Prahaar opens to Rs 9 crore weekend, misses Rs 10 crore mark

Rajkummar Rao’s Prahaar: The Ujjwal Nikam Story landed in theatres on Friday, October 16, and the opening weekend was more suspenseful than celebratory. The courtroom biopic collected Rs 9 crore net in India over its first three days, according to Sacnilk figures reported by The Times of India.

The starting point was not ideal, and the weekend gave the film only a small chance to change the conversation.

A small Sunday lift, but no breakout

The film began quietly with Rs 2.35 crore on Friday and 13% occupancy. Saturday improved by about 34% to Rs 3.15 crore as occupancy rose to 17%. Sunday held almost level at Rs 3.50 crore.

• Friday: Rs 2.35 crore, 13% occupancy
• Saturday: Rs 3.15 crore, 17% occupancy
• Sunday: Rs 3.50 crore
• Opening weekend total: Rs 9 crore net in India

The film missed the Rs 10 crore opening-weekend mark that often becomes a talking point for a mid-budget Hindi release.

Trailing the same-day competition

The weekend was also shaped by direct competition. Yami Gautam’s Nayyi Navelli, which opened on the same day, crossed Rs 10 crore over the same three-day window, leaving Prahaar behind in its release frame.

What the film is about

Directed by Avinash Arun, the film casts Rao as real-life public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam. It revisits key cases from Nikam’s career, including the trial of Ajmal Kasab, the lone attacker captured alive during the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. The ensemble includes Wamiqa Gabbi, Jaideep Ahlawat, Sikandar Kher and Lalit Prabhakar as Kasab.

Why the next few days matter

With no major spike on Sunday, Prahaar will now depend on weekday holds and positive word of mouth. Occupancy of 13% on day one was low; the Saturday jump showed some curiosity, but a nearly flat Sunday suggests the film has not yet broken beyond its core audience.

For fans, the appeal is a dependable actor walking into a courtroom story with national resonance. Because the film revisits a case that left deep scars, its core audience may take a few days to discover it. The question is whether that discovery happens fast enough.

If you are still deciding, this is one of those weeks where showing up early matters. A strong Monday hold would signal that word of mouth is kicking in; a sharp drop could quickly shrink the film’s screen count.

Source: The Times of India