Maharashtra chief minister praised the film’s focus on the 26/11 attacks and Ujjwal Nikam’s role while Rajkummar Rao’s portrayal drew applause.
The trailer for Prahaar – The Untold Story of Ujjwal Nikam – hit the screens on Tuesday, with the launch staged at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, the very site targeted during the 26/11 attacks. Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis addressed the gathering, thanking the makers for spotlighting a chapter of the city’s trauma and the courtroom battle that followed.
Fadnavis singled out Rajkummar Rao, who embodies veteran public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam, for his “accomplished” performance. He said the film does not sit in simple amusement. It carries a purpose, a message that needs to reach audiences.
The chief minister also reflected on the handling of Ajmal Kasab after the attacks. “We could have shot him,” he remarked, “but our police and our judicial system chose a different path, showing the world that India can act against terrorists.” He used the moment to underline the professionalism of the investigative and legal teams.
In his speech, Fadnavis praised Nikam’s relentless pursuit of justice, noting that the lawyer secured a death sentence for the terrorist and exposed the larger conspiracy behind the attack. He linked the plot to what he described as “state‑sponsored terrorism” emanating from Pakistan, calling the neighbouring country a supporter of terror.
The CM paid homage to the fallen officers of 26/11 – former ATS chief Hemant Karkare, Additional Commissioner Ashok Kamte, senior inspector Vijay Salaskar and ASI Tukaram Omble – asserting that without their sacrifice, the legal outcome would have been different.
Comparing Prahaar to the recent historical drama Chhaava, which depicted the life of Shivaji’s son Sambhaji, Fadnavis suggested that cinema can bring pivotal moments of history to a broader public. He urged viewers to watch the film, adding that he himself would see it.
Maddock Films, the production house behind Prahaar, shared images of the event on social media, showing the CM on stage with Rao and the crew. The trailer, which intercuts courtroom drama with flashbacks of the terror strikes, promises a gritty retelling of a case that still resonates across the nation.
The film is slated for a theatrical release later this year, though an exact date has yet to be announced. As the buzz builds, the question on everyone’s mind is whether the movie will translate its courtroom intensity into box‑office success.
For now, the trailer’s debut at a landmark station has set the tone: Prahaar aims to be more than a biopic. It seeks to remind the public of a painful past while celebrating the legal triumph that followed.
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