Prithviraj Sukumaran Says Justice Has No Two Sides at Daayra Trailer Launch

Prithviraj Sukumaran got candid about the deeply disturbing subject at the heart of Daayra, admitting that the film's story has affected him not just as an actor, but as a father, husband, friend and responsible citizen. Speaking at the trailer launch of Meghna Gulzar's crime thriller in Mumbai, Prithviraj said the issues explored in the film are not something society can afford to look away from, particularly when the story involves a minor and the complicated question of juvenile justice.

“It’s not just for parents that we’re worried, you know, we’re worried. I’m worried as a husband, yes, as a father, as a friend, to someone as a responsible citizen of this country. I’m worried about all these aspects,” Prithviraj said. The actor, who has an 11-year-old daughter, admitted that the film made him confront an uncomfortable reality as a parent. “I have an 11-year-old daughter. And I’m at that uncomfortable stage as a parent, too. I now have to start talking to her, and letting her know about what is safe and what is unsafe. If we were to live in an ideal world, I would never have had that conversation. I would never have had to have that conversation, but we don’t live in an ideal world.”

Prithviraj also stressed that conversations around safety and accountability cannot be directed only towards girls. “What can we do as citizens other than talk to our children, you know, and make no mistake. The conversation should not just be to your girl children; it should be equally, mainly to your boys, as well, you know,” he said. Going a step further, the actor placed a greater responsibility on men to drive this conversation forward. “I strongly believe that if at all there is an extra out of responsibility at any side, it is with us the man. You know, we are the ones who should carry the torch to make sure that this conversation is spoken about; it is heralded, it is pushed in today’s society.”

When asked which side of the debate surrounding the film's central case he would choose, Prithviraj was unequivocal: justice cannot have sides. “Regarding the side that you’re

mentioning, you really can’t take a side. You know, the side is just that of justice,” he said. Explaining his position, he added, “We are having this conversation because there is a problem with the delivery of justice. You know, we’re living in a system where the delivery of justice is so cumbersome. It’s so slow and sometimes so drawn-out that it’s humanly understandable and humanly relatable that we sometimes lose hope in it.” For him, the answer lies not in choosing between competing sides, but in making the justice system work faster and more effectively.

The actor further emphasised that the law must remain the common framework for everyone involved. “In terms of justice, there are no two sides to it. We have a system of law, and everyone—every criminal, every citizen, every victim—is subscribers to the same system of law,” Prithviraj said. He concluded with a hope that the system can evolve to deliver timely justice: “I just hope for a day and time when the delivery of justice is faster and more coherent. And it doesn’t come with years and years of waiting for it to arrive. That’s all we can speak about.” His comments underline the larger conversation that Daayra hopes to trigger beyond the courtroom and the screen.

Directed by Meghna Gulzar, Daayra stars Kareena Kapoor Khan and Prithviraj Sukumaran as senior police officers navigating a complex case involving juvenile crime, justice and conflicting approaches to the law. Inspired by true events, the film explores the aftermath of a crime that sparks nationwide outrage and sets two investigations in motion.

Produced by Vineet Jain and Dhaval Jain under Junglee Pictures and Pen Studios, Daayra is scheduled to release in cinemas on September 18, 2026. With Prithviraj's comments adding a deeply personal perspective to its subject, the film is shaping up not merely as a crime thriller, but as a conversation about responsibility, justice and the uncomfortable realities society must confront.

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