Before Daayra: A Look Back at Prithviraj Sukumaran’s Most Morally Complex Characters!

Prithviraj Sukumaran has carved out a distinct career path by portraying characters who thrive in shades of grey. Across both Malayalam and Hindi cinema, he has repeatedly chosen roles that dive deep into themes of power, justice, identity, and personal ethics. While this highlights only a portion of his extensive filmography, it underscores his ongoing knack for breathing life into intricate, multi-dimensional figures.

In the acclaimed Malayalam thriller Mumbai Police, he played a police officer forced to confront his forgotten past and his own identity in one of the most defining performances of his career.

He returned to another morally layered role in the Malayalam political courtroom drama Jana Gana Mana, where his character navigates the complex intersection of justice, politics and public perception.

In the Malayalam action drama Ayyappanum Koshiyum, Prithviraj portrayed Havildar Koshi Kurien, an ex-army officer whose escalating conflict with police officer Ayyappan Nair evolves into a compelling exploration of pride, power and morality.

His latest project, the Hindi gripping crime thriller Daayra, continues that trajectory. Directed by Meghna Gulzar, the film sees Prithviraj once again play a male DCP, stepping into another morally complex conflict alongside Kareena Kapoor Khan. Produced by Junglee Pictures and Pen Studios, distributed by Pen Marudhar, Daayra releases in cinemas on September 18, 2026.

Together, these performances showcase Prithviraj’s knack for choosing characters that challenge conventions and blur the lines between right and wrong—qualities that continue to define his work in Daayra.

By Keerti Kadam