Kareena Kapoor Khan on Her ‘Daayra’ Character and the Difference from ‘Talaash’
Mumbai, Aug 31 – Kareena Kapoor Khan, who is gearing up for the release of her upcoming film ‘Daayra’, attended the trailer launch in the city on Monday. Speaking to the media, the actress explained the difference between her character in ‘Daayra’ and her role in ‘Talaash: The Answer Lies Within’.
“I think Rosie was a very different kind of a character. She was more seductive and this is a completely different world that Meghna put me in,” Kareena said, referring to her ‘Talaash’ role. She added about her ‘Daayra’ character: “We've tried to keep the essence of just the fact that she's not a typical kind of tough nut cop.”
Kareena elaborated, “She's a pretty cop also. Yeah, I mean women like wearing lipstick. It doesn't have to be that if you're a cop you have to be a particular way. We've kept her feminine slightly because as women, we have to own who we are and we're proud to be who we are also. So when you're a cop and you want to be wearing trousers and you're wearing something, it doesn't mean that you have to become that.”
‘Daayra’ – Cast, Crew, and Premise
‘Daayra’ is a crime thriller film co-written and directed by Meghna Gulzar and produced by Vineet Jain under the banner of Junglee Pictures. The film also stars Prithviraj Sukumaran in the lead role.
According to the makers, the film is “inspired by true events” and unfolds in the “aftermath of a crime that grips the nation sparking widespread outrage, while setting a series of events and two investigations in motion.” The story follows two senior police officers, played by Kareena Kapoor Khan and Prithviraj Sukumaran, who face off while navigating the dark and complex world of juvenile crime.
The film is scheduled to release in theatres on September 18, 2026.
Prithviraj Sukumaran on His Role
Prithviraj Sukumaran, who plays DCP Raman Kumar, spoke about what drew him to the character. “What drew me to DCP Raman Kumar was the complexity beneath his composed exterior and the questions he finds himself grappling with during the investigation. What I admire is how the film maintains that objectivity right till the very end, allowing the audience to form their own perspective,” he said.
He also expressed his admiration for the director: “Meghna Gulzar is a filmmaker whose craft I have closely followed and Daayra gave me the opportunity to work with her. It was a rewarding experience and working with Kareena made the journey even more special.”
Kareena on Emotional Vulnerability and Parenting
At the trailer launch, Kareena also challenged the familiar idea that women are naturally more sensitive than men. According to her, emotional vulnerability should have no gender – and boys should feel just as free to cry, open up, and process difficult experiences.
“Ye soch hamesha hai ke ladki hamesha bohot sensitive hoti hai (This thought is always there that girls are always very sensitive), but that's not true. I think there are men and boys who today have no fear of being sensitive, of crying in front of a girl or crying in front of their mother. I always tell my son, if he wants to cry, you should, if that's what you feel, because he has to experience that and he has to know,” she said.
The actor also shared how she encourages her sons to embrace their feelings, saying that it is completely okay for them to cry whenever they feel the need to. “At the end of the day, I'm a mother of two sons and of course, I'm terrified because as a mother, you kind of want to do your best, you want to protect them, you want to also show them a side that they are responsible. So the only thing I keep praying for is kindness. Men should be more kind, boys should be more kind,” she emphasised.
Kareena said that allowing children to experience and express their emotions is important for their growth, while reiterating the need for greater kindness among boys and men.