Prahaar: Rajkummar Rao's Ujjwal Nikam film on the 26/11 trial opens October 16
Representative image: phegenbart / Pixabay
Prahaar, with Rajkummar Rao as prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam in the 26/11 Kasab trial, releases on 16 October 2026; trade forecasts put its opening at Rs 2.5 crore to Rs 3.5 crore.
What Happened
Prahaar: The Untold Story of Ujjwal Nikam, a courtroom drama starring Rajkummar Rao as the public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam, releases in cinemas on Friday, 16 October 2026. Directed by Avinash Arun and produced by Dinesh Vijan's Maddock Films, the film centres on the trial of Ajmal Kasab after the 26/11 terror attacks on Mumbai. The cast also includes Wamiqa Gabbi, Jaideep Ahlawat and Sikandar Kher. The film runs for 2 hours 21 minutes and has been certified UA 16+. Its trailer was launched at Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus in the presence of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Trade forecasts expect a modest opening day.
Key Facts
- Film: Prahaar: The Untold Story of Ujjwal Nikam.
- Release: 16 October 2026, in cinemas.
- Director: Avinash Arun. Producer: Dinesh Vijan's Maddock Films.
- Lead: Rajkummar Rao as Ujjwal Nikam, with Wamiqa Gabbi, Jaideep Ahlawat and Sikandar Kher.
- Subject: the trial of Ajmal Kasab after the 26/11 Mumbai attacks.
- Runtime: 2 hours 21 minutes; certificate: UA 16+.
- Trailer launch: at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, Mumbai, attended by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
- Opening-day forecasts: about Rs 3.5 crore from analytics platform Recobee, and Rs 1.5 crore to Rs 4 crore (best estimate Rs 2.5 crore) from one trade publication.
Why It Matters
The 26/11 attacks remain one of the most painful events in modern Indian memory, and the trial that followed was closely watched across the country. A film told through the prosecutor's eyes puts the courtroom, the evidence and the legal process at the centre, rather than the night of the attacks itself.
The trailer launch at CSMT, with the state's chief minister present, signalled that the makers want the film to be seen as a serious public story, not only as entertainment.
At the box office, Prahaar arrives in a crowded week. Rajinikanth's Jailer 2 opened a day earlier, on 15 October, and other Hindi releases are also competing for screens. Trade forecasts of Rs 2.5 crore to Rs 3.5 crore on the first day suggest a modest start, which means word of mouth over the weekend will decide how far the film goes.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Release date | 16 October 2026 |
| Director | Avinash Arun |
| Producer | Maddock Films |
| Runtime | 2 h 21 min |
| Certificate | UA 16+ |
| Opening forecast | about Rs 2.5 crore to Rs 3.5 crore |
Impact
Short-term: Opening-weekend collections and audience reviews will show whether the film can hold its own against Jailer 2 and other releases.
Long-term: A well-received Prahaar would add to a run of Hindi films based on real legal and public-interest cases, and to Rajkummar Rao's record in biographical roles.
Who is affected: Cinema audiences, Rajkummar Rao and the film's makers, Maddock Films, exhibitors deciding how many screens to give it, and people in Mumbai and beyond for whom 26/11 remains a personal memory.
Key Takeaway
Prahaar brings the 26/11 Kasab trial to the big screen through prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam, played by Rajkummar Rao, and opens on 16 October 2026 to modest box office forecasts.
Questions and Answers
When is Prahaar releasing?
Prahaar: The Untold Story of Ujjwal Nikam releases in cinemas on Friday, 16 October 2026.
Who plays Ujjwal Nikam in Prahaar?
Rajkummar Rao plays the prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam. The cast also includes Wamiqa Gabbi, Jaideep Ahlawat and Sikandar Kher.
What is Prahaar about?
The film is a courtroom drama about the trial of Ajmal Kasab after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, told through prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam.
How much is Prahaar expected to earn on day one?
Forecasts range from about Rs 2.5 crore, according to one trade publication's best estimate, to about Rs 3.5 crore, according to analytics platform Recobee.
Disclaimer: Prepared by the Peepals newsroom from publicly available sources with AI assistance. Information is accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication and may change. Images may be representative. Not professional advice. Report an error via our contact page.
Sourced and fact-checked by the Peepals Global Editorial Team
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