Mumbai, September 6, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Filmmaker Meghna Gulzar, who is gearing up for the release of her upcoming crime thriller Daayra, has opened up about what inspires and drives her as a storyteller.
Speaking to IANS during the film’s promotions in Mumbai’s Andheri West, Gulzar said that life itself remains her primary source of inspiration, while she also prefers consuming non-fiction to fiction.
“Well, the fuel primarily actually is life. It’s the story that from where the film comes, that is the first and foremost driving force. Apart from that, I do consume a lot more non-fiction than fiction,” she said.
Gulzar, who studied sociology during her graduation, said her academic background has helped her remain attentive to developments in society and the wider world.
“There is a sense of a radar which is open to what is going on in your society and your world. Apart from that, I think it’s just a general awareness in the world that you live in and trying to constantly be aware of it and stay in tune with it and keep abreast of what is going on,” she added.
Daayra stars Prithviraj Sukumaran and Kareena Kapoor Khan and explores themes of justice, power and systemic grey areas through a socially grounded crime-thriller narrative. Kareena plays a complex, morally conflicted character in the film.
The project brings together Kareena’s recent focus on layered, content-driven roles with Gulzar’s restrained, issue-oriented filmmaking, seen in films such as Talvar, Raazi and Sam Bahadur.
Gulzar had earlier clarified that while the characters played by Prithviraj and Kareena approach a case from different perspectives, they are not ideological opposites.
“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,” she had said.
Produced by Vineet Jain under the Junglee Pictures banner, Daayra is scheduled to release in theatres on September 18, 2026.
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