Recently, reports confirmed that Ayushmann Khurrana exited Meghna Gulzar’s film starring Kareena Kapoor due to scheduling conflicts. Now, according to a new update, Prithviraj Sukumaran, known for Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, has joined the cast in Khurrana’s place for a key role.
India Today revealed that Prithviraj has been finalized for Gulzar’s upcoming film, tentatively titled Daayra. The director is developing the project around a true, unsettling incident, with Prithviraj portraying a police officer. A source close to the production shared, “After Ayushmann Khurrana and Sidharth Malhotra left Daayra due to scheduling issues, Prithviraj was approached and immediately connected with the script and its message.” The source added that Prithviraj’s character is pivotal to the plot, while Kareena’s role will present her in a new light, balancing strength, vulnerability, and intuition.
Production is set to start soon, marking Prithviraj’s first collaboration with both Kareena and Meghna. An earlier report indicated that Khurrana’s packed 2024 schedule prevented him from committing to the film, which aligns with his music tour and other projects in late 2024.
This project follows Meghna’s acclaimed Talvar, with extensive research reportedly backing her new screenplay. On the career front, Prithviraj’s last Bollywood appearance was in Ali Abbas Zafar’s Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, starring alongside Akshay Kumar and Tiger Shroff. Meghna recently directed Sam Bahadur with Vicky Kaushal, while Kareena’s latest release is Rohit Shetty’s Singham Again, featuring Ajay Devgn, Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Tiger Shroff, Jackie Shroff, and Arjun Kapoor.
