Shahid film reaches streaming platforms after 13-year delay

The National Award-winning film ‘Shahid’, starring Rajkummar Rao, has arrived on the streaming platform Prime Video after a 13-year delay. Directed by Hansal Mehta, the 2013 film depicts the life of Shahid Azmi, a lawyer and human rights activist who was assassinated in 2010 after defending individuals accused under terror laws.

Writer and editor Apurva M Asrani expressed his reflections on the long wait for a digital release. Asrani questioned the delay, suggesting that the political climate following 2014—in which activists, journalists, and those defending the rights of the accused faced increased suspicion—may have influenced the film's absence from streaming platforms. He noted that the film portrays a period where Muslims were often “presumed guilty before being proven innocent.”

While the film is listed on Prime Video, some reports indicate it may currently be unavailable to stream within India, though a potential Netflix release remains a possibility as users can request notifications for the title.