial criminal investigation. The character represents one approach to policing and justice, which becomes central to the film’s conflict.

For Prithviraj, Daayra is another major Hindi-language project following his expanding work across Indian cinema.

Kareena Kapoor Khan as DCP Ajooni Kohli

Kareena Kapoor Khan plays DCP Ajooni Kohli, another senior police officer whose approach to the case differs significantly from Raman Kumar’s.

Ajooni becomes an important part of the film’s examination of justice, accountability and the role of the police in a controversial case.

Parvathy Thiruvothu – Malayalam Voice

One of the major attractions for Malayalam-speaking audiences is Parvathy Thiruvothu, who provides the Malayalam voice for Kareena Kapoor Khan’s Ajooni Kohli.

This was reported as Parvathy’s first voice-acting assignment for another leading actress. Rather than simply reproducing Kareena’s performance, Parvathy discussed the importance of capturing the character’s emotional essence while matching the original performance.

Other Cast Members

The supporting cast includes:

• Jitendra Joshi

• Kshitee Jog as Parvati Pujari

• Bhavesh Babbani as Kabir Pujari

• Pragati Mishra as Ragini Pujari

• Biswapati Sarkar

• Sandesh Kulkarni

• Trupti Khamkar

• Anuja Sathe

• Seema Azmi

• Achint Kaur

• Brij Bhushan Shukla

• Ram Diwakar

• Ashutosh Kumar Gupta

• Aditya Kumar

• Abdul Mani

The published cast listings identify several of these actors with police, family and other supporting roles within the investigation.

Daayra Director – Meghna Gulzar

Meghna Gulzar is the director of Daayra. She is known for films that examine real-world events and socially complex subjects, including Talvar, Raazi, Chhapaak and Sam Bahadur.

For Daayra, Gulzar returns to an investigative and socially relevant subject, building the story around a controversial crime and the different perspectives surrounding its investigation.

The film is jointly written by Meghna Gulzar, Sima Agarwal and Yash Keswani.

Daayra Story and Synopsis

Daayra follows a disturbing criminal case that develops into a major national controversy.

A young woman named Ragini disappears from a highway. Her family approaches the police, but the initial response to the disappearance is inadequate. Soon afterward, Ragini’s body is discovered, turning the case into a major public and media issue.

DCP Raman Kumar, played by Prithviraj Sukumaran, is assigned responsibility for finding the perpetrators. His investigation leads to the arrest of several suspects. However, before the suspects can be presented in court, they are killed in what the police describe as an encounter.

The incident creates a major debate. While many people support the police action, others question whether the encounter was genuine or whether the accused were deliberately killed outside the judicial process.

At this point, DCP Ajooni Kohli, played by Kareena Kapoor Khan, becomes central to the story. Her approach to the case brings her into conflict with Raman Kumar and raises questions about evidence, procedure, accountability and the meaning of justice.

The film therefore goes beyond a conventional police investigation and examines what happens when different interpretations of justice collide.

What Is Daayra About?

At its core, Daayra deals with the conflict between law, justice and personal ideas of right and wrong.

The film asks difficult questions about how society reacts to heinous crimes and whether extraordinary circumstances can justify actions outside normal legal procedures. Rather than presenting the investigation simply as a conventional police-versus-criminal story, the narrative places different approaches to justice against each other.

The movie has been described as being inspired by true events, although it is presented as a dramatic film rather than a straightforward documentary account of a particular case.

Daayra Malayalam Version

The Malayalam release is particularly notable because of its combination of a Bollywood production with Malayalam-language localization.

The film was released in Malayalam alongside Hindi, allowing Kerala audiences to watch the thriller in a regional-language version.

The Malayalam version also features Parvathy Thiruvothu as the voice of Kareena Kapoor Khan’s Ajooni Kohli. Her involvement generated attention because it marked a new voice-acting experience for the Malayalam actress.

For Malayalam audiences, this gives the film an additional local connection despite its Hindi origins and largely Hindi-film cast.

Daayra Music

The music of Daayra is credited to Amit Trivedi, while Gulzar is credited for lyrics. Ketan Sodha is credited for background music.

The music and background score are used within the film’s crime-thriller framework to support its tense investigative atmosphere.

Daayra Release Date

Daayra was released theatrically on September 18, 2026.

The film was released in Hindi and Malayalam, with a reported runtime of approximately 143 minutes (2 hours 23 minutes). It carries an A certificate in India.Daayra Genre

Daayra can be described as:

• Crime drama

• Investigative thriller

• Mystery thriller

• Social drama

The film combines a police investigation with questions surrounding justice, public reaction and institutional accountability.

Daayra Production

The film marks a collaboration between Jungle Pictures and Pen Studios. It was reported as the first co-production between the two companies, with Pen Marudhar handling distribution rights.

The combination of Meghna Gulzar’s direction, Prithviraj Sukumaran’s presence in a major Hindi film and Kareena Kapoor Khan’s leading role made Daayra a notable cross-industry release.

Why Daayra Is Notable for Malayalam Audiences

There are several reasons Malayalam movie audiences may be particularly interested in Daayra.

First, the film features Prithviraj Sukumaran in a major Hindi-language role. Second, it is available in a Malayalam-dubbed version. Third, Parvathy Thiruvothu provides the Malayalam voice for Kareena Kapoor Khan, creating a direct connection with Malayalam cinema.

The film also brings together two major actors from different parts of the Indian film industry for the first time.

Daayra – Frequently Asked Questions

Who directed Daayra?

Daayra was directed by Meghna Gulzar.

Who are the main actors in Daayra?

The lead roles are played by Prithviraj Sukumaran as DCP Raman Kumar and Kareena Kapoor Khan as DCP Ajooni Kohli.

Is Daayra available in Malayalam?

Yes. Daayra was released in Malayalam as well as Hindi.

Who dubbed Kareena Kapoor in the Malayalam version?

Parvathy Thiruvothu provided the Malayalam voice for Kareena Kapoor Khan’s character, DCP Ajooni Kohli.

When was Daayra released?

The film was theatrically released on September 18, 2026.

What is the genre of Daayra?

It is primarily a crime drama and investigative thriller, with mystery and social-drama elements.

Is Daayra based on a true story?

The film is inspired by real-life events, but it is a dramatized feature film rather than a documentary.

What is the runtime of Daayra?

The reported runtime is 143 minutes, or approximately 2 hours and 23 minutes.

Final Words

Daayra brings together Prithviraj Sukumaran, Kareena Kapoor Khan and director Meghna Gulzar for an investigative crime thriller built around a controversial criminal case. Its story explores the difficult space between law, justice, police action and public opinion.

For Malayalam audiences, the film has an added attraction through its Malayalam-language release and Parvathy Thiruvothu’s voice performance for Kareena Kapoor Khan. With its serious subject, investigative storyline and cross-industry cast, Daayra represents another example of Indian cinema connecting talent and audiences across language industries.

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