Meghna Gulzar’s upcoming crime thriller Daayra has piqued all our interests. And since two years, everyone has been asking the same question… what real-life case is the film based on? When the film was first announced back in 2024, rumour mills suggested that the plot is based on the shocking 2019 Hyderabad veterinarian rape-murder case and the controversial police encounter that followed. The reports even described Daayra as a film inspired by the Hyderabad case.
But as the project has moved closer to release, the makers have revealed the truth. Daayra is not a straight retelling of one real case.
In a note shared ahead of the film’s trailer, Gulzar clarified that the story is inspired by several true events that have occurred across India. She
stressed that the film does not belong to one particular city or state, but portrays a reality that can unfold “almost everywhere and anywhere” in the country.
What Is Daayra About?
Daayra is an investigative crime thriller centred on two police officers who find themselves on opposite sides of a complicated moral and legal conflict. Kareena Kapoor Khan plays DCP Ajooni Kohli, while Prithviraj Sukumaran plays DCP Raman Kumar. Both are officers of the law, but their ideas of justice, responsibility and how the system should function appear to place them on opposing sides.
Gulzar has repeatedly described the film as an exploration of the grey areas between right and wrong. She has said that her background as a Sociology student taught her that society is not simply black and white. She has also described Ajooni as “fiercely righteous” and Raman as “righteously fierce”. Gulzar further described the pair as the film’s “Ying and Yang”.
Why Was Daayra Linked To The 2019 Hyderabad Rape-Murder Case?
Back in 2024, Daayra was being developed with Kareena Kapoor and Ayushmann Khurrana reportedly in talks for the lead roles. Multiple reports said the film was inspired by the horrifying 2019 Hyderabad rape-murder case and subsequent police encounter involving the four accused.
One report citing a source said Gulzar had spent years researching the subject and had strong source material for the screenplay. That connection became even more convincing because of the subject matter reportedly being explored: crime, punishment, justice and the role of institutions.
However, it was never officially confirmed by the filmmakers as a direct adaptation of that case. And now Gulzar has effectively broadened the picture by saying Daayra draws from several real incidents rather than one specific case.
The 2019 Hyderabad Case
The case that initially became associated with Daayra involved a 26-year-old veterinary doctor who was abducted, sexually assaulted and murdered near Hyderabad in November 2019.
According to the police investigation at the time, the woman had parked her two-wheeler near the Tondupally toll plaza on November 27. The four accused allegedly noticed her, deflated the tyre of her scooter and later approached her pretending to offer help. Police said she was then forcibly taken to an abandoned location where she was sexually assaulted. Her body was subsequently transported and burnt under an under-construction bridge at Chatanpally.
The four accused namely Mohammed Arif, Jollu Shiva, Jollu Naveen and Chintakunta Chennakeshavulu were arrested on November 29. They were charged in connection with rape, murder and abduction and were placed in judicial custody.
On December 6, 2019, the four accused were taken by police to Chatanpally for what officers said was a reconstruction of the crime scene. The police claimed the accused attacked the officers, attempted to escape and managed to seize weapons. The police then opened fire in self-defence, killing all four.
