As Akkineni Nagarjuna celebrates his birthday on August 29, we look at why he is regarded as a trailblazer. Born into one of the country’s most prominent film families, with his father ANR being a celebrated thespian, Nagarjuna has enjoyed an eventful career spanning four remarkable decades. Ever since his 1986 debut with Vikram, Nagarjuna has evolved from a star heir into a style icon and a fearless performer.

Early in his career, Nagarjuna broke away from traditional commercial tropes with Mani Ratnam’s cult classic Geethanjali and Ram Gopal Varma’s game-changing action drama Shiva. Both films reflected his proactive pursuit of experimentation. He effortlessly switched gears to deliver slapstick comedy in Hello Brother, romantic charm in Manmadhudu, and commercial entertainment in King.

When he ventured into devotional cinema, sceptics questioned whether an urban heartthrob could carry grand spiritual epics. Yet audiences were pleasantly surprised when he transformed into the 15th-century poet-saint Annamayya in K Raghavendra Rao’s classic of the same name, earning widespread critical acclaim. He followed it up with Sri Ramadasu. Later, Manam became a poignant tribute to his family legacy, with Nagarjuna sharing the screen with his father in the emotionally resonant fantasy family drama.

Nagarjuna’s greatest legacy, his fans say, lies in his willingness to trust fresh talent. He has regularly handed the director’s chair to debutants and relative newcomers, backing filmmakers such as RGV (Shiva), second-time filmmaker Krishna Vamsi (Ninne Pelladata), YVS Chowdary (Sri Sita Ramula Kalyanam Chootamu Rarandi, which Nagarjuna also produced), and Dasaradh (Santosham). He embraced the fantasy genre again with Soggade Chinni Nayana, which was directed by debutant Kalyan Krishna Kurasala.

Over the last few years. Bollywood stars have embraced the procedural drama genre through streaming platforms. From traditional Hindi cinema to realistic, criminal to legal investigations, many actors navigated the transition.  If the latest reports are to be believed, Kareena Kapoor Khan is set to join this bandwagon.  

One of Indian cinema’s versatile actresses, Kareena Kapoor, over the years, seamlessly balanced mainstream commercial films with emotionally complex, content-driven roles. And picking up a film in the procedural drama genre is a step in that direction. According to sources, Kareena was fascinated with the script and she okayed the project instantly. OTT streaming giant Netflix is reportedly bankrolling the project to be directed by Arati Kadav of Mrs fame.

Arati being an acclaimed writer and filmmaker, is known for her unique contributions to sci-fi, speculative, and intimate human drama in Hindi cinema. When Kareena learnt that Arati was wielding the baton for the film, the actress was more than pleased to come on board.

“Kareena relishes to experiment. Over the years, she has taken on unconventional or bold roles in films like Chameli, Dev, and Omkara early in her career when others avoided raw look. Her choice of scripts and roles empowered her to sustain a dynamic Bollywood career spanning over 25 years. And at this point of time, Kareena wants to prioritize story than the run-of-the-mill scripts and gave the nod for Arati,” informs a source in the know.

The pre-production is presently underway, and the makers are giving final touches to the script. If all goes well, the yet-to-be-titled film may go on floors in September. Kareena would be next seen in Daayra, directed by Meghna Gulzar. The actress appears as a tough cop in the thriller which is being produced by Junglee Pictures and Pen Studios.

Also Read: Daayra: Kareena Kapoor Khan and Prithviraj Sukumaran’s character posters are too good to miss

The makers of Daayra have unveiled the character posters of Kareena Kapoor Khan and Prithviraj Sukumaran, offering an intriguing and striking first glimpse at their respective characters — DCP Ajooni Kohli and DCP Raman Kumar.

Kareena Kapoor Khan’s commanding screen presence is evident in her portrayal of DCP Ajooni Kohli. Donning the khakis with fierce intensity and authority, the actor embodies a righteous cop with emotional depth and gritty realism. According to the filmmakers, at its core, Daayra is a story about duality, a theme that runs through its two central protagonists.

“At its heart, Daayra is a reality of the world we live in, but what I love about this film is that Meghna never tells us what to think. She takes us into the grey… into two people who challenge each other, reflect each other and constantly shift the way we see the story,” says Kareena.

“Calculated calm and fearlessly fierce” is how the makers of Daayra describe Prithviraj Sukumaran’s DCP Raman Kumar. The actor has built a reputation for portraying bold, deeply flawed and hard-hitting characters, and his role in Daayra promises to be no different.

His character is expected to be defined by psychological complexity and emotional turmoil, bringing another layer of intensity to the film. Known for his versatility and powerful performances, Prithviraj is set to surprise audiences with what promises to be an intriguing role.

Directed by National Award-winning filmmaker Meghna Gulzar and inspired by true events, Daayra is written by Yash Keswani, Sima Agarwal and Meghna Gulzar. The film marks the first collaboration between Junglee Pictures and Pen Studios, while also reuniting Meghna Gulzar with Junglee Pictures for the third time after Talvar and Raazi.

Produced by Junglee Pictures and Dr Jayantilal Gada of Pen Studios, and distributed by Pen Marudhar, Daayra is set to release in cinemas on September 18, 2026. The world of Daayra will unfold further when its trailer arrives on August 31, 2026.