Directed by : Hansal Mehta
Imdb link -> http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2181831/
One of best hard-hitting movie this year by Raj Kumar Yadav and Hansal Mehta duo.
By showing me injustice, he taught me to love justice.
By teaching me what pain and humiliation were all about, he awakened my heart to mercy.
- Roy Black
Read at your own risk, the post may have some spoilers.
Based on real life of 'Shahid Azmi', a human rights activist and a successful lawyer, 'Shahid' is much more than being just a biopic.
Shahid (Raj Kumar Yadav) lives in Govandi, eastern part of Mumbai. In 92-93 hindu-muslim riots take place, and Shahid witnesses it with his own eyes on the road. Soon, we see him join a jihaadi camp, but he's never comfortable during training sessions and eventually he runs away from it. But as the destiny is, police arrests him as suspected terrorist. In jail, he makes new friends who encourages him to study further and thereafter he persues law. When he gets released from the jail (6 years), he completes his law degree and joins Maqbool Menon (Tigmanshu Dhulia) firm but he refuses to accept the kind of cases they take. He starts his own independent practice, and helps wrongly accused Muslims people (as terrorists) get justice. He had 17 successful acquittals in span of just 7 years, before he got gunned down in his office by 3 unidentified guys.
The film is not about who killed Shahid, we see him dead right from the first shot of the movie. Instead it talks about how Shahid was as a person, and how he learnt from his early life struggles to fight for other people instead of bowing down to the system and the police, he decided to become a part of it by persuing law and becoming a lawyer. There are two key scenes of Kay Kay Menon in this regard, one where he says 'If you want to change the system, be a part of it' and other where Shahid gets released from Jail after many years and he tells him 'waqt lagta hai, par ho jaata hai.. the indian judiciary works'.
Even the torture Shahid goes through isn't dramatized, its done with two scene sequence, one where Shahid is abused and beaten by the cop, and the other having the cop misbehaving with Shahid's elder brother Arif (Mohd Zeeshan Ayyub) in Lodhi jail. Next we see Arif in a painful phone conversation with their mother, and we shift to Tihar jail.. Shahid has adapted himself to the surrounding, but he never gives up.
The 1st half very much goes into establishing all the characters around Shahid, there's his elder brother Arif who very much is like his father always helping him financially and taking care of entire family. In one of the riots scene, when Shahid tries to reach back his home and knocks at the door, his mom is so scared that she refuses to open the door. His journey from home to Jihaadi camp to home is very well done with the only used song in the narrative, that scene where he is running away as fast as he could tells us enough what he won't be becoming.
The narration lifts up when the case of Zaheer (ghatkopar blast accused) is taken up by Shahid. We witness the court-room drama, the lawyers getting indulged into arguements cutting each other out, and the judge abiding by the laws. But the difference here is, again the drama isnt over done, its so subtle. During the end of one of Zaheer's hearing, prosecution lawyer More (Vipin Sharma) gets into friendly conversation with Shahid on 'bachpan ke dost, and then checking Shahid's briefcase for something to eat'.
2nd half takes the movie to complete new level, on one hand we have the court-room drama building and other side there is Shahid's romantic life growing with Mariam (Prabhleen Sandhu) whom he met as a client when he worked for Maqbool. Hansal Mehta tackles the romantic part with perfection too, without trying to give it main priority and yet not neglecting it completely. He uses a background romantic theme instead of a song when both share light moments together. In one of my fav hard-hitting scene, Mariam asks Shahid to leave the case of Faheem (one of prime accused in 26/11), and when Shahid asks why didn't she say the same during Zaheer case, she replies back 'tab meri tumse shaadi nahi huyi thi'. And in another great scene, Shahid feeling rejected reading a article written on him in newspaper, he calls Mariam who had long ago left him, and how she comforts him plus special mention of editing here with the use of all Shahid-Mariam meetings montage kinda of done brilliantly.
Then there's a scene where Shahid's face is blackened because he said something against Shivaji in court, is taken from the director's real life incident during Dil Pe Mat Le Yaar movie (read in a online article).
I could find only one flaw in the movie, Shahid looks the same during 92 riots, and almost same 18 years since when he dies. Clearly, director didn't want a young actor to play teenager role. But, I don't think that affected the movie in any which way, instead it works in favour of movie as we connect with Raj Kumar Yadav as Shahid very well. It helps in creating the feel of a young kid who is trying to cope with the situations life is throwing at him, and how he fights with them instead of running away.
Among the supporting cast, Mohd Zeeshan Ayyub shines the most as elder brother of Shahid. Prabhleen Sandhu and Baljinder Kaur (Shahid's mother) are effective. While Vipin Sharma provides some good light moments. Kay Kay Menon and Tigmanshu Dhulia have nice small cameos.
The soul of the movie is Raj Kumar Yadav, a flawless performance, its 3rd movie in a row where I loved his performance completely. Be it the uncomfortable kinda of look on his face when he's thinking of proposing Mariam, or the anger + hurt feeling he gets when prosecution lawyer brings his past life into question or the smile he has when he finds a witness lying before he gets up to cross-question.
.
Hansal Mehta's realistic approach to the film, be it the locations, the camera-work, the background score, beparwah track or the editing makes this movie worth a watch plus you get to know Shahid Azmi if you didn't knew him till yet (like I didn't).
Shahid works because it never over-dramatizes nor does it try to preach you.. yet it gives a clear message of 'If you got the courage, you can fight anything that comes your way'. It never tries to say that every accused is innocent, but there are times when police does mistakenly put wrong people into jail, and the minority suffers as a result. It showcases Shahid's life who was no less than a heroic, sadly shot down at young age.
Verdict : EXCELLENT
Imdb link -> http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2181831/
One of best hard-hitting movie this year by Raj Kumar Yadav and Hansal Mehta duo.
By showing me injustice, he taught me to love justice.
By teaching me what pain and humiliation were all about, he awakened my heart to mercy.
- Roy Black
Read at your own risk, the post may have some spoilers.
Based on real life of 'Shahid Azmi', a human rights activist and a successful lawyer, 'Shahid' is much more than being just a biopic.
Shahid (Raj Kumar Yadav) lives in Govandi, eastern part of Mumbai. In 92-93 hindu-muslim riots take place, and Shahid witnesses it with his own eyes on the road. Soon, we see him join a jihaadi camp, but he's never comfortable during training sessions and eventually he runs away from it. But as the destiny is, police arrests him as suspected terrorist. In jail, he makes new friends who encourages him to study further and thereafter he persues law. When he gets released from the jail (6 years), he completes his law degree and joins Maqbool Menon (Tigmanshu Dhulia) firm but he refuses to accept the kind of cases they take. He starts his own independent practice, and helps wrongly accused Muslims people (as terrorists) get justice. He had 17 successful acquittals in span of just 7 years, before he got gunned down in his office by 3 unidentified guys.
The film is not about who killed Shahid, we see him dead right from the first shot of the movie. Instead it talks about how Shahid was as a person, and how he learnt from his early life struggles to fight for other people instead of bowing down to the system and the police, he decided to become a part of it by persuing law and becoming a lawyer. There are two key scenes of Kay Kay Menon in this regard, one where he says 'If you want to change the system, be a part of it' and other where Shahid gets released from Jail after many years and he tells him 'waqt lagta hai, par ho jaata hai.. the indian judiciary works'.
Even the torture Shahid goes through isn't dramatized, its done with two scene sequence, one where Shahid is abused and beaten by the cop, and the other having the cop misbehaving with Shahid's elder brother Arif (Mohd Zeeshan Ayyub) in Lodhi jail. Next we see Arif in a painful phone conversation with their mother, and we shift to Tihar jail.. Shahid has adapted himself to the surrounding, but he never gives up.
The 1st half very much goes into establishing all the characters around Shahid, there's his elder brother Arif who very much is like his father always helping him financially and taking care of entire family. In one of the riots scene, when Shahid tries to reach back his home and knocks at the door, his mom is so scared that she refuses to open the door. His journey from home to Jihaadi camp to home is very well done with the only used song in the narrative, that scene where he is running away as fast as he could tells us enough what he won't be becoming.
The narration lifts up when the case of Zaheer (ghatkopar blast accused) is taken up by Shahid. We witness the court-room drama, the lawyers getting indulged into arguements cutting each other out, and the judge abiding by the laws. But the difference here is, again the drama isnt over done, its so subtle. During the end of one of Zaheer's hearing, prosecution lawyer More (Vipin Sharma) gets into friendly conversation with Shahid on 'bachpan ke dost, and then checking Shahid's briefcase for something to eat'.
2nd half takes the movie to complete new level, on one hand we have the court-room drama building and other side there is Shahid's romantic life growing with Mariam (Prabhleen Sandhu) whom he met as a client when he worked for Maqbool. Hansal Mehta tackles the romantic part with perfection too, without trying to give it main priority and yet not neglecting it completely. He uses a background romantic theme instead of a song when both share light moments together. In one of my fav hard-hitting scene, Mariam asks Shahid to leave the case of Faheem (one of prime accused in 26/11), and when Shahid asks why didn't she say the same during Zaheer case, she replies back 'tab meri tumse shaadi nahi huyi thi'. And in another great scene, Shahid feeling rejected reading a article written on him in newspaper, he calls Mariam who had long ago left him, and how she comforts him plus special mention of editing here with the use of all Shahid-Mariam meetings montage kinda of done brilliantly.
Then there's a scene where Shahid's face is blackened because he said something against Shivaji in court, is taken from the director's real life incident during Dil Pe Mat Le Yaar movie (read in a online article).
I could find only one flaw in the movie, Shahid looks the same during 92 riots, and almost same 18 years since when he dies. Clearly, director didn't want a young actor to play teenager role. But, I don't think that affected the movie in any which way, instead it works in favour of movie as we connect with Raj Kumar Yadav as Shahid very well. It helps in creating the feel of a young kid who is trying to cope with the situations life is throwing at him, and how he fights with them instead of running away.
Among the supporting cast, Mohd Zeeshan Ayyub shines the most as elder brother of Shahid. Prabhleen Sandhu and Baljinder Kaur (Shahid's mother) are effective. While Vipin Sharma provides some good light moments. Kay Kay Menon and Tigmanshu Dhulia have nice small cameos.
The soul of the movie is Raj Kumar Yadav, a flawless performance, its 3rd movie in a row where I loved his performance completely. Be it the uncomfortable kinda of look on his face when he's thinking of proposing Mariam, or the anger + hurt feeling he gets when prosecution lawyer brings his past life into question or the smile he has when he finds a witness lying before he gets up to cross-question.
.
Hansal Mehta's realistic approach to the film, be it the locations, the camera-work, the background score, beparwah track or the editing makes this movie worth a watch plus you get to know Shahid Azmi if you didn't knew him till yet (like I didn't).
Shahid works because it never over-dramatizes nor does it try to preach you.. yet it gives a clear message of 'If you got the courage, you can fight anything that comes your way'. It never tries to say that every accused is innocent, but there are times when police does mistakenly put wrong people into jail, and the minority suffers as a result. It showcases Shahid's life who was no less than a heroic, sadly shot down at young age.
Verdict : EXCELLENT
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