Rajkummar Rao is set to take on one of the most challenging roles of his career as celebrated special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam in Prahaar – The Ujjwal Nikam Story. The highly anticipated biographical drama has received a new theatrical release date, with the makers announcing that the film will now arrive in cinemas on October 16, 2026, instead of its earlier August release.
Maddock Films shared the update with an intriguing line that captures the spirit of the project: “When justice needed a voice, one man became its Prahaar.” The announcement puts Rajkummar Rao front and centre as Nikam, whose career has been closely associated with some of India's most high-profile and challenging criminal cases.
Directed by Avinash Arun and produced by Dinesh Vijan, Prahaar aims to bring the extraordinary professional journey of Ujjwal Nikam to the big screen. Rather than being a conventional courtroom drama, the film explores the pressure, complexity and human stakes behind cases that have made national headlines over the years.
The story draws from Nikam's involvement in several landmark criminal trials, including the 1993 Bombay Blasts case and the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks trial involving Ajmal Kasab. These cases placed enormous responsibility on the prosecution, and the film is expected to explore the determination and challenges involved in pursuing justice in such sensitive matters.
Rajkummar Rao's transformation into Ujjwal Nikam has naturally become one of the biggest talking points around the film. Known for immersing himself in dramatically demanding roles, Rao will be stepping into the shoes of a real-life figure whose courtroom career has been closely watched across the country. The role gives the actor another opportunity to explore a character rooted in real events and national history.
The film also boasts an impressive supporting cast. Wamiqa Gabbi, Jaideep Ahlawat, Sikandar Kher and Tarun Sharma are part of the ensemble, adding further weight to a project that combines courtroom drama with the intensity of real-life criminal investigations and trials.
Prahaar was previously scheduled to release on August 7, 2026, but the makers have now moved the film to October. The new date gives the project a fresh theatrical window and allows the team additional time to build anticipation around what promises to be a serious and compelling biographical drama.
For Maddock Films, Prahaar continues the production house's growing interest in stories inspired by real people and events. With Avinash Arun at the helm and Rajkummar Rao portraying one of India's most recognisable prosecutors, the film has already generated curiosity among moviegoers looking for a courtroom drama with a strong real-world foundation.
With its October 16, 2026 release now locked, Prahaar – The Ujjwal Nikam Story is gearing up to bring a dramatic chapter of India's legal history to the big screen. If the makers manage to balance the scale of the cases with the personal journey of the man at their centre, Rajkummar Rao's Prahaar could make for one of the more intriguing theatrical offerings of the year.