Daayra trailer review: Kareena Kapoor Khan and Prithviraj Sukumaran play conflicted cops in Meghna Gulzar’s thriller

Dubai: Some crimes are so horrific that they make even the most extreme punishment feel, momentarily, justified. That uncomfortable instinct seems to be at the heart of Meghna Gulzar’s Daayra, out on September 18.

The trailer promises a dark collision between police brutality, sexual crimes and two radically different ideas of justice. Kareena Kapoor Khan appears to play the controlled, rule-bound cop who believes there are lines that cannot be crossed. Prithviraj, meanwhile, seems to inhabit the other end of the spectrum; a cop who appears far more willing to believe in encounter killings and justice outside the rulebook.

And that clash is what makes Daayra so intriguing. When two people with completely opposing ideas of what justice should look like are forced to confront each other, where does policing end and vengeance begin?

Prithviraj and Kareena seem to carry the weight of the film beautifully. And with Meghna Gulzar behind it, there is reason to expect something more layered than a straightforward crime thriller.

Her Raazi showed just how effectively she can take morally complicated characters and place them inside deeply tense, human stories.

Daayra looks dark, disturbing and very much worth watching.

And what's more. Both Prithviraj and Kareena Kapoor are talented actors who bring this controlled intensity to their roles.