Meghna Gulzar was reminded of her collaboration with late actor Irrfan Khan while working with Prithviraj Sukumaran on her new film, Daayra.
A crime thriller in Gulzar’s signature style, Daayra stars Prithviraj Sukumaran and Kareena Kapoor Khan as two cops on opposing ends of the same case. The story follows DCP Raman, played by Sukumaran, a police officer accused of staging a fake encounter and killing a suspect. Kapoor, meanwhile, plays DCP Ajooni, who leads the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the murky set of events.
In an conversation with The Hollywood Reporter India, Sukumaran cited a classic tension that actors experience when playing morally complex characters. He spoke about the dichotomy of siding with one’s character, despite one’s personal beliefs and convictions pointing in a different direction.
“As actors, we need to bring a certain conviction to the belief of the character. And we struggle at times,” Sukumaran said. “There were times when I asked Meghna, ‘Why? Why does he have to say or do that?’”
The tension proved fertile ground for exploring the role. “There are many moments in the film where as a reader, as an audience, I believe what Ajooni is standing for. But my conviction has to be with what Raman is standing for. So there’s a dichotomy.”
To this, Gulzar remarked that she experienced the same thing during Talvar (2015), in which Irrfan Khan played a cop investigating a sensational murder case. The film was inspired by real events had multiple battling perspectives and viewpoints.
“I honestly felt Irrfan sir would test me,” Gulzar recalled. “Till today, I miss him as an actor, but I don’t know which side he believed when he was playing the part of DCP Ashwin Kumar. That, I think, is where Prithviraj is coming from as well. You have to put your personal convictions aside, and start believing what the character is believing; that raises questions within you.”
Backed by Junglee Pictures and Pen Studios, Daayra releases in theatres on September 18.