Shahid finally starts streaming on OTT after 13 years

National Award-winning biographical drama Shahid, starring Rajkummar Rao, has finally made its way to an OTT platform, 13 years after its theatrical release.

Directed by Hansal Mehta, the 2013 film is based on the life of human rights lawyer Shahid Azmi, who was assassinated in 2010. The movie follows his journey as a lawyer who worked to defend people accused under terrorism laws and fought for their right to a fair trial.

The film’s long-awaited arrival on streaming has also prompted its writer and editor, Apurva M Asrani, to reflect on why it took so many years for the movie to find a digital home.

Apurva recently expressed his thoughts on social media, celebrating the film’s availability while also questioning its lengthy absence from streaming platforms. He noted that Shahid had taken 13 years to find a streaming home despite winning the National Award and receiving critical acclaim.

The writer highlighted the central story behind the film and the real-life lawyer who inspired it. Shahid Azmi dedicated his career to defending people who were accused under terrorism-related laws. His work focused on ensuring that accused individuals received due process, particularly in cases where people could face serious consequences based on allegations.

According to Apurva, Azmi continued this work despite facing a difficult environment and was eventually murdered because of his commitment to defending his clients.

Reflecting on the film’s journey after its release, Apurva also raised questions about whether changes in the political and social climate after 2014 may have played a role in the difficulties faced by films dealing with similar subjects.

He pointed to an environment in which dissenters, activists, journalists and people defending the rights of accused individuals increasingly came under scrutiny. He suggested that filmmakers attempting to tell stories involving such themes sometimes struggled to get their projects made.

The writer also discussed how some filmmakers working on politically sensitive subjects may have been pushed toward safer stories or narratives that were considered more acceptable.

However, Apurva admitted that he does not have a definite explanation for why Shahid has found its streaming platform now, more than a decade after its original release.

He wondered whether the current mood could be changing and whether there is now greater space for films that explore difficult subjects and challenging real-life stories.

Despite his questions about the film’s long journey to streaming, Apurva expressed pride in Shahid and encouraged audiences to watch it.

He described the movie as an important reminder of the kind of courageous cinema that was once made and celebrated. He also encouraged viewers who had already seen the film to revisit it now that it is available to a wider streaming audience.

Released in 2013, Shahid earned widespread appreciation for its storytelling and Rajkummar Rao’s performance as Shahid Azmi. The film also received the National Film Award for Best Actor for Rao and Best Director for Hansal Mehta.

The film is now streaming on Prime Video, giving a new generation of viewers an opportunity to discover the acclaimed biographical drama and learn about the life and work of Shahid Azmi.