Before Rajkummar Rao steps into the courtroom as Ujjwal Nikam in Prahaar: The Untold Story of Ujjwal Nikam, it is worth measuring the pattern he has built across his career. The actor keeps returning to real people, and he treats each one as a different problem to solve.
Prahaar, and the work behind it
In Prahaar, Rao plays Ujjwal Nikam, the special public prosecutor known for handling several high-profile criminal cases, including the trial of Ajmal Kasab after the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. The film is directed by Avinash Arun and also features Wamiqa Gabbi, Jaideep Ahlawat and Ashish Vidyarthi. To prepare, Rao studied Nikam’s courtroom appearances, interviews, speech patterns and body language. Nikam has praised the actor’s grasp of his mannerisms and courtroom presence.
That preparation is consistent with the way Rao has approached his earlier real-life roles. The timing matters for Hindi cinema fans: a big courtroom drama brings automatic attention because of the 26/11 connection, but the film’s real hook is how Rao will carry a living, well-known prosecutor without turning him into a caricature.
A seven-film watchlist
- Chittagong (2012): he played Lokenath Bal, a revolutionary associated with the 1930 Chittagong armoury raid.
- Shahid (2013): he played Shahid Azmi, the defence lawyer and human rights activist; the performance earned him the National Film Award for Best Actor, shared with Suraj Venjaramoodu.
- Aligarh (2015): he played Deepu Sebastian, a journalist investigating the case of Professor Shrinivas Ramchandra Siras.
- Bose: Dead/Alive (2017): he played Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose in a series about his life and the mystery of his disappearance.
- Omerta (2018): he played Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, a British-born militant linked to high-profile abductions and killings.
- Srikanth (2024): he played Srikanth Bolla, the visually impaired entrepreneur who built Bollant Industries.
- Prahaar (2026): he plays Ujjwal Nikam.
What holds these performances together
These are not straightforward biopic turns. Rao keeps choosing figures who are publicly remembered in very different ways: a lawyer defending people accused of terrorism, a national icon whose disappearance is still debated, a disturbing militant, and a living entrepreneur. In each case, the work goes deeper than imitation; it is about understanding the person’s motives and experiences first.
For fans, the list is also a practical viewing order. Shahid is the obvious entry point because of the National Award, while pairing Omerta with Srikanth shows the distance between Rao’s darkest and warmest real-life performances.
From the courtroom to cricket
After Prahaar, the next major test is Dada, where Rao is set to play Sourav Ganguly. It will move him from legal arguments to one of Indian cricket’s most recognisable public figures.
Source: Filmibeat