India, Sept. 19 -- Daayra has released in cinemas, with positive reviews and word of mouth pouring in from audience. But to understand what makes Meghna Gulzar's latest film gritty and real, it is worth looking at the filmmaking vocabulary she has developed across her career.

From Talvar and Raazi to Chhapaak, Sam Bahadur and now Daayra, Gulzar has repeatedly gravitated towards stories where individuals collide with institutions, where personal choices have larger consequences, and where the answers are rarely as simple as they first appear.

A National Award-winning filmmaker, Gulzar has created a distinctive space for herself in Hindi cinema. Her films may span murder investigations, espionage, acid attacks and military history, but be...