After a wait of 13 years, the National Award-winning film, Shahid, has finally found its home on Prime Video. The writer-editor of the Rajkummar Rao-starrer, Apurva M Asrani, shared a long post reflecting on the film's journey since its release and asking why it took so long for the film to find a platform.
Apurva M Asrani questions the delay in Shahid's OTT release
On Monday, Apurva took to X and wrote, "The National Award-winning #Shahid is finally streaming on Prime Video. It took 13 years for our film to find a streaming home. Shahid tells the story of Shahid Azmi, a lawyer who defended people accused under terror laws and fought for due process in a climate where Muslims were often presumed guilty before being proven innocent. He was murdered for that courage."
He further questioned, "I’ve often wondered why Shahid remained without a streaming platform for so long. It was released a year before 2014. Then came a political climate in which dissenters, activists, journalists and those defending the rights of the accused increasingly found themselves under suspicion. In that same period, people like Umar Khalid have spent years in prison awaiting trial.
{{/usCountry}}He further questioned, "I’ve often wondered why Shahid remained without a streaming platform for so long. It was released a year before 2014. Then came a political climate in which dissenters, activists, journalists and those defending the rights of the accused increasingly found themselves under suspicion. In that same period, people like Umar Khalid have spent years in prison awaiting trial.
{{/usCountry}}Apurva also reflected on the difficulties faced by filmmakers who wanted to tell stories similar to Shahid. He said that many filmmakers, actors and writers drawn to such stories either struggled to get them made or were "co-opted by the system" into telling what he described as "kosher" stories that won national awards due to their political conformity and despite their mediocrity.
He added, "So why now? Why does a film like Shahid finally find a streaming platform in 2026? Has the mood changed? Is there growing resistance to the politics of fear? Whatever the reason, I’m proud of this film. It established me as a co-writer/editor and brought me back to the kind of cinema I believe in. Watch it if you haven’t. Watch it again if you have. This film, made by a wonderful team, is a reminder of the kind of courageous cinema we used to make and celebrate. Thankyou @PrimeVideoIN."
About Shahid
Released in 2013, Shahid is a biographical drama film directed by Hansal Mehta. Based on the life of lawyer and human rights activist Shahid Azmi, who was assassinated in 2010, the film stars Rajkummar Rao as Azmi; Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, Prabhleen Sandhu and Baljinder Kaur appear in supporting roles.
Shahid had its world premiere at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival's City to City programme in 2012. It was screened at several other film festivals including the 14th Mumbai Film Festival, the New York Indian Film Festival, the Indian Film Festival of Stuttgart, the Dubai International Film Festival and the Chicago South Asian Film Festival. The film was awarded the Silver Gateway Trophy at the Mumbai Film Festival. It was released theatrically in India on 18 October 2013 and met with critical acclaim. Rajkummar received the Best Actor Award and Hansal Mehta, the Best Director Award at the 61st National Film Awards ceremony.
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