Prahaar: The Untold Story of Ujjwal Nikam

‘प्रहार’-यह नाम लेते ही सबसे पहले याद आती है नाना पाटेकर के निर्देशन में 1991 में आई फिल्म ‘प्रहार-द फाइनल अटैक’ जिसमें आर्मी के मेजर चव्हाण बने नाना पाटेकर मुंबई शहर के कुछ गुंडों को मारने के बाद अदालत में पूछते हैं-देश का मतलब क्या है? सड़के, इमारतें, खेत, खलिहान, नदियां, पहाड़, बस इतना ही? और लोग, वो कहां हैं?’ अब आई अविनाश अरुण निर्देशित ‘प्रहार-द अनटोल्ड स्टोरी ऑफ उज्ज्वल निकम’ (Prahaar-The Untold Story of Ujjwal Nikam) इन्हीं ‘लोगों’ की बात करती है जिनसे यह देश बना है। अपने नाम से यह भले ही सरकारी वकील उज्ज्वल निकम की कहानी कहती मालूम होती हो लेकिन असल में यह फिल्म भारत के भारत होने का अर्थ बताती है। समझाती है कि एक देश तभी महान होता है जब वहां के लोग अपना ‘धर्म’ निभाते हैं।

The dastardly attacks of 26/11 have been covered in Indian cinema from multiple angles. This week, director Avinash Arun takes us into the systemic battle that followed, through the singular biographical lens of Ujjwal Nikam, the special public prosecutor popularly known as the man who sent Ajmal Kasab to the gallows. The choice creates a persuasive anchor. As we know the legal battle is a slow, faceless machine, by focusing on Nikam, Avinash gives that dry institutional process a human pulse.

The case against Ajmal Kasab, the terrorist who was captured alive during the Mumbai attack on 26/11 was built by public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam, whose painstaking methods left not a shred of doubt about the former’s guilt. Rajkummar Rao brings a dogged sincerity to his playing of Nikam, but the film never really shakes off its dominant quality — it is as by-the-numbers as it can get, in both re-creating the glimpses of that terrible night during which a terrorist group took Mumbai hostage, as well as the court-room proceedings in which defence lawyer Abbas Kazmi (Sikander Kher) works hard to dismantle the case, under the watchful eye of the judge (Ashish Vidyarthi).

The gripping courtroom thriller centres on Ujjwal Nikam (Rajkummar Rao), India’s celebrated public prosecutor, revisiting his formidable legal battle against Ajmal Kasab, the sole surviving gunman captured during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. Tasked with securing justice by proving Kasab’s guilt beyond reasonable doubt, Nikam faces unprecedented challenges and makes immense personal sacrifices to build an airtight case in a trial that holds the nation’s attention. He handled the Kasab case from December 2008 until Kasab’s execution in November 2012, spanning nearly four years. The 26/11 terror attacks didn’t just shake the nation and the world; they drove a dagger into the beating heart of Mumbai, a city whose indomitable spirit and resilience have always defied its darkest hours. It remains one of the most painful chapters in the city’s history, one that continues to haunt and unsettle every Mumbaikar.

The tagline suffixed to the title - it reads “The Untold Story of Ujjwal Nikam” - reveals would have us believe that Prahaar, produced by Dinesh Vijan of Maddock Films, written by Sumit Roy and helmed by director-cinematographer Avinash Arun, is out to narrate a tale that simply had to be told. That supposition might be open to debate but consider this: while dramatised depictions of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks and its immediate aftermath have often found their way to the screen, the legal process that led to the conviction and execution of the sole surviving terrorist, Ajmal Kasab, has not.

My generation knows who Ujjwal Nikam is and recognises his contribution to India’s criminal justice system. But many young people may not be familiar with him or his work. My advice to them would be this: don’t ask ChatGPT to tell you his story in two minutes. A far better option is to go and watch this film. Directed by Avinash Arun, Prahaar: The Untold Story of Ujjwal Nikam has been written by Sumit Roy, who has penned the story, screenplay and dialogues. First, let me say this: 26/11 is an intensely personal chapter in India’s history. It was a dark episode that the country will never forget, especially those who lost their loved ones. As a journalist, I remember those three days vividly. I was covering the attacks as they unfolded, reporting on television through those terrifying hours. In fact, Ajmal Kasab was caught right in front of my eyes, and I witnessed the gunfight. But let’s bring the focus back to the film.