Kareena Kapoor Khan has a new crime thriller hitting theaters September 18, but one of the biggest reasons she signed on had less to do with the role and more to do with the woman behind the camera.
At the trailer launch for Daayra, Kareena revealed that she had wanted to work with director Meghna Gulzar for a long time, and the opportunity was a major reason she decided to make the film.
“I have done this film to work with you, Meghna,” Kareena told the filmmaker.
The collaboration brings together an actress and director with some notable dramatic films behind them. Gulzar previously directed Alia Bhatt in Raazi, Deepika Padukone in Chhapaak and Vicky Kaushal in Sam Bahadur.
Kareena explained that she considers herself a “director’s actor” and particularly values filmmakers who have their own distinct voice.
“I feel that in our industry there are very few directors that stand out and have their own originality,” she said, adding that she has been fortunate enough to work with many of them throughout her career.
But there was still someone on her list.
“There was one left,” Kareena said of Gulzar. “She knows I was always wanting to work with her, and this combination couldn’t get better.”
What Is Daayra About?
Daayra, which also stars Prithviraj Sukumaran, is a crime thriller inspired by true events.
The story unfolds following a shocking crime that generates widespread outrage and polarizing reactions. At its center are two senior police officers who find themselves on opposing sides of a complicated juvenile crime case, approaching questions of duty and justice differently.
Kareena acknowledged the sensitivity of the material while discussing how she and Gulzar approached the film.
She said the story was something everyone involved felt a sense of responsibility toward, leading them to carefully develop the character and work together on the performance.
And Kareena appears to be extremely happy with where that collaboration ultimately led.
“I think it’s one of our best films,” she said.
That is a pretty significant endorsement from its own star, particularly when Kareena has made it clear just how long she had been waiting for the opportunity to work with Gulzar.
Between the sensitive true-event-inspired story, Kareena Kapoor and Prithviraj Sukumaran in the lead roles, and Gulzar behind the camera, Daayra already has plenty going for it.
But knowing Kareena specifically chose the project for the chance to finally collaborate with a director she has admired makes this pairing even more interesting.
Daayra arrives in theaters September 18.
