Rajkummar Rao didn't meet Ujjwal Nikam before Prahaar. Here's how he played the role

Actor Rajkummar Rao recently opened up about the challenges of portraying senior lawyer Ujjwal Nikam in Prahaar: The Untold Story of Ujjwal Nikam. With no opportunity to meet Nikam before the shoot, Rao relied on archival courtroom footage and interviews to study the lawyer’s distinctive voice, mannerisms and commanding presence. The actor revealed that bringing the real-life figure to screen required meticulous preparation that went beyond physical transformation.Speaking on Day 2 of the India Today Conclave Mumbai 2026, during a session titled The Man vs. The Movie: Kasab, the 26/11 Attacks & the Battle for Justice, the 42-year-old actor revealed that he had to gain weight to portray Ujjwal Nikam at a particular stage of his life.“The film is about national interest. This is about the 26/11 case and, of course, talking about his life a little bit here and there. Through this film, we have tried to show his family, the relationship that he shared with his son, when they were growing up as the incidents were growing up. So it's a combination of so many things that we have touched on from his life, but mostly about 26/11. I didn't see him in the courts. I could never visit him, otherwise also, before starting the film. He's also a very busy man. Of course, he has to go to Delhi also, and then so many cases across Maharashtra, across the state.”Adding to this, he said, “But I saw a lot of his videos, from the 1993 court case to the interviews. He loves talking because he has a knack for commanding the room. So I was just picking up from those videos — his voice, his physicality, certain mannerisms that he would use. I would pick those up. And then, of course, I had to gain weight and play a certain age, which was something I had never done before.” During the same segment, Rao also recalled how emotionally intense it was to recreate the courtroom scenes for the film, particularly those involving a young actor playing a child witness. Speaking about the atmosphere on set, the actor said the performances were so convincing that the cast and crew often felt as though they were reliving the horrific events being portrayed.“I had read the script, but still, on the day of the shoot, especially when we saw that little kid in the trailer, it was something else. All of them were brilliant actors, even those playing small parts. The kid came in and started giving her testimony. She started delivering her lines, her monologue. I remember everybody in the courtroom was just silent because she was doing it so well, as if we were all reliving those experiences.” “The kind of environment Avinash created on set was such that, no matter whose shot it was, everyone would be present in the courtroom. There were around 50 extra actors every day, and even when the camera wasn't on them, they would continue reacting. Lalit Prabhakar, who plays Ajmal Kasab and is a brilliant actor, would sit quietly in his place, even when he wasn't part of the shot. I would deliver my monologue, and everyone would remain involved. It was a beautiful set and a brilliant environment, with so many actors bringing those horrific experiences to life. It was emotionally overwhelming for all of us,” he concluded.Directed by Avinash Arun, the film also stars Jaideep Ahlawat, Wamiqa Gabbi, Sikandar Kher and Ashish Vidyarthi in key roles. Prahaar: The Untold Story of Ujjwal Nikam is slated to hit theatres on October 16.- Ends