Some filmmakers make films. Some create their own identity. But Meghna Gulzar has done even more interesting work. He has created a cinematic world on which his own imprint is clearly visible. With films like Raazi, Talwar and Sam Bahadur, Meghna has touched different genres and subjects, but the roots of her storytelling have always remained the same: finding the human story hidden within a huge event.
She can take a headline and turn it into a layered drama, put forward very uncomfortable issues without creating sensation, can express complete emotion through a song and can cast Bollywood's biggest superstars in such characters that the audience forgets for some time that there is a star in front of them.
Now with Daira, directed by Meghna Gulzar and starring Kareena Kapoor Khan and Prithviraj Sukumaran, she is once again stepping into the world of crime, policing and justice. Produced by Junglee Pictures and Penn Studios, Daaraa is inspired by true events and will release in theaters on September 18, 2026.
So let us know those five reasons, which make Meghna Gulzar's cinema a different genre in itself:
1) Where others only see the headline, Meghna finds the whole story
For Meghna Gulzar, the headline is never the whole story. Real life events, extraordinary people and stories that have already made the news are just the beginning for them. After this begins the journey of delving deeper into the people and their emotions hidden behind those stories. Talwar turns the exploration of different versions of the truth about one of the country's most intriguing criminal cases into a deeply gripping story.
Raazi transformed an extraordinary detective story into a deeply personal tale of patriotism, sacrifice and family. Chhapaak did not limit itself to just the incident of acid attack, but told the story of a woman who learns to live her life again in her own way. Whereas Sam Bahadur not only told the story of a military legend, but also revealed the person hidden behind the uniform.
This quality of finding the big and emotional story hidden inside the headline is perhaps Meghna's biggest strength. And in scope too, she does not just leave a horrific crime as an incident, but turns it into a major debate on justice, policing and the decisions that are taken when the stakes are highest.
2) Raises the toughest issues, but never makes a drama out of them to attract the audience
Crime. War. patriotism. Justice. Law. Punishment. These are subjects that can easily be transformed into cinema full of shock and sensation. But Meghna Gulzar, on the contrary, chooses restraint and perhaps that is why her stories have even more impact. She does not need graphic scenes or over-the-top drama to make the audience uncomfortable. Uncertainty about the truth keeps you tied in the sword. In Raazi, the emotional value of the agreed decisions affects you.
His films do not use difficult subjects to get easy reactions. She sits with those subjects, understands them and gives the audience a chance to think as well. The same sensitivity is visible in the field as well. The trailer not only leaves its gruesome crime with a hook, but also immediately takes the audience into the larger debate of justice, police action and due process. Kareena Kapoor Khan's DCP Ajooni Kohli and Prithviraj Sukumaran's DCP Raman Kumar seem to represent two completely different visions of justice. And perhaps the biggest question of the film is this: What if questions are asked instead of answers?
3) From “Dilbaro” to “Insaaf”, Gulzar Sahab gives his emotional signature to Meghna's films.
Some songs become hits. Some become memories. And then there are some songs which become forever associated with their film. This is where Gulzar Sahab's words add another emotional layer to Meghna Gulzar's cinema. Raazi’s “Dilbaro” is a perfect example of this. This was not just a song. It became an emotional window into the relationship between Sehmat and his family. This song beautifully made one feel the pain of leaving home, the value of relationships and the sacrifice hidden behind a big mission.
Similarly, the anthem of Chhapaak also became a part of the soul of the film. Stepping out of the screen, she gave voice to the spirit of courage, of reclaiming one's identity and of moving forward. The use of music in Meghna's films feels different. It does not seem that songs have been included in the film only because the film requires a soundtrack.
These songs become part of the story. They deepen the emotions, bring out relationships and even after the film ends, they leave something with the audience, which they take home with them.
4) We don't just watch Meghna Gulzar's film, we also take something away from it.
Meghna Gulzar's film can entertain you, make you emotional and then silently pose to you a question about which you thought you already knew everything. After seeing the sword you wonder whether we can claim to know the truth so easily? Raazi makes patriotism very personal, because sacrifice is at its core.
Chhapaak takes the conversation beyond just the acid attack and focuses on the life of a woman who has to rebuild her world in the aftermath. Sam Bahadur tries to go beyond medals and military history to understand the leadership, courage and the man behind the legend. And Daaraa also seems to carry forward this tradition.
The film's central conflict raises an uncomfortable question about justice: When a horrific crime sparks public outrage, should justice be meted out immediately or should it always proceed according to the due process of law? You may not leave the theater with a definite answer to this question, but perhaps you will not be able to leave the theater without thinking about this question.
5) Alia, Deepika, Vicky, Kareena, Prithviraj: Meghna blends the superstars into their roles in such a way that the star is not visible.
This is probably one of the most impressive tricks of Meghna Gulzar. She casts the stars, but as soon as they reach the screen the star disappears. All that is remembered is the character and the artist who played it. Alia Bhatt was no longer Alia Bhatt in Raazi. She became Agreeable, a young woman who is thrown into an extraordinary world. Deepika Padukone does not look like a glamorous Bollywood heroine in Chhapaak. She blends into the character of Malti in such a way that her weakness, anger and courage come to the center of the story.
Vicky Kaushal does not just play the role of a famous military figure in Sam Bahadur. He lives up to Sam Manekshaw's personality, his wit and his commanding presence. And now in Daara, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Prithviraj Sukumaran will be seen in a world in which the audience has rarely seen them before. Two senior police officers whose vision of justice takes them on two completely different paths.
This is the Meghna effect. The star may bring you to the theater to watch the film, but the character forces you to forget the star. A genre that is only his, real stories. Difficult topic. Heart touching music. And such characters, who stay with you even after the film is over. Put all this together and it becomes difficult to fit Meghna Gulzar's cinema into any one conventional genre.
Her films travel from crime to espionage, from biographical drama to survival stories, but every story has a sensibility that is completely Meghna Gulzar's own. With Daaraa, produced by Junglee Pictures and Pen Studios and distributed by Pen Marudhar, Meghna Gulzar once again brings a challenging subject to the big screen.
And perhaps this is the easiest way to explain why her cinema is so special: Meghna Gulzar is not just a filmmaker working in different genres. She has become a genre herself. Daaraa will release in theaters on September 18, 2026.