How Rajkummar Rao transformed into Ujjwal Nikam for 'Prahaar'
What's the story
Rajkummar Rao, who is gearing up for the release of Prahaar: The Untold Story of Ujjwal Nikam, recently spoke about the challenges he faced while preparing for his role as senior lawyer Ujjwal Nikam. Speaking at the India Today Conclave Mumbai 2026, he revealed that he had to gain weight to portray a specific phase of Nikam's life. Notably, Rao didn't meet Nikam before filming began due to the latter's busy schedule.
Preparation
How did he prepare for the role?
Rao revealed that he studied Nikam's videos to understand his unique voice and body language.
He said, "I saw a lot of his videos...from the 1993 court case to the interviews."
"He loves talking because he has a knack for commanding the room. So I was picking up from those videos, his voice, his physicality, certain mannerisms that he would use."
"And then...I had to gain weight and play a certain age, which was something I had never done before."
Emotional journey
Recreating courtroom scenes was emotionally taxing
Rao also shared how emotionally taxing it was to recreate the courtroom scenes, especially those involving a child witness.
He recalled how everyone on set was so engrossed in the performances that they felt like they were living through the events being depicted.
"I had read the script, but still, on the day of the shoot, especially when we saw that little kid in the trailer, it was something else."
Set dynamics
Rao praises director Avinash Arun
Rao also praised director Avinash Arun for creating an immersive environment on set.
He noted that even when the camera wasn't on them, around 50 extra actors present every day would continue to react to the scenes being filmed.
"The kind of environment Avinash created on set was such that, no matter whose shot it was, everyone would be present in the courtroom," Rao said.
Prahaar: The Untold Story of Ujjwal Nikam releases in theaters on October 16.