The nationally acclaimed film 'Shaheed' by Rajkumar Rao has finally appeared on the OTT streaming service after thirteen years. This film, directed by Hansal Mehta, tells the story of Shaheed Azmi, who was a lawyer and human rights activist and was killed in 2010.
Currently, the film is available on Prime Video, but the long delay in its digital release has sparked a new discussion. The film's author and editor, Apurva Asrani, raised questions about the reasons for such a long absence of such a significant film on streaming platforms. In his message, he questioned the film's plot, the atmosphere in which dissenting opinions are expressed, and its release date in 2026.
Apurva Asrani noted that 'Shaheed' tells the story of lawyer Shaheed Azmi, who defended people accused under anti-terrorism laws and fought for fair judicial procedure. According to Asrani, during that period, many Muslims were suspected even before guilt was proven. He emphasized that Shaheed Azmi's murder happened precisely because of his courage.
Raising doubts about the film's long absence from OTT, Asrani wrote: 'I often wondered why Shaheed remained without any streaming platform for so long.' The film was released in 2014, but then a political climate arose where activists, journalists, rights defenders, and the accused were constantly under suspicion.
Apurva also questioned whether filmmakers and actors have started working less on themes related to civil rights, dissent, and the legal rights of the accused. Questioning the film's 2026 release, he asked: 'Why now? Why does a film like Shaheed finally get a streaming platform in 2026? Has the situation changed? Is resistance against the politics of fear growing?'
Asrani presented these questions as his opinion and concern, without indicating any confirmed reasons for the film's delay.
In his post, Apurva Asrani also shared his experience working on the film and its significance. Regardless of the reasons, he expressed pride in 'Shaheed'. According to him, this film helped him gain recognition as a co-author and editor and brought him back to the type of cinema he believes in. He also thanked Prime Video for the opportunity for viewers to watch the film.
The film 'Shaheed' was released in theaters in October 2013, starring Rajkumar Rao as Shaheed Azmi. Important roles were played by Mohammed Chishan Ayub, Prablin Sandhu, and Baljinder Kaur. The plot is based on the life of Shaheed Azmi, whose murder occurred in 2010.
The film's premiere took place at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2012, after which it was shown at several other film festivals. At the 61st National Film Awards, Rajkumar Rao received the Best Actor award, and Hansal Mehta received the Best Director award. The screenplay was written by Samir Gautam Singh and Apurva Asrani.
The availability of 'Shaheed' on OTT after 13 years gave viewers a chance to rewatch this talked-about picture, and Apurva Asrani's questions initiated a discussion on the problem of the long absence of such stories in the digital space and ways to convey them to the audience.