‘Prahaar’ actor Lalit Prabhakar on playing Ajmal Kasab: I had to reimagine cruelty

Known for romantic roles in Marathi cinema, Lalit Prabhakar plays terrorist Ajmal Kasab in Prahaar. He researched the character using limited archival material

Actor Lalit Prabhakar takes on the darkest role of his career in the recently released film Prahaar, playing the terrorist Ajmal Kasab. Known for his romantic leads in Marathi cinema, he calls it the “toughest role when it comes to bringing that cruelty on screen.”

Lalit Prabhakar on playing Ajmal Kasab

“Preparing for the character demanded intense preparation, especially given the scarcity of reference material. With only one public archival video of Kasab available, I relied on former IPS officer Ramesh Mahale’s book, Kasab and I, alongside dialect coach Amijot Singh. I tried to delve into his background, exposure and social awareness to understand how limited opportunities lead people to follow dangerous ideologies blindly,” Prabhakar explains, adding, “I can’t justify that cruelty personally. Still, as an actor, I had to temporarily impersonate those beliefs.”

The transformation extended to his posture and speech, including Kasab’s Pakistani-Pahadi dialect. “Kasab wasn’t tall, so since I couldn’t shorten myself, I drooped my shoulders, restrained my neck and changed my posture entirely,” he details.

Sharing screen space with the lead Rajkummar Rao was another highlight for the actor. “Rajkummar’s hunger and intensity after all these years is deeply inspiring,” Prabhakar tells us. “He stayed in character throughout the shoot, mastering Marathi diction and emulating Ujjwal Nikam sir’s pitch. We even avoided casual off-camera banter to maintain the tension. Watching him give cues with full intensity was a masterclass in sincerity.”

Prabhakar says he has consistently sought to avoid being typecast. “I chose Anandi Gopal (2019) to step away from the ‘chocolate boy’ tag, and later took on experimental projects like Zombivli (2022). When Prahaar’s director Avinash (Arun) sir approached me for Kasab, I was thrilled because I had never done anything so negative. When a filmmaker trusts you with an unconventional vision, you feel driven to match their conviction,” he shares.