Prahaar Review: Rajkummar Rao Leads Gripping Courtroom Drama, Lalit Prabhakar Delivers A Nuanced Performance

Film:
Prahaar

Director: Avinash Arun

Writer: Sumit Roy

Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Wamiqa Gabbi, Lalit Prabhakar, Jaideep Ahlawat, Sikandar Kher

Runtime: 140 minutes (2 Hours, 20 Minutes)

Platform: In theatres

Prahaar Review

Nearly 18 years ago, Mumbai and the whole of India (as well as the world) was shook when a group of 10 Lashkar-e-Taiba members entered the city and carried our a serious of terror attacks. While 9 of the 10 were killed during the altercations with the police, 1 – Muhammad Ajmal Amir Kasab, was captured alive and faced a trial in Indian Court. While we all know that Amir Kasab was ultimately given the death penalty – to be hanged till death, Prahaar tells the story of Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam and the lengths he went to convict Kasab and prove the attacks were orchestrated by terrorists based in Pakistan.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Maddock Films (@maddockfilms)

Along with showing us what Nikam did to make sure peace was maintained in the country by proving the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack was the brainchild of forces out of India and not a communal/religious issue, it also shows him as a human – a husband and a father who prioritises the nation above all. But is the movie worth a watch? Well, our answer is a loud yes thanks to its compelling writing, hard-hitting dialogues and nuanced performances by the entire cast. Read our detailed Prahaar review to why we recommend our readers to watch this courtroom drama.

What Works

Right from the cast to the manner in which each actor played their part to the way the story was written, its dialogues and its background score, everything works in favour of the legal drama.

Technical Analysis

Direction

Avinash Arun deserves a round of applause for the manner in which he handled the film, its writing, the performances by the main and supporting cast and the delivering a final product that will have you glued to your seats. The man – who helmed projects like Paatal Lok and Pritam and Pedro, beautifully balances the conflicts of the court with a sensitive father-son relationship, that don’t clash.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Maddock Films (@maddockfilms)

Story & Dialogues

The 2-hour, 20-minute-long film is beautifully written and captures everything essential to the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack trial. While it does have a lot of material, The taut screenwriting is one of the biggest reasons Prahaar should be watched – it doesn’t disappoint. The dialogues are hard hitting and is sure to make you go ‘yes, that’s right.’ A courtroom drama normally has long monologues but aside from a couple of arguments, the dialogues here are impactful despite being just 1-2 lines.

Cinematography

The cinematography is on-point. Be it capturing Mumbai in all of her beauty or the bloodshed that was witnessed at CSMT, the Avinash made sure to deliver realness. The lighting – especially when Kasab is in jail, adds to the tension.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Maddock Films (@maddockfilms)

Music

While there is no scope for songs in Prahaar, the background score hits the nail and keeps you engaged. It builds the tension to a point that despite knowing what will happen next – thanks to the many news reports we read and watched 18 years ago, you are still glued to the screen.

Star Cast

Rajkummar Rao – who is known as a nuanced actor, is exceptional as Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam. He delivers a commendable performance via both his powerful dialogue delivery and mannerism. The performance is raw and is something that is sure to be mentioned while listing his finest performances.

Lalit Prabhakar as Kasab deserves a round of applause. He’s outstanding and even manages to give you the creeps with the way he stares into your eyes or nervously scratched at his arms. Lalit- who is a well know name in Marathi cinema, has left a lasting impression on all who watch it.

Wamiqa Gabbi may have a small role but she manages to hold her own in an otherwise legally dominated intense drama. Jaideep Ahlawat – is playing a Pakistani for the second time this year, is flawless. Sikandar Kher is amazing – he delivers more than one would expect. Be it him being fierce while facing off Ujjwal Nikam in the courtroom or disturbed while out with his family, the actor beautifully brings to life his character’s personality.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Maddock Films (@maddockfilms)

Ashish Vidyarthi as Justice M L Tahiliyani brings authenticity to the courtroom. He’s both soft and formidable when it comes to delivering justice. strong to his part. Ritwik Sahore, Ajinkya Deo and the rest of the supporting cast all deliver. While they may not have much screen time, they add a layer of emotions, loss and the want for revenge with raw performances, especially when he confronts Nikam.

Conclusion

Avinash Arun’s Prahaar is a hard-hitting, well-written courtroom drama complete with nuanced performances by the entire cast right from Rajkummar Rao and Lalit Prabhakar to the child artist who delivers an emotional confession in court and the police constables who stand on duty in the court room. The film is not only gripping and emotionally charged but also something that stands out despite several projects already being made around the same topic.

We recommend our viewers to watch Prahaar in theatres this weekend for many reasons such as the its brilliant writing, powerhouse performances and beautifully executed emotional and hard-hittin courtroom sequences.

Watch the trailer of Prahaar here:

Also Read: Pooja Meri Jaan REVIEW: ‘No Means No!’ Mrunal Thakur Huma Qureshi-Starrer Has Heart Despite Blotched Up Execution

Grinell Jacinto

With nearly 10 years of experience, Grinell Esther Jacinto is the Desk Head of Bollywood Bubble. Her interests lie in everything that is kaleshi and she loves to dig deeper into the lives of B-town actors. She has a problem though – she loves horror films but will have chills the minute the theatres lights dims. She’s previously worked with Koimoi, UrbanAsian and SpotboyE.