Rajkummar Rao’s latest film, Prahaar: The Ujjwal Nikam Story, has begun its theatrical journey with a modest opening at the Indian box office. The courtroom drama, based on the life and career of veteran public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam, arrived in cinemas on Friday but recorded a lukewarm response from audiences on its first day.
According to trade website Sacnilk, the film collected ₹2.35 crore net in India on its opening day, while its domestic gross stood at ₹2.77 crore. The film had 4,133 shows across the country and recorded an average occupancy of around 13% throughout the day.
Its reported worldwide gross stood at ₹3.52 crore, including ₹0.75 crore from overseas markets, as per the figures provided.
Prahaar box office collection day 1: Mumbai records better occupancy
The film’s opening-day performance varied across major cities. Mumbai recorded an average occupancy of 20% across 411 shows, making it one of the stronger markets for the film on its first day.
In the National Capital Region (NCR), Prahaar had 615 shows but recorded an average occupancy of 10%. Ahmedabad reported 283 shows with an average occupancy of just 7%.
The overall occupancy figures suggest that the film had a relatively quiet opening, despite being based on a significant chapter in India’s legal and political history.
The coming days will be important in determining whether positive audience feedback, if it develops, can help the film improve its collections over the weekend.
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How does Prahaar compare with Rajkummar Rao’s other films?
With an opening-day collection of ₹2.35 crore, Prahaar ranks among the lower openers in Rajkummar Rao’s career. His biggest opening remains Stree 2, which collected ₹51.80 crore on its first day in 2024.
However, Prahaar has opened slightly higher than some of his other films. Srikanth collected ₹2.25 crore on its opening day, while Badhaai Do earned ₹1.65 crore.
At the same time, the courtroom drama fell behind the opening-day collections of several other Rajkummar Rao films. Roohi earned ₹2.90 crore, Vicky Vidya Ka Woh Wala Video opened at ₹5.50 crore, Mr & Mrs Mahi collected ₹6.75 crore, and Bhool Chuk Maaf began its theatrical run with ₹7 crore.
These comparisons show that Prahaar has started below several of the actor’s previous releases, although its performance over the weekend will provide a clearer picture of its box office prospects.
What is Prahaar: The Ujjwal Nikam Story about?
Directed by Avinash Arun and produced by Dinesh Vijan, Prahaar: The Ujjwal Nikam Story follows the life and work of Ujjwal Nikam, the veteran public prosecutor known for handling several high-profile criminal cases.
Rajkummar Rao plays Nikam in the film, which draws on the prosecution of Ajmal Kasab, the lone surviving terrorist captured during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. Kasab was convicted and later hanged.
The film attempts to bring the legal battle and the pursuit of justice to the big screen, revisiting a tragedy that remains deeply etched in the country’s collective memory. Through its courtroom sequences and personal drama, it explores the challenges involved in handling a case of such national significance.
What did critics say about the film?
Prahaar received a three-star rating from Hindustan Times’ Rishabh Suri. In his review, he noted that the film has a compelling subject but occasionally loses momentum because of its narrative detours.
The review pointed out that the story had the potential to capture the emotional weight of the fight for justice following the 26/11 attacks. However, it sometimes struggles to balance the courtroom drama with its family storyline.
Despite these shortcomings, the review suggested that the film still has enough engaging elements to prevent it from becoming a complete missed opportunity.
Will Prahaar improve at the box office?
With a ₹2.35 crore net opening in India, Prahaar: The Ujjwal Nikam Story has started its box office run on a modest note. Its subject matter, Rajkummar Rao’s performance and the story of a high-profile prosecution give the film a distinctive place among recent courtroom dramas, but its opening-day occupancy indicates that audience turnout was limited.
The weekend collections will be crucial in determining whether the film can gain momentum. For now, Prahaar has delivered a quiet start, and its performance over the next few days will reveal how well the courtroom drama connects with moviegoers.
