The central idea behind Prahaar: The Untold Story of Ujjwal Nikam is not just the horror of the attacks, but the legal battle that followed. D26/11
26/11irected by Avinash Arun and produced by Dinesh Vijan under Maddock Films, the film follows public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam’s efforts to secure justice in the case against , the sole surviving terrorist captured during the attacks. The film was released in theatres on 16 October 2026.
The cast brings together actors playing the people at the centre of the case, including the prosecutor, his family, the accused and the lawyers involved in the trial. takes the lead, while Wamiqa Gabbi, Jaideep Ahlawat, Sikandar Kher and Lalit Prabhakar have significant parts in the story.
Rao plays the veteran public prosecutor who represented the state in the trial against Kasab. The character is central to the film’s , which explores the challenge of pursuing justice after an attack that left the country in shock.
Talking about playing this character, Rao said, “Playing Ujjwal Nikam was a responsibility I felt deeply in my heart from the beginning.” He added that he wanted to understand the man behind the name, including his conviction and sense of duty.
plays Jyoti Nikam, the prosecutor’s wife. Her character offers a glimpse into the personal side of a man whose professional responsibilities placed him at the centre of one of India’s most closely watched criminal trials.
Her presence also gives the film an opportunity to look beyond the courtroom and consider the family life of a person whose work became closely associated with the pursuit of justice after .
Prabhakar portrays Kasab, the terrorist captured alive during the Mumbai attacks. The trial forms the central conflict of the film, with the prosecution required to establish his responsibility through evidence and legal proceedings.
The trailer shows Kasab attempting to deny his involvement and claiming that he was 17 years old. His lawyer raises the question of whether the case should be moved to a court. These scenes underline the legal complexities surrounding a trial that attracted national and international attention.
Kher plays Abbas Kazmi, the lawyer representing Kasab. His role puts him on the opposite side of Nikam in the courtroom, where the prosecution and defence contest the evidence and the circumstances surrounding the accused.
The character is important to the film’s exploration of legal procedure. Even in a case involving a terrorist attack, the defence and the accused’s legal rights remain part of the .
Ahlawat plays Chaudhary Zulfiqar Ali, a character associated with a Pakistani delegation depicted in the film. His appearance introduces another dimension to the legal and diplomatic tensions surrounding the case.
In the trailer, his character says, “Boys like Kasab aren’t born like this. They are manufactured by the system.” The line points towards the wider questions of radicalisation and responsibility that the film raises.
Vidyarthi plays ML Tahaliyani, the judge overseeing the proceedings in the film. His character represents the judicial authority responsible for hearing arguments from both sides.
His role reinforces one of the story’s key themes: the need for a trial to follow the law, even when the crime has provoked widespread anger and demands for punishment.
Sahore plays Aniket Nikam, Ujjwal’s on-screen. His character adds to the film’s portrayal of the prosecutor’s life outside the courtroom, alongside the pressures created by a high-profile case.
The 26 November 2008 attacks saw 10 Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists target several locations in Mumbai, including Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, the Taj Mahal Palace hotel and the Oberoi Trident. The attacks continued for nearly three days and killed 166 people.
Kasab was captured alive and later tried in India. Nikam served as the special public prosecutor in the case, which became a major test of the country’s criminal justice system following the attacks.
Rather than focusing exclusively on the violence, turns its attention to what happened afterwards. The film follows the effort to establish the facts in court, counter the defence’s arguments and secure a conviction through legal proceedings.
The film is directed by Avinash Arun, known for his work on Three of Us and .
At the box office, Prahaar: The Ujjwal Nikam Story has collected an estimated ₹20.41 crore in net domestic earnings by Day 11. The film reportedly earned ₹0.31 crore in India net collections on Day 11, with its screenings spread across 1,149 shows. Its total India gross collection stands at ₹24.30 crore so far.
[Numbers taken from Sacnilk]
