Daayra Box Office Collection Day 1: Kareena Kapoor’s Crime Thriller Opens Below Expectations

Kareena Kapoor Khan and Prithviraj Sukumaran’s Daayra opened to a disappointing Rs 90 lakh on Day 1. Meghna Gulzar’s crime thriller received mixed reviews, with audiences divided over its pacing and emotional impact.

Kareena Kapoor Khan and Prithviraj Sukumaran’s much-awaited crime thriller Daayra arrived in cinemas on Friday, September 18. Directed by Meghna Gulzar, the film brings together a strong cast and a serious storyline centred on crime, justice and morality. However, its opening-day box office performance remained underwhelming.

Daayra Box Office Collection Day 1

According to Sacnilk, Daayra earned approximately Rs 90 lakh net in India on its opening day. The film recorded around Rs 1.08 crore in India gross collections, despite being screened across 2,283 shows.

The opening figure comes as a disappointment considering the film’s star cast, director and reported production scale. Daayra also faced competition from Vibe, which features Kareena Kapoor’s brother-in-law Kunal Kemmu as its director, writer, producer and actor.

With the film reportedly made on a budget of around Rs 55 crore, its first-day theatrical earnings account for only a small portion of the reported production cost. The upcoming weekend will therefore be important in determining whether the film can witness stronger audience turnout.

What Is Daayra About?

The film follows DCP Raman Kumar, played by Prithviraj Sukumaran, and his team after they kill four men accused of the rape and murder of a young woman in a police encounter.

Kareena Kapoor Khan plays DCP Ajooni Kohli, who is assigned to investigate the encounter. Her character follows legal procedure and questions whether the police can take justice into their own hands.

The story creates a conflict between Raman’s belief that the judicial system is too slow for victims and Ajooni’s commitment to due process.

Mixed Reviews For Daayra

Daayra has received mixed reactions from viewers. While some have described the film as hard-hitting and emotionally gripping, others have criticised its pacing and felt that the narrative is stretched.

The film’s box office journey will now depend on audience response over the weekend and whether positive word-of-mouth can translate into higher occupancy.