Mumbai: Maddock Films is set to unveil the trailer of its upcoming courtroom drama Prahaar: The Untold Story Of Ujjwal Nikam at Mumbai’s iconic Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) on the evening of September 29. The unusual choice of venue has a direct connection with the film’s subject, as the railway terminus was one of the key locations targeted during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.

Actor Rajkummar Rao, Wamiqa Gabbi, producer Dinesh Vijan, noted public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam and director Avinash Arun are expected to attend the trailer launch.

CSMT holds a direct connection to the film’s story

The decision to launch the trailer at CSMT gives the event a significant connection with the real-life events explored in Prahaar. The film revisits some of the prominent legal battles handled by Ujjwal Nikam, with the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks forming an important part of its narrative.

On the night of November 26, 2008, CSMT was among the locations attacked by the terrorists who carried out a series of coordinated attacks across Mumbai. The attack at the railway terminus resulted in the deaths of civilians and security personnel and became one of the most defining episodes of the 26/11 attacks.

Ajmal Kasab, the sole attacker captured alive, was subsequently tried in a special court. Nikam served as the special public prosecutor in the case, making his role in the prosecution an important part of the legal history associated with the attacks.

Against this backdrop, the makers have chosen the very railway station associated with one of the central events explored in Prahaar to introduce the film’s trailer.

Rajkummar Rao and Wamiqa Gabbi lead the cast

Prahaar: The Untold Story Of Ujjwal Nikam stars Rajkummar Rao and Wamiqa Gabbi in the lead roles. The film is directed by Avinash Arun and produced by Dinesh Vijan’s Maddock Films.

The project is built around the professional journey and high-profile legal cases associated with Nikam. Its courtroom-drama format is expected to combine legal proceedings with the events surrounding some of the cases that brought the prosecutor into the national spotlight.

The involvement of Nikam himself at the trailer launch is also expected to add significance to the event, particularly because the film draws from his professional experiences and his work on major criminal cases.

For Rajkummar Rao, the film marks another project centred on a character and story rooted in real events. Wamiqa Gabbi is also expected to bring a prominent role to the courtroom drama.

CSMT has hosted celebrity appearances earlier

Although CSMT has previously been used for celebrity-related activities and film promotions, a full-fledged film trailer launch at the heritage railway terminus is unusual.

In 2019, actress Kangana Ranaut visited CSMT to promote Panga. As part of the promotional activity, she sat at a ticket counter and issued local-train tickets to commuters.

A year earlier, actor Anupam Kher visited the station as part of a Central Railway passenger-safety and public-awareness campaign titled ‘Ek Safar Rail Ke Saath’.

The Prahaar event, however, is expected to be considerably different in scale and format, with the venue being directly connected to the film’s subject.

Evening event expected to draw attention

The trailer launch is scheduled for the evening, when CSMT and the surrounding areas generally experience heavy commuter movement. The organisers are therefore expected to coordinate closely with railway authorities to ensure that the promotional event does not disrupt regular passenger movement.

The event will reportedly be held in a comparatively less congested section of the terminus. However, the presence of Rajkummar Rao, Wamiqa Gabbi, Dinesh Vijan and Ujjwal Nikam could attract significant attention from commuters, fans and the media.

Managing the crowd while maintaining normal railway operations is likely to be an important aspect of the arrangements.

Film revisits a defining chapter in Mumbai’s legal history

By taking the trailer launch to CSMT, the makers of Prahaar are linking the film’s promotional campaign with one of the locations central to the 26/11 attacks. The choice also underlines the film’s focus on the legal aftermath of the attacks and Nikam’s role as the special public prosecutor in the Kasab trial.

The trailer is expected to offer the first substantial glimpse into how the filmmakers have approached the courtroom proceedings, the investigation and the broader story surrounding Nikam’s career.

With the launch planned at CSMT on September 29, Prahaar is set to introduce its story at a location that carries a lasting connection to one of the most significant criminal trials in India’s recent history.