Cinema VinesThe much‑anticipated trailer for Rajkummar Rao’s film Prahaar: The Ujjwal Nikam Story premiered on September 29 at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), a location that was one of the targets during the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. While Rao’s performance as the special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam has already drawn praise, the real buzz comes from the film’s final reveal: the role of Ajmal Kasab, the lone terrorist captured alive during the 2008 attacks, is portrayed by National Award‑winning actor Lalit Prabhakar.
Prabhakar, a celebrated figure in Marathi cinema, was born in Kalyan, Maharashtra, and began his career in experimental theatre. He was selected for the Ministry of Culture’s Young Artiste Scholarship alongside about thirty other artists across India. His breakthrough on television came with the Zee Marathi show Julun Yeti Reshimgathi, earning him the Best Actor award at the Zee Marathi Awards. He made his film debut with Paresh Mokashi’s Chi Va Chi Sau Ka (2017), which won him the Maharashtra State Film Award for Best Debut Actor.
His most significant milestone arrived with Sameer Vidwans’ Anandi Gopal (2019), where he portrayed Gopalrao Joshi, the progressive husband of Anandibai Joshi, one of India’s first female physicians. The film secured two National Awards, and Prabhakar’s performance earned him the Filmfare Marathi Best Actor (Critics) award, Best Actor at the Pune International Film Festival, and Best Actor at the Zee Chitra Gaurav Puraskar. In 2026, he received a Jury Special Mention at the Pune International Film Festival for Toh Ti Ani Fuji, an India‑Japan romance that garnered international attention.
Prabhakar’s versatility is evident across genres: he has played a charming romantic lead in Hampi, taken on a double role in the horror‑comedy Zombivli, and delivered compelling performances in slice‑of‑life dramas such as Medium Spicy and Sunny. He has also supported films that reflect contemporary life and relationships. The 2026 family comedy‑drama Super Duperr, about two households forced to share one home, was warmly received by both critics and audiences. In 2025, his intense love story Aarpar earned him a Filmfare Marathi Best Actor nomination and the Zee Chitra Gaurav award for Best Jodi alongside Hruta Durgule.
On the OTT platform, Prabhakar has appeared in popular series such as Shantit Kr, further showcasing his range. His portrayal of Ajmal Kasab in Prahaar marks one of the most daring choices of his career, requiring a deep dive into Kasab’s psychology, language, and body language to bring the real‑life figure to life on screen.
