By Akshay Acharya

FILMMAKER MEGHNA GULZAR, who is gearing up for the release of her upcoming film ‘Daayra’ starring Prithviraj Sukumaran and Kareena Kapoor Khan, has said that India’s principles of justice are very ancient.

The filmmaker spoke with IANS during the promotions of the film in the Andheri West area of Mumbai, and said that our sense of justice has undergone massive evolution.

She told IANS, “Even if it was already prevalent, it is man-made. The Manusmriti has been written by somebody and it has been formulated by somebody. So our principles of justice actually are very, very ancient. They have also evolved”.

She further mentioned, “They are also dynamic. But principles of justice or the idea of justice are very relative. What is justice for you can be a crime for me or injustice for me. And so as with everything that is human, it is not black or white. It is about the person's interpretation depending on their circumstances”.

‘Daayra’ is a crime thriller, and promises a sharp, socially grounded narrative, and stars Kareena in a complex, morally conflicted role that explores justice, power, and systemic grey zones. The project marks a significant collaboration, blending Kareena’s recent inclination toward layered, content-driven characters with Meghna Gulzar’s restrained, issue-oriented storytelling style seen in ‘Talvar’, ‘Raazi’, and ‘Sam Bahadur’.

Earlier, the filmmaker said that while both Prithviraj and Kareena’s characters are approaching the case from different angles, they don’t belong to opposite ends of the spectrum.

She earlier told IANS, “They are actually not at the opposite ends of the spectrum. They are part of the same spectrum. They are part of the same world of law enforcement and the police force. It is circumstances that put them on opposite sides of an incident”.

Produced by Vineet Jain under the banner of Junglee Pictures, the film is scheduled to release in theatres on September 18, 2026.

[VS]