29 October,2026 05:24 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Sikandar Kher in Prahaar. Pic via YouTube
Actor Sikandar Kher wanted to understand what drives a lawyer to defend someone accused of an act as devastating as the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. That question became central to his preparation for playing criminal lawyer Abbas Kazmi, who represented Ajmal Kasab during the trial, in Prahaar: The Untold Story of Ujjwal Nikam.
Speaking to India Today, Kher recalled meeting Kazmi before filming began to understand the conviction behind his decision to take up the case. "I asked Avinash to plan a meeting with him. I needed to know how a person in that situation in this country comes on board to defend a terrorist like Kasab. By no means can it be an easy decision to take. And I just wanted to see what kind of conviction I can bring to the character," Kher said.
The actor chose not to reveal details of their conversation, describing it as personal. However, the meeting helped him understand the principle behind Kazmi's role in the trial, ensuring that an accused person receives a fair trial, regardless of the severity of the crime they are accused of committing.
The 26/11 attacks killed 166 people and left Mumbai traumatised. Kasab was the only attacker captured alive, making the subsequent trial a defining moment for India's criminal justice system. Kher's challenge was to portray the lawyer's position without losing sight of the emotional weight of the case.
Kher was shooting for another project simultaneously but had to retain his beard for Prahaar, given the film's real-life basis and Kazmi's distinctive appearance.
Playing opposite Rajkummar Rao, who portrays special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam, also meant navigating intense courtroom confrontations. Kher said working with Rao made the experience particularly rewarding, as the two actors had already collaborated on Monica, O My Darling.
"It's great. We do damn well together. Both the times that I have worked with him in Monica, O My Darling and in Prahaar, I think both of us enjoy working with each other because both of us get the best out of each other," he said. The actors' familiarity with each other helped them approach the courtroom exchanges, where sharp arguments and pointed jibes drive some of the film's most charged moments.
Meanwhile, Kher revealed that his parents, veteran actors Anupam Kher and Kirron Kher, are yet to watch Prahaar. His father is currently filming in Sweden, while his mother, who is based in Chandigarh, has recently arrived in Mumbai.
The actor said his mother has been expressing her eagerness to watch the film every day. Given their experience in the industry, Kher values both his parents' opinions, particularly his mother's candid assessments.
Describing her as "brutally honest", he suggested that their feedback matters to him not simply as parental approval, but as an opportunity to learn from actors whose judgement he respects. Prahaar: The Untold Story of Ujjwal Nikam released in theatres on October 16, 2026.
