Sikandar Kher on playing Abbas Kazmi in Prahaar: 'Learnt why he might have taken up the case'

(L-R) Sikandar Kher, Abbaz Kazmi, and Avinash Arun. Pics/Instagram, Youtube

Sikandar Kher had enough reasons to say yes to Prahaar - Avinash Arun at the helm, Rajkummar Rao as a co-star, and above all, the opportunity to play Abbas Kazmi, the lawyer who defended 26/11 Mumbai attacks terrorist Ajmal Kasab. For Kher, it was his character's complexity that excited him from the get-go. "It's such a complex situation to be in as a human being. There must have been an internal conflict," he reasoned, talking to mid-day.

So, the first thing Kher wanted to do as part of his prep for the courtroom drama was meet Kazmi. A request that Arun happily complied with. The actor recalled, "I really wanted to meet the guy who took up Kasab's defence. We all were there - Avinash, Sumit [Roy, screenwriter] and Abbas Kazmi. As we chatted, I got a lot of insight into him. I tried to understand the man. The questions I asked him helped me gauge who he is, in a limited way; I learnt about the way he thinks and why he might have taken up the case."

Sikandar Kher in the film

In the last few years, the actor has essayed several menacing characters, be it in Monica O My Darling (2022), Monkey Man (2024), or Baby Do Die Do. Now, he wants to be a good guy on screen. "I do want to play a nice guy. I look forward to even playing a role like Mrs Doubtfire [1993], a lovable father who becomes a nanny."