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Ujjwal Nikam says Prahaar 'shows what actually happened' in Kasab's trial after 26/11: 'No sensationalisation'
Prahaar, the Rajkummar Rao-starrer, is the story of how former public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam led the legal case against 26/11 attacker Ajmal aKasab.
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A new film on the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks - Prahaar - is set to release on October 16. The Rajkummar Rao and Wamiqa Gabbi starrer is based on the life of veteran public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam, who is also a Rajya Sabha member of Parliament, and the court proceedings of the trial which ultimately led to the hanging of the lone captured terrorist, Ajmal Kasab.
In an interview with HT, Nikam revisited the landmark case and said that the trial against Ajmal Kasab was not against one terrorist, but a legal battle against Pakistan. Excerpts from the interview:
Q: We have seen several movies being made on 26/11 terror attacks. How is Prahaar different?
Nikam: It is essentially a film about the court proceedings. You won’t see any sensationalisation of a character. Two and a half years of research went into the film including the story and what was said during the court proceedings. It will show what actually happened in the courtroom and how we dealt with the challenges during the trial. The director, Avinash Arun, also heard the arguments in court and later discussed the material with actor Rajkummar Rao (who is playing Nikam’s character). To ensure authenticity, real names have been used including that of the judge. I believe that this movie can send a message that we should not give a communal angle to such terror attacks.
Q: How closely does Prahaar reflect your experience of the 26/11 trial?
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Nikam: It is entirely based on the court proceedings and arguments from both sides during the trial. There is no dramatisation. The makers even researched how I walk and talk.
Q: Ajmal Kasab’s trial is probably one of the most important terrorism trials in India. Why did it take a long time? You also mentioned challenges during the trial. What were those?
Nikam: I am asked this question often. We have to understand that this was not a trial against Kasab alone. A total of 10 terrorists were sent from across the border to target Mumbai and its innocent citizens. They were all one group and it was a trial against all of them. In a way, it was a legal battle against Pakistan because through evidence, we established a state-backed larger conspiracy. The challenges faced were Kasab’s repeated lies. He would claim that he was a minor or that he was given poison. He also tried to disassociate himself from the group of 10 terrorists, saying Abu Ismail had done everything. Our job was to primarily discredit all his falsehoods and establish the truth. Data was retrieved with the help of an FBI laboratory. The police worked round-the-clock to bring evidence against Kasab and Pakistan.
The trial in the 26/11 attacks started on May 6, 2009 and exactly a year later - on May 6, 2010—the sessions court awarded the death penalty to Kasab. Our constitutional processes allow an accused to appeal in higher courts. He first appealed to the Bombay high court, which decided on the appeal in May 2011 and then the Supreme Court also upheld the court’s decision in September 2012. So, when we say that the trial took time, we should understand the complexity of the case as every piece of evidence had to withstand scrutiny at different stages.
Q: Your ‘biryani’ comment during the trial was widely discussed. What recollection do you have of it?
Nikam: Kasab never demanded biryani, nor was it served. The larger problem was that the focus had shifted to Kasab instead of the victims so we had to change that atmosphere. Our aim was that people talk about the victims, who lost their lives.
Q: Did the Kasab trial have a political bearing on your nomination to the Rajya Sabha? How do you see that?
Nikam: Not at all. I have previously handled the trial for the 1993 Mumbai blasts, the murder of Gulshan Kumar and others. Kasab’s trial has nothing to do with me entering politics. I was requested to enter the Rajya Sabha and was then nominated by the President. The two things are not linked. The two things are not linked.
Q: What do you think audiences will take away from Prahaar?
Nikam: It will make people understand the legal battle and what went into establishing that on 26/11, India was attacked as part of a conspiracy. The focus should be on terrorism, evidence and most importantly, the victims.
Prahaar, directed by Avinash Arun, and starring Rajkummar Rao, Wamiqa Gabbi, Jaideep Ahlawat, Sikandar Kher, Ashish Vidyarthi, Lalit Prabhakar, and Ritvik Sahore, will release in theatres on October 16.
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