Prahaar focuses on Kasab trial, not Nikam’s life story

Prahaar, a courtroom drama about the prosecution of Ajmal Kasab after the 2008 Mumbai attacks, is scheduled to open in theaters on October 16, 2026. Ujjwal Nikam, the public prosecutor who handled the case, has said the film is not a biopic about him but a depiction of the proceedings and the legal challenges involved. Rajkummar Rao plays Nikam in the film, directed by Avinash Arun. Nikam said the filmmakers approached him with a proposal to portray the landmark trial and examine why Kasab was prosecuted through the courts despite public calls for his execution. He described the story as focused on what happened after Kasab was captured and on the trial that followed. Nikam said charges were framed on May 6, 2009, Kasab’s execution was announced on May 5, 2010, and 650 witnesses took part in the trial. Nikam said watching the film brought back the personal strain of high-profile cases, and that the experience made him feel as though he and his family were the accused. He also praised Rao’s portrayal, saying lawyer friends told him the actor had reproduced his forceful courtroom style. The film follows the courtroom proceedings through Nikam’s perspective and also touches on...