Meghna Gulzar’s new crime thriller *Daayra* has faced a sluggish start at the box office, according to reports from the Hindustan Times. The movie marks the first-time onscreen pairing of Kareena Kapoor and Malayalam actor Prithviraj Sukumaran, centering its plot on a pair of law enforcement officers grappling with ethical dilemmas after a disputed encounter killing tied to a severe rape and murder investigation. Exhibited across 2,332 shows nationwide, the feature managed an overall occupancy rate of 11.1% on its debut Friday.
Data tracked by Sacnilk indicates that the feature pulled in an estimated India net total of ₹85 lakh on its first day. The vast majority of this opening-day revenue stemmed from the Hindi print, which brought in ₹82 lakh, whereas the Malayalam-language version contributed a nominal ₹3 lakh. This modest debut has officially made *Daayra* the lowest opening-day earner of Kareena Kapoor's career, surpassing her previous low set by the 2024 Hansal Mehta project *The Buckingham Murders*, which had opened at ₹1.15 crore net. Additionally, Kareena found herself up against box office competition from her brother-in-law Kunal Kemmu, whose directorial debut *Vibe* also premiered that Friday and outperformed *Daayra* with a ₹1.29 crore collection despite its own slow start.
Critical reception for the picture was a mixed bag, with a three-star review from Rishabh Suri noting that the initial half adopts a patient, deliberate pace rather than an immediate thrill, allowing the procedural elements room to develop at the expense of urgent momentum. The reviewer observed that the latter half accelerates toward its conclusion, and though the final outcome may be anticipated, the journey offers engaging moments that lean into institutional critique and accountability rather than cheap shocks.
At a glance
- Meghna Gulzar’s new crime thriller *Daayra* has faced a sluggish start at the box office, according to reports from the Hindustan Times.
- The movie marks the first-time onscreen pairing of Kareena Kapoor and Malayalam actor Prithviraj Sukumaran, centering its plot on a pair of law enforcement officers grappling with ethical dilemmas after a disputed encounter killing tied to a severe rape and murder investigation.
- Exhibited across 2,332 shows nationwide, the feature managed an overall occupancy rate of 11.1% on its debut Friday.
The update
Meghna Gulzar’s new crime thriller *Daayra* has faced a sluggish start at the box office, according to reports from the Hindustan Times. The movie marks the first-time onscreen pairing of Kareena Kapoor and Malayalam actor Prithviraj Sukumaran, centering its plot on a pair of law enforcement officers grappling with ethical dilemmas after a disputed encounter killing tied to a severe rape and murder investigation. Exhibited across 2,332 shows nationwide, the feature managed an overall occupancy rate of 11.1% on its debut Friday.
Data tracked by Sacnilk indicates that the feature pulled in an estimated India net total of ₹85 lakh on its first day. The vast majority of this opening-day revenue stemmed from the Hindi print, which brought in ₹82 lakh, whereas the Malayalam-language version contributed a nominal ₹3 lakh. This modest debut has officially made *Daayra* the lowest opening-day earner of Kareena Kapoor's career, surpassing her previous low set by the 2024 Hansal Mehta project *The Buckingham Murders*, which had opened at ₹1.15 crore net. Additionally, Kareena found herself up against box office competition from her brother-in-law Kunal Kemmu, whose directorial debut *Vibe* also premiered that Friday and outperformed *Daayra* with a ₹1.29 crore collection despite its own slow start.
Critical reception for the picture was a mixed bag, with a three-star review from Rishabh Suri noting that the initial half adopts a patient, deliberate pace rather than an immediate thrill, allowing the procedural elements room to develop at the expense of urgent momentum. The reviewer observed that the latter half accelerates toward its conclusion, and though the final outcome may be anticipated, the journey offers engaging moments that lean into institutional critique and accountability rather than cheap shocks.
Source note: This page is an original summary of public coverage and discussion. It does not reproduce the source article.
Source: Hindustan Times
