- Rajkummar Rao moved to Mumbai from Pune just months before the 26/11 attacks
- He recalled intense fear and watching news continuously for three days during attacks
- Prahaar trailer depicts Ujjwal Nikam’s courtroom battle over Ajmal Kasab’s trial
Rajkummar Rao attended the trailer launch of Prahaar: The Untold Story Of Ujjwal Nikam on Tuesday. At the event, he recalled his memories of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. Rajkummar said he moved to Mumbai just a few months before the attacks happened.
He said as reported by ETimes, citing the Free Press Journal, "February mein Mumbai shift hua tha Pune se, film school ke baad mein, (I moved to Mumbai from Pune in February, after finishing film school)."
Rajkummar further added, "Un dino kaam dhundh rahe the to daily bahar jaate the, raat ko ghar wapas aate the, (In those days, I was looking for work, so I used to go out every day and return home at night)."
Rajkummar was living with his friends at the time. "To news jab aana shuru hui to uske baad mujhe yaad hai agle 3 din tak hum sab apne television ke saamne baithe hue the, (So when the news started breaking, I remember that for the next three days, all of us were sitting glued to our television)."
Recalling the intense atmosphere at the time, Rajkummar mentioned, "Bahut saari baatein aur failne lagi thi... bahut saare aur terrorists hain jo sheher mein ghus gaye hain, (A lot of other rumours started spreading... that many more terrorists had entered the city)."
"Those three days were very, very scary, aur bahut dar mein the hum log. (And we were in a state of immense fear)," said the actor.
About Prahaar trailer
The trailer opens with Ujjwal Nikam questioning a young girl about the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. He asks her what she saw on the night of the attacks. What starts as a seemingly routine court proceeding soon takes a disturbing turn.
As the case unfolds, Nikam is determined to bring the accused to justice. But the courtroom battle is far from easy.
Sikandar Kher is seen as a lawyer on the other side of the courtroom, while Jaideep Ahlawat appears as part of a delegation from Islamabad.
Wamiqa Gabbi plays Jyoti Nikam, Ujjwal's wife. While the film focuses on his work in the courtroom, the trailer also hints at the personal side of the prosecutor and the impact that such a high-pressure case has on his life.
The film centres on the trial of Ajmal Kasab, the lone surviving attacker from the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. It follows the legal battle that drew the attention of the entire country and explores Nikam's role in the case.
Towards the end of the trailer, Kasab is seen taking the witness stand. He makes a shocking claim, saying that he was only a tourist who had come to explore Mumbai when the attacks took place. He also claims that he was not a terrorist and was tortured and forced into being portrayed as one.
Directed by Avinash Arun, Prahaar also stars Wamiqa Gabbi, Jaideep Ahlawat, Sikandar Kher, and Tarun Sharma in key roles. The film is slated to be released on October 16.
Also Read: Prahaar Trailer: Rajkummar Rao's Ujjwal Nikam Takes On The 26/11 Kasab Trial