Thumbs up, by Subhash K Jha, Bolly Spice : ...The film is important for telling us what transpired in Mumbai on 26/11, 2008, but also for reminding us it can happen again. The plot is constructed with rare care, and the storytelling seldom seems compromised. There are no diversions,unless we look at Mrs Ujjawal Nikam (Wamiqa Gabi, miscast) adding nothing to the proceedings except the you-have-no-time-for-home trope.... full review

Thumbs up, DNA : ...Rajkummar Rao’s as Ujjwal Nikam takes the centre stage, but everyone gets a chance to display their acting chops in a drama that revolves around one of the most prominent public sagas of modern times. Prahaar is an experience that one shouldn’t miss.... full review

Thumbs up, by Devesh Sharma, Filmfare : ...Ultimately, Prahaar is a straightforward courtroom procedural that tells us what happened in the Kasab case without fully illuminating who Ujjwal Nikam is beyond it. Avinash Arun keeps the narrative rooted in the legal battle, while the performances and archival footage lend it credibility and immediacy.... full review

Thumbs up, by Ria Sharma, Free Press Journal : ...Rajkummar Rao is the heart and soul of Prahaar. He delivers a strong performance as Ujjwal Nikam, capturing the prosecutor's determination and seriousness. However, his Marathi accent occasionally slips, which slightly affects the authenticity of his portrayal. Despite this minor drawback, it is another impressive performance from one of the finest actors in the industry. Director Avinash Arun deserves praise for handling the subject with maturity and keeping the drama engaging without making it unnecessarily loud. The pre-interval block is particularly powerful, while several post-interval sequences stand out for their intensity.... full review

Thumbs up, by "Rajiv Vijayakar ", koimoi : ...Ritvik Rathore as Aniket and Sikandar Kher as Kazmi are also fabulous. Ashish Vidyarthi is wonderful as Judge M.L. Tahaliyani. Wamiqa Gabbi is fast emerging as a ‘complete package’ actress with both range and intensity: in the relatively short role as Jyoti, the backbone of Ujjwal’s success, she is superb. The supporting artists, especially the witnesses and the cops, all do a fine job, and it is impossible to just pick a few among them, other than little Dior Ranju Varghese, who is big in her small (length-wise only) performance.... full review

Thumbs up, by Aakruti Bagla, MiD DAY : ...Rao shines as Nikam, capturing his mannerisms and fiery courtroom demeanour. Lalit Prabhakar is equally impressive as Kasab, bringing unsettling shades of darkness and angst to the role. Ritvik Sahore leaves a mark as Nikam’s son, while Jaideep Ahlawat makes a strong impression in his special appearance. Sikandar Kher is effective as defence lawyer Abbas Kazmi. Wamiqa Gabbi, however, is underutilised.... full review

Thumbs up, by Saibal Chatterjee, NDTV : ...he film stays focused on its avowed purpose, which ensures that it stays on course for the most part - not a mean feat at all.... full review

Thumbs up, by Isha Sharma, NewsBytes : ...Prahaar needed tighter editing and a more nuanced exploration of Nikam's personal life. Despite these flaws, it's a rousing drama that is patriotic but seldom jingoistic. Some scenes are particularly haunting, like the one when a child's labored breathing pierces the deafening silence at the CST station after the shootout. Such gritty moments and Rao's sublime performance make Prahaar an affecting watch.... full review

Thumbs up, by Aishani Biswas, Outlook India : ...Nevertheless, Prahaar remains an engaging watch, anchored by committed performances and a compelling examination of what justice requires beyond punishment. It is at its best when it trusts the courtroom, the psychological conflict and the suffering of the victims to carry the story without manufacturing additional drama. The film may not answer every question it raises, but it understands that justice is more than revenge.... full review

Thumbs up, by Prasanna D Zore, Rediff : ...The portrayal of the CST massacre does bring out the gore and monstrosity of what Kasab and Abu Ismail were capable of and had been trained to do. But Avinash Arun fails to incorporate how Kasab was caught, unarmed, through the bravery of ASI Tukaram Omble. A two-minute sequence immortalising Omble's act of selflessness would not have added much to the film's overall length.... full review

Thumbs up, by Kartik Bhardwaj, the new Indian Express : ...Prahaar shows us what we were at a time, before we went out baying for blood. It’s a heart-wrenching story of a grievous tragedy but it doesn’t aim to make you blind with anger and rather wants you to reflect and understand. It makes you remember what India stood for once.... full review

Thumbs up, by Tanmayi Savadi, Times Now : ...26/11 Mumbai attacks were documented in various ways and from different perspectives. Prahaar is an extension of that. It might not be the most flawless film of the year, but it does have its moments that stay with you.... full review

Thumbs up, by Renuka Vyavahare, Times of India : ...Prahaar neither sensationalises the tragedy nor reduces it to a spectacle. Instead, it offers a thoughtful account of a landmark legal battle that reaffirms the importance of due process, justice and humanity, irrespective of borders or religion. It is a powerful reminder that justice must prevail even when emotions run high and the wounds of tragedy refuse to heal.... full review

Thumbs up, Zee News : ...The story of Nikam's personal life as a father is an interesting take as we see how his profession overshadows his fatherly instincts to a large extent. At the end of the day, the film reminds us that while anger is justified, those who truly want justice to prevail, need to have the strength to see it through to the very end.... full review

So-So, by Taher Ahmed, Deccan Herald : ...What works in ‘Prahaar’ is its refusal to reduce the trial to a convenient exercise in patriotism. It recognises that constitutional rights matter most when they are hardest to defend. The parallel trials faced by Nikam and Kazmi add emotional depth, but the film could have been tighter in bringing these threads together. Ultimately, the movie makes a sound argument for the rule of law, even if its storytelling occasionally loses the case. A more disciplined screenplay could have made thisa far more powerful verdict.... full review

So-So, by Aakash Kumar, Filmi Beat : ...Prahaar has turned out to be a strictly decent film. It has strong performances, a relevant subject, and a few engaging courtroom moments. Rajkummar Rao is dependable, while Lalit Prabhakar leaves a lasting impression as Kasab. Read more at: https://www.filmibeat.com/bollywood/reviews/2026/prahaar-review-rating-non-spoiler-lalit-prabhakar-outshines-rajkummar-rao-ujjwal-nikam-biopic-lacks-534799.html... full review

So-So, by Rishabh Suri, Hindustan Times : ...Overall, Prahaar has a story that should have been difficult to look away from, yet it occasionally tests your patience with its own digressions. The 26/11 attack remains one of the darkest scars on our nation's memory. A film about Ujjwal Nikam had the opportunity to capture the fight for justice with the emotional weight it deserved.... full review

So-So, by Sana Farzeen, india today : ...For a film about 26/11, the biggest disappointment is how rarely it makes us feel the full impact of the attack. This can never be just an Ujjwal Nikam story. It is about the attack, the attacker and the attacked, more than the man in the black coat fighting the case. But somehow the focus remains so much on him that the film never creates the impact it had intended. The subject had enough emotional heft to knock the wind out of you. The film, unfortunately, keeps stopping short.... full review

So-So, by Sakshi Verma, India TV : ...For all its shortcomings, Prahaar: The Ujjwal Nikam Story has a point worth making. It asks the audience to look beyond the trial and spare a thought for Mumbai and its people, many of whom lost loved ones, lived with fear and trauma, and still found ways to carry on.... full review

So-So, by Shubhra Gupta, indian express : ...The performances are all solid, with Ahlawat leaving a mark — no surprises there — even in a walk-on part. Good to see Ashish Vidyarthi properly back in the saddle, in a rounded role: he presides over his court with precision and empathy, making sure that, in the end, justice is done. Overall, though, the film remains worthy, but stodgy.... full review

So-So, by Sameer Ahire, Movie Talkies : ...Prahaar has some worthwhile things to say, and its courtroom moments certainly deserve your attention. However, I wish the film had been more focused, tighter, and consistent in its storytelling. Rajkummar Rao almost pulls it off, but the film itself falls short of its full potential.... full review

So-So, by TITAS CHOWDHURY, News18.com : ...In all honesty, Prahaar is a film that deserved to be told. It has its heart in the right place. It’s great material on paper. It wants to unsettle us. But the problem is that much of it gets lost under the weight of its own aspirations. Ultimately, it’s a film of powerful moments that never quite comes together as a compelling whole.... full review

So-So, by Nandini Ramnath, Scroll.in : ...The film is neither entirely a puff piece nor a wholly measured take on a sensational case. Ideas that go against the imperatives of the hagiography are introduced only to linger in the ether, neither ignored nor satisfactorily resolved.... full review

So-So, by Anuj Kumar, The Hindu : ...Prahaar seems to work at cross purposes, caught between a desire to be a nuanced, balanced legal procedural and a commercial obligation to create emotionally satisfying, patriotic mass spectacle. Perhaps that is the reality of the case, too.... full review

Thumbs down, Deccan Chronicle : ...Prahaar is a sincere but uneven attempt to revisit one of India's darkest chapters through the lens of the courtroom. Its strongest moments arrive when the film focuses on Ujjwal Nikam's legal battle and the arguments surrounding Kasab's trial. Rajkummar Rao anchors the narrative with a committed performance, supported by a capable ensemble. https://www.deccanchronicle.com/entertainment/prahaar-movie-review-rajkummar-rao-shines-in-parts-but-this-courtroom-drama-fails-to-deliver-a-knockout-blow-1996464... full review

Thumbs down, by Uday Bhatia, Live Mint : ...Uday Bhatia... full review