Poo, Geet, Dolly To Ajooni: How Filmmakers Keep Unveiling A New Kareena Kapoor Khan?

For more than two decades, Kareena Kapoor Khan has remained one of Hindi cinema’s most recognisable stars. But what makes her journey particularly interesting is how often filmmakers have found a different side of the actor beneath that familiar star image.

The Kareena audiences first associated with Poo in Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... became the irrepressible Geet in Imtiaz Ali’s Jab We Met.

Vishal Bhardwaj then took her into the darker, more layered world of Omkara, where she played Dolly Mishra.

Over the years, films such as Chameli, Talaash, Ki & Ka, Veere Di Wedding, Good Newwz, Laal Singh Chaddha, Jaane Jaan, and The Buckingham Murders have continued to reveal different registers of her performance.

Now, Meghna Gulzar believes there is another Kareena waiting to be discovered in Daayra.

Speaking about the actor’s performance as DCP Ajooni Kohli, Meghna Gulzar said, “Daayra unveils an entirely unseen facet of the actor that is Kareena Kapoor.” She described Ajooni as “stoic, unreadable”, adding that she “cracks open situations and people with a smile.”

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Directors Praise Kareena Kapoor's Evolving Roles

From the vulnerability of Chameli and Omkara to the emotional complexity of Talaash and Udta Punjab, she has consistently experimented with characters that demanded something different from her.

Vishal Bhardwaj, who directed her in Omkara, later said: “I really want to work with Kareena again. I am her huge fan.”

That appreciation from filmmakers has continued through different phases of her career. R Balki, who directed her in Ki & Ka, called her “one of the finest actors the industry has produced.”

Sujoy Ghosh, who worked with her on Jaane Jaan, said she “completely immerses into the character.”

Hansal Mehta, meanwhile, described her performance in The Buckingham Murders as “Kareena’s best.”

Each filmmaker found something different instinct, restraint, vulnerability, intensity or the ability to disappear into a character.

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Kareena Kapoor In Meghna Gulzar's Daayra

With Daayra, Meghna Gulzar appears to be pushing Kareena into yet another unexplored space. Ajooni is not built around the flamboyance of Poo, the exuberance of Geet or the visible vulnerability of some of her recent characters.

Instead, Gulzar's description points towards a performance built on restraint and ambiguity. She has called Ajooni and Prithviraj Sukumaran’s Raman the “Ying and Yang of Daayra”, contrasting Ajooni’s controlled exterior with Raman’s “caged rage.”

Twenty-five years into her career, perhaps the most interesting thing about Kareena Kapoor Khan is that there is still another version of her waiting to be discovered.

All About Daayra Movie

Daayra follows two senior police officers: DCP Ajooni Kohli and DCP Raman Kumar; who find themselves on opposing sides of a complex, high-profile case. As the investigation deepens, their ideological and tactical clash forces them to confront questions of legal accountability, institutional ethics, and justice.

Daayra is scheduled to release in theatres on September 18, 2026.

FAQs

When is Daayra releasing in theatres?

The film will be released nationwide in cinemas on September 18, 2026.

Who is directing Daayra?

The investigative drama is directed by Meghna Gulzar (Raazi, Sam Bahadur).

What roles do Kareena Kapoor Khan and Prithviraj Sukumaran play?

Kareena Kapoor Khan plays DCP Ajooni Kohli, while Prithviraj Sukumaran stars as DCP Raman Kumar.