Thirteen years is a long time to wait for a film to reach your living room. It feels longer when the film in question earned its director and lead actor National Awards. Yet Shahid, which opened in cinemas in October 2013, has only now landed on Prime Video.
Hansal Mehta's drama tells the story of Shahid Azmi, a Mumbai lawyer and human rights activist who was assassinated in 2010. Rajkummar Rao plays Azmi, with Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, Prabhleen Sandhu and Baljinder Kaur among the supporting cast. At the 61st National Film Awards, Mehta took home Best Director, and Rao shared Best Actor with Malayalam star Suraj Venjaramoodu. For years afterwards, though, anyone wanting to watch it at home had few options.
Writer-editor Apurva Asrani wrote the screenplay with Sameer Gautam Singh and also cut the film. On 28 September, he posted a long note on X, welcoming the arrival while refusing to let the delay pass unremarked.
He recalled that the film came out just before the political shift of 2014. In the years that followed, he suggested, the atmosphere grew less kind to activists, dissenters and anyone who stood up for the rights of the accused.
He further questioned "Why would a film like this surface on a platform in 2026, he asked, and could it mean that the climate is beginning to change? He offered no answer, only the question. The reasons behind the timing remain unexplained in the reports so far.
There was a personal note too. Asrani said he is proud of the film, which established him as a co-writer and editor and pointed him back towards the kind of cinema he believes in. He urged viewers to watch it, or to watch it again, and thanked Prime Video.
Where can I watch Shahid online?
Shahid is streaming on Prime Video.
When was Shahid originally released?
The film opened in cinemas in October 2013, so it took about 13 years to reach a streaming platform.
Is Shahid based on a true story?
Yes. It follows the life of Shahid Azmi, a Mumbai lawyer and human rights activist who was assassinated in 2010.
Which awards did Shahid win?
At the 61st National Film Awards, Hansal Mehta won Best Director, and Rajkummar Rao shared the Best Actor award with Malayalam actor Suraj Venjaramoodu.
Who wrote Shahid?
Apurva Asrani and Sameer Gautam Singh wrote the screenplay. Asrani also edited the film.