Prahaar: The Untold Story of Ujjwal Nikam has started its box office run with Rs 2.35 crore on day one, according to early trade figures reported by Sacnilk.
A real courtroom drama, not a front-loaded entertainer
The film is led by Rajkummar Rao as public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam, whose name is tied to the legal proceedings connected to the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. Avinash Arun directs, with Wamiqa Gabbi, Jaideep Ahlawat, Lalit Prabhakar, Ashish Vidyarthi and Sikandar Kher filling out the ensemble. Dinesh Vijan’s Maddock Films is backing the project, which has been shot in Mumbai and carries a reported budget of Rs 25-30 crore.
That budget puts the opening figure in perspective. The film does not need a first-day record, but it does need to stay relevant over several days. A serious court case tends to build its audience more slowly than an action spectacle or a family entertainer.
What the opening number suggests
Trade reports caution that if the early estimate holds, this could stand as Rajkummar’s lowest opener after the pandemic. That says less about one performance and more about the kind of film this is: high-profile subject, restrained pitch, and limited front-loaded urgency. The trailer had created interest through its courtroom setting and real-life inspiration, but converting interest into first-day ticket sales is a different challenge.
Here is where Prahaar stands after day one:
- Day-one collection: Rs 2.35 crore
- Reported budget: Rs 25-30 crore
- Director: Avinash Arun
- Backing: Maddock Films
- Early reviews: Mixed
The mixed response makes the next two days crucial. Courtroom dramas typically depend on word of mouth, because the audience for a legal story tends to grow through recommendations, not through a pre-release rush.
For Rajkummar, another character-first choice
The role adds another intense part to a career shaped by unconventional, character-driven films. Playing a public prosecutor at the centre of a closely followed criminal case fits neatly into the pattern of Rajkummar choosing characters where restraint and moral weight matter more than scale.
The 26/11 attacks occupy a heavy place in public memory, and the legal proceedings around them remain among the country’s most closely watched court cases. A film that steps into that world already carries built-in awareness. The question is whether that awareness translates into audience turnout beyond opening-day loyalists.
What to watch from here
If Saturday and Sunday show a healthy jump, the story will move from a slow start to recovery. If growth stays flat, the gap between the opening day and that Rs 25-30 crore budget will widen quickly. The film is in theatres now, so the audience verdict is just beginning to form.
Source: Filmibeat