Kareena Kapoor Khan and Prithviraj Sukumaran finally graced the big screen together this Friday in Meghna Gulzar’s crime thriller, Daayra. While the film has garnered decent reviews from both critics and audiences for its gripping premise, the box office numbers tell a different story. The film raked in Rs 1.15 crore on its opening day in India. Trade analyst Taran Adarsh noted that the movie had a compact release across 700 cinemas and lacked promotional offers, which contributed to the low initial total. However, there was a noticeable uptick in footfalls during the evening shows, offering a glimmer of hope for the coming days.
To combat the sluggish start, the makers have introduced a Buy One Get One (BOGO) ticket offer for Saturday and Sunday, aiming to pull more viewers into theatres. The film, which is inspired by true events, features Kareena and Prithviraj as police officers navigating the gritty world of juvenile crime. The narrative centers on their professional face-off and the complex moral dilemmas they encounter while enforcing the law.
During a recent press meet in Delhi, Kareena shed light on her character, Ajooni, a police officer who prioritizes law and procedure. Breaking away from the stereotypical, action-heavy portrayal of female cops in Bollywood, Kareena described Ajooni as a character who remains feminine, calm, and stern. She admitted that capturing the character’s moral ambiguity was a challenge, especially since she personally prefers to see the world in black and white. Reflecting on the film’s theme, she referenced a lyric from a Gulzar song, noting that the “daayra” of truth is constantly shifting, making the portrayal of such complex, grey characters a difficult but rewarding experience.