Meghna Gulzar Crime Thriller Daayra Opens to Moderate Box Office

Meghna Gulzar crime thriller Daayra opened to a modest domestic box office collection on its first day, earning between Rs 90 lakh and Rs 1.15 crore nett in India across Thursday and Friday. Released theatrically across a targeted distribution footprint, the film marks the first big-screen collaboration between Kareena Kapoor Khan and Prithviraj Sukumaran, who star as police officers navigating a brutal rape and murder case.

The feature arrived in cinemas alongside competing new releases while older titles continued to command significant audience attention across domestic markets. Industry tracking figures indicate varying initial returns for the crime drama as multiplexes and single screens commenced weekend screenings.

Trade tracking estimates for Daayra varied on its opening day, with box office trackers reporting figures ranging from approximately Rs 90 lakh to Rs 1.15 crore nett across the domestic market. The film was distributed across a tight release footprint, utilizing around 700 to over 2,200 shows nationally depending on regional tracking networks.

Occupancy rates for the Hindi-language version registered at 11.65 percent on opening day. The production is being screened in both Hindi and Malayalam languages, though the Hindi version accounted for the vast majority of ticket sales, while the Malayalam release contributed only a marginal share to the overall domestic net total.

Daayra centers on a brutal rape and murder investigation coupled with a controversial police encounter that follows the crime. Kareena Kapoor Khan and Prithviraj Sukumaran star as DCP Ajooni Kohli and DCP Raman Kumar respectively, finding themselves on opposing sides of the inquiry.

The narrative probes questions surrounding institutional accountability, police methods, and the legal boundaries of justice. In its critical evaluation, Filmfare awarded the film 4.5 out of 5 stars, describing it as an earthy crime drama that avoids easy answers and focuses on societal reactions in the aftermath of a severe crime.

The theatrical release of Daayra coincided with several other titles vying for audience attendance. The film opened alongside the comedy-action feature Vibe, directed by Kunal Kemmu and starring Preity Zinta alongside Sparsh Shrivastava, which recorded an estimated Rs 1.29 crore India nett on its first day.

Simultaneously, the spiritual drama Hanuman Ansh continued a dominant box office run. In its sixth week, Hanuman Ansh added Rs 5 crore nett on its 43rd day of release across 6,462 shows, pushing its total domestic net collection past Rs 248.38 crore with worldwide gross figures nearing Rs 316.30 crore.

As the weekend progresses, distributors and producers will monitor whether positive evening word of mouth and reviews translate into increased footfalls for Daayra over Saturday and Sunday. Overseas box office figures for the film had not yet been finalized or reported as the opening weekend commenced.