Starring
The story
Prahaar – The Ujjwal Nikam Story is an upcoming Hindi biographical courtroom drama built around the life and career of Ujjwal Nikam, one of India's best-known special public prosecutors. Rajkummar Rao steps into the role of the man Mumbai came to recognise from the evening news, in a film that revisits the high-profile trials that defined his reputation.
At the film's centre is the case that made Nikam a household name across the country: the prosecution of Ajmal Kasab, the lone gunman captured alive after the 26/11 (2008) Mumbai attacks. The narrative is also expected to reach back to earlier landmark trials, including the 1993 Mumbai serial bombings, tracing a career spent inside packed courtrooms and under heavy security.
By the makers' own framing — and Nikam's — the film is less a highlight reel of verdicts than a portrait of the man who delivered them, the prosecutor as husband and father carrying the private weight of India's most watched cases. As the film is still unreleased (theatrical release 7 August 2026), specific plot detail beyond this premise is being kept deliberately under wraps.
Making of the film
Prahaar is directed by Avinash Arun, the cinematographer-turned-director whose credits include the Marathi film Killa, the drama Three of Us and the acclaimed series Paatal Lok. Pairing his restrained, realist sensibility with a mainstream courtroom subject is a large part of what has drawn attention to the project.
The film is produced by Dinesh Vijan under his Maddock Films banner, with Sharada Karki Jalota and Pooja Prem Patheja as co-producers. It marks Vijan's sixth collaboration with Rajkummar Rao, extending one of the more productive actor–producer partnerships in current Hindi cinema. Filming began in October 2025, and a first teaser — foregrounding Rao's physical and vocal transformation into Nikam — was released in late June 2026 ahead of the August theatrical bow.
The cast
Rajkummar Rao headlines as Ujjwal Nikam, an actor long associated with immersive, detail-driven character work well suited to a real-life legal figure. Opposite him is Wamiqa Gabbi, reuniting with Rao soon after their pairing in Bhool Chuk Maaf.
The ensemble also features Jaideep Ahlawat, Sikandar Kher and Tarun Sharma in pivotal roles, a line-up that stacks the courtroom with heavyweight supporting talent. With the film yet to release, these remain casting details rather than assessed performances — but the combination of Rao and Ahlawat in a trial drama is a significant driver of the pre-release buzz.
Music
The score and songs are composed by Pritam, one of Hindi cinema's most prolific and commercially successful music directors. His involvement signals that the biopic, for all its sober subject matter, is being mounted as a wide-release theatrical film rather than a niche drama. As of the film's pre-release window, the soundtrack had not yet been issued in full.
Why it matters
For Mumbai, the subject cuts close to home: the 26/11 attacks remain one of the city's defining traumas, and the courtroom battle that followed was watched as a matter of collective reckoning. A biopic that puts the prosecutor of that case at its centre carries a resonance in Mumbai that few courtroom dramas can claim.
The film also arrives as its real-life protagonist remains firmly in public life. Ujjwal Nikam was awarded the Padma Shri in 2016 and was nominated to the Rajya Sabha in 2025, giving the biopic an unusually contemporary edge for a story rooted in trials from the 1990s and 2000s. Whether Prahaar lands as a definitive account of that legacy will only be clear once it reaches theatres on 7 August 2026.
Key details
| Release year | 2026 |
|---|---|
| Language | Hindi |
| Director | Avinash Arun |
| Genre | Biographical / Courtroom |
| Starring | Rajkummar Rao, Wamiqa Gabbi |
Did you know?
- The title "Prahaar" means "a strike" or "blow" in Hindi and Marathi — a word also famously used by Nana Patekar's 1991 directorial debut, a wholly separate film.
- The real Ujjwal Nikam led the prosecution of Ajmal Kasab, the lone surviving 26/11 attacker, and successfully argued for the death penalty.
- Nikam was awarded the Padma Shri in 2016 and, in 2025, was nominated to the Rajya Sabha in recognition of his work in law.
- The film is Dinesh Vijan and Maddock Films' sixth collaboration with Rajkummar Rao, one of the most frequent actor–producer teamings in current Hindi cinema.
- Director Avinash Arun is a National Award–winning filmmaker whose debut feature Killa was honoured at the National Film Awards; he also shot and co-directed the series Paatal Lok.
- Rajkummar Rao and Wamiqa Gabbi reunite in Prahaar shortly after appearing together in the 2025 comedy Bhool Chuk Maaf.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Prahaar – The Ujjwal Nikam Story releasing?
The film is scheduled for a theatrical release on 7 August 2026. A first teaser was unveiled in late June 2026, roughly six weeks ahead of the opening. As of that pre-release window, it had not yet arrived in cinemas.
Who plays Ujjwal Nikam in the film?
Rajkummar Rao plays the lead role of special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam. The teaser highlighted his transformation into the real-life figure, and Nikam himself publicly praised the actor's portrayal. It is one of Rao's most anticipated releases of the year.
What is Prahaar about?
It is a biographical courtroom drama tracing the career of Ujjwal Nikam, centred on his prosecution of 26/11 attacker Ajmal Kasab. The film is also expected to touch on earlier landmark cases such as the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts. Beyond this premise, plot specifics remain undisclosed ahead of release.
Who directed and produced Prahaar?
The film is directed by Avinash Arun, known for Killa, Three of Us and the series Paatal Lok. It is produced by Dinesh Vijan under Maddock Films, with Sharada Karki Jalota and Pooja Prem Patheja as co-producers. The music is composed by Pritam.
Who else stars in the film alongside Rajkummar Rao?
The cast includes Wamiqa Gabbi, Jaideep Ahlawat, Sikandar Kher and Tarun Sharma in pivotal roles. Gabbi reunites with Rao after their 2025 film Bhool Chuk Maaf. Together they form a strong ensemble for the courtroom drama.
Has the real Ujjwal Nikam commented on the film?
Yes. Nikam publicly praised Rajkummar Rao's performance and Avinash Arun's direction, saying the film captures the untold, private side of his life that rarely reached the headlines. He described it as the story behind the verdicts rather than just the verdicts themselves.