Prahaar Review: Rajkummar Rao Nails Ujjwal Nikam in a Gripping, Restrained 26/11 Courtroom Drama -

Lalit Prabhakar’s stunning Ajmal Kasab transformation steals the show as Avinash Arun’s film chooses the law over loud theatrics.

Mumbai, October 16, 2026

While the big-ticket clashes grab headlines this weekend, one quieter film is making a lot of noise in the right way. Prahaar – The Ujjwal Nikam Story, starring Rajkummar Rao, entered theatres alongside Ranabaali and Nayi Navelli, right after Rajinikanth’s Jailer 2. It does not offer a hero who punches the villain. It gives you a courtroom, a lawyer and a very hard question: how do you give even the worst criminal a fair trial?

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The Story: The Trial Hindi Cinema Skipped

Dramatised versions of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks and their aftermath have reached the screen many times. The legal battle that led to the conviction and execution of the sole surviving attacker, Ajmal Kasab, has not. That is the gap Prahaar sets out to fill, and the tagline promises “The Untold Story of Ujjwal Nikam.”

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Produced by Dinesh Vijan of Maddock Films, written by Sumit Roy and directed by Avinash Arun, who also handles the camera, the film follows the public prosecutor who rose to national fame through this case. We first meet Nikam celebrating his win in the 1993 Mumbai blasts case. Then 26/11 strikes, and his life, including his daughter’s upcoming wedding, takes a back seat to the biggest trial of his career.

Rajkummar Rao: Restraint Is the Real Power

Rajkummar Rao has become a specialist at playing real people with complicated layers, and Nikam is another strong entry. He may not vanish into the role as completely as he did in Shahid, but he comes close, and he stays remarkably true to the real-life inspiration.

What works is what he doesn’t do. He never tries to get ahead of the script or shout that he is larger than life. Nikam is a man on a short fuse who plays tough when the going gets tough, and Rao uses that edge without letting it spill into caricature. When the script hands him declamatory lines, he stays measured. One line sums up the film’s spirit: justice delayed is justice denied, but justice hurried is justice buried.

The Showstopper: Lalit Prabhakar as Kasab

If Rao is the backbone, Lalit Prabhakar is the jolt. Audiences saw him earlier this year in the relationship drama Toh Ti Ani Fuji, and his turn as Ajmal Kasab is being described as first-rate and stunningly convincing. Expect his name to trend for this transformation alone.

The writing is careful here. The screenplay humanises Kasab to a degree, showing an indoctrinated, misguided young man fed on venom, but it never excuses the horror he and his accomplices unleashed on one of Mumbai’s darkest nights. It is a tough balance, and the film holds it.

The Defence Lawyer: A Brave Choice

One of the film’s smartest moves is its handling of the defence. The several lawyers who represented Kasab at different stages are merged into one fictional character, a Muslim lawyer played by Sikandar Kher. He knows the battle is lost, since the evidence is overwhelming, yet he faces public fury for simply doing his job within the legal system.

His religion adds another layer of difficulty, and the film acknowledges that without dodging the complexity. In an era when courtroom films often pick sides loudly, this restraint stands out.

Avinash Arun’s Eye: Distance and Intimacy

Arun’s cinematographer instincts show in every frame. He uses precise framing and blocking, but the camera never tells you how to feel about the people in the courtroom. The result is a mix of objective distance and studied intimacy, which makes Prahaar feel different from earlier 26/11 films in Hindi cinema.

The intimacy comes from Nikam’s home life. Wamiqa Gabbi plays his wife Jyoti, and Ritvik Sahore plays his son Aniket, both of them starved of his time. Some viewers may see this as a digression, but it helps us understand the man behind the courtroom crusader. It also shows the personal cost of a life spent chasing justice.

Supporting Cast: Small Roles, Real Impact

Jaideep Ahlawat leaves a mark in a brief role as a Pakistani lawyer who crosses swords with Nikam. The character is forced to yield ground but is allowed to have his say, which keeps the contest feeling real rather than one-sided.

The film’s most powerful moment may be a courtroom sequence involving a 10-year-old victim of terrorism. Instead of replaying the horrors of 26/11, Prahaar channels its anger and outrage into this one scene, and it drives home the toll on innocents.

What Doesn’t Fully Land

No film is flawless. A certain amount of grandstanding is unavoidable in a story like this, and Nikam does deliver lines that border on the declamatory. The family track will strike some viewers as unnecessary. Credit to the makers, though: they never get carried away, and the film stays on course for most of its journey.

What This Means for Everyone Involved

For Rajkummar Rao: Another real-life role, another round of strong notes. After Shahid, he keeps cementing his place as the actor filmmakers turn to for authentic biographical drama. Awards chatter is not a stretch if the film finds its audience.

For Lalit Prabhakar: This could be a career-defining national breakout. A Marathi actor turning heads with a Hindi film villain role often opens new doors, and offers from bigger projects would not be surprising.

For Avinash Arun: The director-cinematographer is positioning himself as a filmmaker who trusts craft over spectacle. If audiences respond, it could encourage more producers to back measured, procedural storytelling.

For the industry: Prahaar celebrates the efficacy of India’s judicial system, showing that even an accused with no real escape route is not sent to the gallows without due process. In a weekend crowded with mass entertainers, its box-office run will show whether audiences have an appetite for quiet, serious cinema. Strong word of mouth could make it a slow-burn success and a template for similar true-story courtroom dramas.

Also Read: https://ultapaltakhabar.com/ranabaali-review-vijay-deverakonda-and-rashmika-mandanna-spark-fire-but-a-sluggish-second-half-dampens-the-war-cry/

Verdict

Prahaar is a balanced, disciplined and absorbing courtroom drama. Rajkummar Rao’s steady performance carries it, Lalit Prabhakar’s Kasab is the film’s biggest surprise, and Avinash Arun’s controlled direction gives the story weight without noise. It is not a flashy series of hammer blows, though the blows do find their mark. For viewers who want substance over spectacle this weekend, this is the one to watch.

Our rating: 3.5/5

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