Join WhatsApp Channel
The trailer launch of Meghna Gulzar’s Daayra was held at the PVR Juhu multiplex with the lead pair, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Prithviraj Sukumaran, in attendance along with producers Vineet Jain of Junglee Music, Dr. Jayantilal Gada of Pen India, co-producer Amrita Pandey and writer-director Meghna Gulzar.
The usual mutual raves apart, the trailer launch saw a very articulate Prithviraj who stole the show completely. The film seems to be in the substantial mode of Gulzar’s films in the last 11 years—Talvar, Raazi (as of now her best work), Chhapaak and Sam Bahadur. Each was based on or inspired by real people and stories that have happened.
Gulzar categorically stated two things: one, that her career had two sharp phases, one pre-Talvar (Filhaal, Just Marriedand Puranmaashi in the Sanjay Gupta anthology, Dus Kahaniyan) and one from that 2015 film onwards, and two, that she was never influenced by her father, Gulzar, as a filmmaker!
Daayra, which means limit or ambit, questions what are the scopes for police officers investigating a case. The duality of a cop who goes by the book and another who stays true to his own fierce and unorthodox ways brings to the fore discomfiting questions about investigative procedures, which in this case, is murder.
Prithviraj stated that when he got the offer, he had just signed Varanasi with S.S. Rajamouli and had mentally decided not to do any film in Mumbai. “I knew that in the months ahead, I would not have time to do anything else as I was already doing Malayalam films as well, but when Meghna asks for a meeting, I presume any actor in this country definitely meets her. So, I said, yeah, sure, I’d love to meet. And I was preparing myself to very politely listen to what she has to narrate and then say, ‘Sorry, it’s not doing to happen because I really don’t have the time.’”
He added, “And we met. and I must say that she narrates a film very, very well. So, she gave me this narration and I’m thinking to myself, ‘Oh, damn! I can’t say no to this!’ She said, ‘I’m hoping to get you to play this role.’ And I’m like, okay, now, I have to! So then, yeah, I said ‘Yes’ to it, and I’m so happy that I did, because Meghna is one of the nicest human beings I’ve met, and one of the toughest filmmakers I’ve worked with.”
He continued, “I’ve had a lot, many arguments with her, but the thing with Meghna is she never fails to answer a ‘Why?’ And I ask a lot of ‘Why’s’! Every time there was a scene and she asked me to do something in a particular way, I would go up and say, ‘Why? Why do you want me to do that?’ And then she has this really specific answer with such clarity. Then I’m walking back and I’m thinking, damn, I’m also filmmaker. I should be like her too!’ Meghna makes you go back to your alone space and think about what you’re going to do or what you’ve just done. And that’s such a craft for a filmmaker to have.”
Prithviraj goes on, “So, regardless of what happens on September 18, this is a film that I’m going to be very, very proud of. Because this film dwells into a conversation that I think is so relevant and so about our times, and the way Meghna has gone about saying that story is just a masterclass in objective filmmaking.”
Kareena Kapoor Khan added that the role has given her growth. “I feel that as a mother, as an actor, it has stayed with me. I feel that ever since I have become a mother, I’m also become a better actor. I have always said that I am a director’s actor. How many directors in this industry stand out and have their own originality? Yes, I’m lucky to have worked with most of them. There are a few left, and among them was Meghna, and she knows I was always wanting to work with her.”
