New Delhi: Renowned public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam has praised Rajkummar Rao’s performance in the upcoming biographical drama Prahaar: The Untold Story of Ujjwal Nikam, saying the actor has portrayed his journey with sincerity and emotional honesty.
The film is centred around Nikam’s role in prosecuting Ajmal Kasab, the only terrorist captured alive following the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.
Ujjwal Nikam praises Rajkummar Rao’s performance
‘Rajkummar Rao has delivered a remarkable performance, and Avinash Arun’s direction is deeply impressive. ‘Prahaar’ authentically portrays not only my journey as a public prosecutor but also my life as a husband and a father,’ said Ujjwal Nikam.
Beyond the courtroom, the film explores the lesser-known aspects of Nikam’s personal life, offering audiences a glimpse into experiences that remained away from public attention.
‘People remember the verdicts. They rarely remember the nights before them, ‘Prahaar’ shows that side, the part no headline ever carried,’ he said.
Having handled some of India’s most significant criminal cases, including the 1993 Mumbai serial bomb blasts and the 26/11 terror attacks, Nikam shared that the immense responsibility of prosecuting such cases often came with a deep sense of isolation, an emotion he is opening up about publicly for the first time through this film.
Release date and cast
‘I’ve argued cases where the whole country was watching, and the loneliness of that responsibility is something I never spoke about. This film does. It stays honest to what happened, and in doing so, it tells a story I myself struggled to put into words,’ he said.
The film also stars Wamiqa Gabbi, Sikandar Kher and Jaideep Ahlawat. Directed by Avinash Arun, known for Three of Us and Paatal Lok, and produced by Dinesh Vijan’s Maddock Films, Prahaar: The Untold Story of Ujjwal Nikam is set to release in cinemas on August 7.
On the work front
Rajkummar Rao last featured in the black comedy series Toaster (2026) on Netflix. He also starred in Maalik (2025), the crime thriller movie that earned close to Rs 57 crores internationally. In addition to this, Bhool Chuk Maaf (2025) had become quite popular among the audiences and made an earning of above Rs 95 crores internationally.
