SHAHID

Stars: Raj Kumar Yadav, Prabhleen Sandhu, Mohd Zeeshan Ayyub, Baljinder Kaur, Vipin Sharma, Shalini Vatsa, Vinod Rawat, Pawan Kumar and Vivek Ghamande.
Writers: Apurva Asrani and Sameer Gautam Singh.
Director: Hansal Mehta.

Stars: 4/5

The complexities of perceived justice versus the value of truth is the thematic core of Hansal Mehta’s tragic biopic Shahid, a compassionate recounting of the brief life and dramatic difference that human rights advocate Shahid Azmi contributed while acting as defence counsel in India’s legal system for close to a decade.

Though it reflects the oft-told tale of the idealistic outsider taking on the might of the jaded legal community, Mehta’s drama establishes strong humanistic qualities and a deeply personal protagonist before launching into the courtroom fireworks. From surviving the 1992 Mumbai social uprising to his fleeing from a terrorist training facility in Pakistani-controlled Kashmir and subsequent wrongful imprisonment, Shahid’s early life is vividly conveyed, a skilful and confident directorial hand fully fleshing-out the central figure and all his motivations.

After serving a seven year jail term in a Delhi prison (on anti-State charges for which he was later acquitted), Shahid emerged with a law degree and set about serving the rights of the accused, many of which were being held for long periods while police and prosecutors stalled their investigations. Writers Apurva Asrani and Sameer Gautam Singh, whose script exhibits a fluent, naturalistic economy with words and avoids all but the slightest hint of traditional Bollywood melodrama, combines several of Shahid’s landmark cases into just two key confrontations. This may irk sticklers for historical accuracy, but it does not undervalue in any way Shahid’s overall contribution to India’s legal landscape (his dissecting of the practices that led to the arrest of several Indian nationals on terrorist charges under the Prevention of Terrorism Act, 2002, led to the Act finally being repealed).

Crucial to the film’s worth is a terrific lead performance by Raj Kumar Yadav, in almost every scene and called upon to grow from a wide-eyed youth into a noble defender of civil liberties. It was this commitment to the letter of the law that put Shahid offside with many of his countrymen; in giving the role such a strong humanity, Yadav risks doing the same. The actor (having a stellar 2012-13, with his role in Anurag Kashyap’s crime epic, The Gangs of Wasseypur) should be applauded for a fearless, multi-layered portrayal. Support cast, notably Prabhleen Sandhu as single-mum love-interest Maryam, are all up to the standard set by every element of the production.

Given the naturalism Mehta employs for the majority of the film, some flourishes surrounding the very sad denouement are unwarranted but, given the overall emotional impact of his production, entirely forgivable. Shahid is a particularly accomplished entrant in the ‘reluctant martyr’ biography genre, sitting comfortably alongside the likes of Mike Nichol’s Silkwood and Spike Lee’s Malcolm X as the best of the best.

Comments

[Salil]

I loved this movie too. Very well written review...