Meet Lalit Prabhakar: Marathi actor playing Ajmal Kasab in Rajkummar Rao’s Prahaar- The Ujjwal Nikam Story

Prahaar: The Ujjwal Nikam Story revisits the 26/11 Mumbai attacks through prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam's perspective, featuring Rajkummar Rao in lead role.

The trailer of Rajkummar Rao-starrer Prahaar: The Ujjwal Nikam Story was released on Tuesday, giving fans a detailed look at the biographical drama based on special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam and the trial of 26/11 Mumbai terror attack accused Ajmal Kasab.

Lalit Prabhakar plays Ajmal Kasab in Prahaar.

While Rajkummar’s transformation into Nikam has caught attention, another actor has piqued viewers’ curiosity — Lalit Prabhakar, who plays Ajmal Kasab. A familiar face in Marathi cinema, Lalit has built a career across films, television and theatre. Let’s take a look at his journey.

Who is Lalit Prabhakar?

Lalit is primarily known for his work in Marathi cinema and is regarded as one of the leading contemporary actors in the industry. He made his acting debut in 2008 but rose to prominence with the popular daily soap Julun Yeti Reshimgathi in 2013.

Deep Dive

What challenges did Lalit Prabhakar face while portraying Ajmal Kasab in Prahaar?

How does Prahaar depict the legal battle following the 26/11 attacks?

Why is Ujjwal Nikam's role significant in the context of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks?

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He made his big-screen debut as a lead with Paresh Mokashi’s Chi Va Chi Sau Ka (2017), for which he won the Maharashtra State Film Award. He went on to establish himself as a leading man with films such as Hampi (2017), in which he played a charming romantic lead.

Lalit later played a double role in the horror-comedy Zombivli (2022) and earned praise for his performances in slice-of-life dramas such as Medium Spicy (2022) and Sunny (2022). He has also featured in films exploring contemporary relationships and everyday lives, including Aarpar (2025) and Super Duperr (2026). For Aarpar, he received a Filmfare Marathi Best Actor nomination and won the Zee Chitra Gaurav Award for Best Jodi alongside Hruta Durgule.

Lalit has also worked extensively in the OTT space, featuring in popular series such as Shantit Kranti, Pet Puraan and The Raikar Case.

Lalit on playing Ajmal Kasab in Prahaar

In a recent interaction with ETimes, Lalit spoke about playing Ajmal Kasab and said, "It was a challenge, a very difficult role, for various reasons. Firstly, I had to understand the psychology of Kasab in order to become him on screen and perform accordingly. I had to catch the nuances of his language, which is different from ours, and adapt his body language. But more than that, I wanted to do something that even I had never imagined myself doing. I have always wanted to see myself in roles that were never envisioned for me. I like expanding my boundaries."

About Prahaar

The film revisits the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks through the eyes of veteran public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam, who argued the case against Ajmal Kasab, the lone terrorist captured alive after the deadly attacks.

Directed by Avinash Arun, Prahaar: The Ujjwal Nikam Story is scheduled to hit theatres on October 16. The film also stars Wamiqa Gabbi, Jaideep Ahlawat, Sikandar Kher and Ashish Vidyarthi.