Shahid

When i went to this movie in NJ, the theater was empty. The show was only for me alone. But i am glad that i haven't missed this movie. This is a honest attempt to make a nice movie. All the characters were well chosen for this movie and they played there part. Its a good movie for every country that had been target by terrorist attacks. And this is a movie for those extremists who are making normal people life a big hell. A must watch movie. Thanks to the director for showing true things that happens after attacks which majority of the people don't know. Wish more movies of this kind are produced and directed. You need lot of patience to watch this movie and this is not your regular masala entertainment.

Saw this film today and couldn't resist coming to IMDb and look at this movie's page.I was shocked to see the 6.7 rating and read the 3 reviews which give 7 stars(hopefully that will change).Now,it could be just that not everyone likes this movie as much as I do.But,when I think about it there is not a single thing about this movie that you can criticize.This movie is as underrated as you can find.Acting by every actor in the film is top-notch.But,the acting of protagonist's mother and Kay Kay Menon are something exceptional.Cinematography is also good compared to other Indian movies.If this movie had a more famous actor like Aamir Khan or Akshay Kumar,I am sure I wouldn't have write this review.Story is both cruel and sweet. If you have not seen it till now and you are reading this then STOP AND WATCH IT NOW.You will not regret this.I know you have read previous two lines in reviews of almost every random movie but I really mean it.Even though I have viewed it only once,I can tell you that this movie will be among my favorite films. A must watch for every Muslim brother in India,Pakistan and Bangladesh. In fact,a must watch for anyone who can understand Hindi.

'Shahid' is about the life of the controversial lawyer Shahid Azmi who was assassinated in 2010. Directed by Hansal Mehta, produced by AKFPL, Bohra Bros, and distributed by UTV Motion pictures . The film is set to release on the 18th of October after its world premier at the 2012 TIFF. The movie stars Raj Kumar Yadav in the title character and the story revolves mainly around him. Hope the producers and the director join again to make a biopic on the life of Narendra Dabholkar(Another Marathi icon who was recently assassinated). The story opens with Shahid being shot point blank at his office and it continues linearly otherwise. The opening immediately reminded me of 'Bhaag Milkha Bhaag' and 'Jobs'. Is it a necessity that biopics should begin very dramatically or with a possible ending of the life of the person depicted? Is it because there are many milestones in the life of icons that its difficult to create an apt ending to these sort of movies? The movie showcases more of a rather sweet life of Shahid in the first half and gains momentum in the second half where the major drama occurs. Pre-interval drama is more of Shahid's own upcoming and the people he meets while post-interval is full of courtroom drama. The interval was placed exactly at the mid point of the parabolic life story of Shahid Azmi. I wonder how Raj Kumar was chosen to play the role of Shahid when he looks nowhere close to the man he's portraying. Apart from the looks the guy was very comfortable in his role. Actors should take up biopics seriously as it has more scope for them(Take Ashton Kutcher as an Inspiration). Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub as Arif, he's one actor to look out for his subtle reactions. He made us realize that if not for Arif, Shahid wouldn't have accomplished so much. Prabhleen Sandhu(Mariyam), K K Menon(War Saab), Tigmanshu Dhulia(Maqbool Menon) in their respective small roles made the story complete. Very few people knew about Shahid Azmi and I think that this man should be made known to everyone. I've not lived when there was a Gandhi but was alive when Shahid was fighting for the lives of the innocent in a polite way. There's a point in the movie where Shahid is being provoked by a prosecutor about his dark past and this is what he says to her "I can sue you but I won't". Such a remarkable character he should have been. His record of 17 acquittals in a short span of time is indeed a great achievement so people please watch this for sure, Shahid will not disappoint you. I hope more such biopics should be made and the patronage for such genre will increase. In a country where iconic people are made gods, a film made about them will be a blessing. It will take time but it will happen.

Hansal Mehta's SHAHID, in Hindi, begins with the murder of a lawyer in his office. His first name, Shahid, which also means 'martyr' indicates that he was Muslim. We flashback to the riots in the early 1990s in which he is caught up, causing him to train with Muslim militants in Kashmir. This is not the Kashmir of so many Hindi film songs and dances, but of narrow roads cut into enormous cliffs, the rocks overhanging them.

Shahid runs away from the training camp when he is forced to witness the beheading of a turncoat, is arrested in Delhi, and in Tihar Jail must choose between siding with terrorists again or continuing his former law studies.

He chooses the latter, but on release finds that the law is a double- sided game. So he starts his own practice and takes on only the cases he wants. One is of a woman whose mother-in-law wants her house; we learn later that she is divorced, has a child, and that Shahid wants to marry her. He does, and his family reluctantly agrees. But the majority of his cases favor Muslims who have been falsely accused of terrorism, as we move through more terrorist attacks over time, including the 26/11 attack on the Taj Hotel. In every case shown, including the one involving the house, he receives phone threats, until ... This is a very serious film, more like a novel that what we usually think of cinema, in the style of Sinclair Lewis, or on a really good day, John Grisham.

Very few people dare to rise and take a stand to tell a story that might have been vanished from lives & in files if not attempted. Hansal Mehta joins the same league. Respect for giving us SHAHID- a film that will find a place close to your heart very easily but not without stirring-shaking & moving your soul. STRONGLY RECOMMENDED!

After PAAN SINGH TOMAR, here comes an earnest biographical drama that I hope could change the way Indian Cinema thinks about our real life heroes. This is also a film that raises many a questions about humanity and its survival in today's times. It also shows our judiciary system in true lights.

What makes it an exceptional biopic are the performances. Shahid's fearless-in your face-uncomplicated character could never come so strong if Raj Kumar has not given it his flesh & blood. This man can make you laugh with his charmingly simplistic behavior, watch it when he is trying to be comfortable with his lady-love still unaware of his feelings, and also can make your heart bleed with his heartrending silence when attacked for his forgettable past. Extended applause for his bravura performance.