Thirteen years after its theatrical release, Hansal Mehta’s National Award-winning biographical drama Shahid has finally found a streaming home. The Rajkummar Rao-starrer is now available on Prime Video, bringing the critically acclaimed film to a wider audience after years of limited digital availability.
Released in 2013, Shahid is based on the life of lawyer and human rights activist Shahid Azmi, who was assassinated in Mumbai in 2010. Rajkummar Rao plays the titular character, with Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, Prabhleen Sandhu and Baljinder Kaur in supporting roles.
The film earned major recognition at the 61st National Film Awards. Hansal Mehta won Best Director, while Rajkummar Rao shared the Best Actor award with Malayalam actor Suraj Venjaramoodu. The official National Film Awards citation described Shahid as a film tracing the true story of a slain human rights activist and lawyer against the backdrop of communal violence in Mumbai.
Apurva Asrani reflects on Shahid’s long wait for a streaming platform
Following the film’s arrival on Prime Video, writer-editor Apurva M Asrani reflected on its journey in a lengthy post on X. He questioned why a film that had received such critical and institutional recognition took so long to find a streaming platform.
He tweeted, “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.”
Asrani then raised questions about the circumstances surrounding the film’s long absence from streaming platforms: “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.”
Apurva Asrani on the challenges of making stories like Shahid
Asrani also reflected on what he described as the difficulties faced by filmmakers, writers and actors interested in telling stories that challenge established narratives. According to him, several people drawn to similar subjects either struggled to get their projects made or were “co-opted by the system” into telling what he called “kosher” stories that received National Awards because of their political conformity and despite their mediocrity.
“So why now?”: Asrani questions the timing
With Shahid finally available to stream in 2026, Asrani questioned what may have changed since the film’s theatrical release. He wrote, “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.”
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… pic.twitter.com/Ms6p6vcB2w
— Apurva M Asrani (@Apurvasrani) September 28, 2026
Shahid became an important film in the careers of both Hansal Mehta and Rajkummar Rao. The National Film Awards recognised Mehta’s direction and Rao’s performance, with the official jury noting that Rao brought the character’s journey and struggle to life.
Also read: From Shahid Azmi to Sourav Ganguly: Rajkummar Rao becomes Bollywood’s biopic specialist
