Hindi

Shahid: This one is for the critics

Published

12 years ago

October 18, 2013

MUMBAI: Shahid is a bio-pic of a Mumbai lawyer, Shahid Azmi, whose story itself is a readymade film plot with so many twists and turns and an untimely death as he was shot down in his office at the young age of 32.

Shahid and his three brothers, along with their mother, occupy a mezzanine one-room house in a congested Muslim locality of Mumbai. Shahid is keen to study and for this purpose argues with his family to keep the lights on at night even though it disturbs them. One such night, Shahid hears some commotion in the area and steps out to check the cause. There he sees bodies burning or slain with swords. Wanting to return home, he keeps knocking but the family is not sure it is him. The incident makes an instant impact on Shahid who, on an impulse, leaves home to head to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir to train as a terrorist. He soon realizes that he was in the wrong place and runs away to head back home.

But here he is arrested for plotting against the state and charged under TADA to serve seven years in Tihar jail, Delhi. Like Shahid, there are also others behind bars even though they are innocent. The jail also has an inmate belonging to a terrorist group who tries to brainwash Shahid and other Muslim inmates to join the group. But Shahid is lucky to meet a character played by Kay Kay Menon, and a professor, both framed under false charges. Menon warns him to keep away from bad elements and advises that if he wanted to change the system, he needed to join it. Shahid decides to study further from within the jail and the professor helps him. Soon he is acquitted.

Producer: Ronnie Screwvala, Siddhartha Roy Kapoor, Anurag Kashyap, Sunil Bohra.
Director: Hansal Mehta.
Cast: Rajkumar, Kay Kay Menon, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayub, Tigmnshu Dhulia, Vipin Sharma, Prabhleen Sandhu, Yusuf Hussain.

After being freed, Shahid goes on to finish his masters in law and joins a renowned law firm where he lasts only few months before going on to work independently. He fights for the Muslim youth charged under another stringent law, POTA, but who Shahid thinks are innocent. Shahid fights these cases pro bono on requests from NGOs, winning 17 acquittals in his seven-year career before being shot dead defending a 26/11 accused who too was later acquitted by the Supreme Court.

The film’sportrayal of the Muslim pockets of the city looks authentic. While it would have been tempting for the director to linger a bit longer on riots and the Kashmir training parts, he wisely avoids it, keeping only as much footage as needed to make the point. The jail portion is made to look too easy and the inmates look like they are on a picnic. Though a lot of the film is shot in court rooms, the court rooms look shoddy. However, the court duels between Shahid and opposing lawyers are interesting. Rajkumar playing Shahid is excellent throughout the film, whether in his interactions with family or clients; his portrayal of a concerned lawyer is lifelike. Kay Kay Menon, in a brief role, is pleasant. Mohammed Zeeshan Ayub, Prabal Punjabi, Tigmanshu Dhulia, Vipin Sharma, Prabhleen Sandhu and Baljinder Kaur (as Ammi) are all very good.

Related Topics:Anurag Kashyap Kay Kay Menon Muslim locality of Mumbai POTA Ronnie Screwvala Shahid Shahid Azmi Siddhartha Roy Kapoor TADA Tihar Jail

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Hindi

Boney Kapoor acquires remake rights of Tamil political satire Thalaivar Thambi Thalaimaiyil

Strong word-of-mouth turns Pongal satire into remake pick

Published

4 days ago

February 9, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: A Pongal release, a village satire and a theatre visit in Coimbatore have turned into Boney Kapoor’s latest acquisition. The producer has secured the remake rights to the Tamil political satire Thalaivar Thambi Thalaimaiyil (TTT), a film that has been enjoying a strong theatrical run powered by word-of-mouth and praise for its sharp, rooted writing.

Set in a rural milieu, the story follows a panchayat leader thrown into disarray when a wedding and a funeral land on the same day. What unfolds is a swirl of satire and humour that skewers local politics, power games, bruised egos and family tensions, all anchored in the textures of everyday village life.

Kapoor first encountered the film earlier this year while in Coimbatore for the Celebrity Cricket League. With time to spare, he caught a screening at a local theatre. That viewing proved decisive. According to sources, the narrative style, performances and the film’s balance of political commentary and comedy caught his attention.

Interest quickly turned into intent. Kapoor reached out to the producers soon after to explore a remake. Talks gathered pace over the following weeks and came to a head last Friday at the film’s success party in Chennai, where Kapoor joined the celebrations and continued negotiations with the makers.

By the end of the evening, the deal was sealed, with Kapoor formally acquiring the remake rights.

For an industry constantly mining regional cinema for the next crossover story, the move is telling. A small-town satire with local flavour has found a national backer. And if Kapoor’s instincts hold, a tale born in one village may soon echo far beyond it.

Hindi

Fans take centre stage as Zee Cine awards turns the spotlight around

Published

6 days ago

February 7, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: When the applause gets louder than the dialogue, you know the fans have taken over. That was the unmistakable mood as Zee formally announced the Zee Cine Awards 2026, flipping the script to celebrate not just cinema’s stars, but the people who cheer them on the loudest.

The 24th edition of the awards marks a fresh chapter in Zee’s long-standing relationship with Hindi cinema, anchored in its fan-first philosophy, Fantertainment. This year’s theme, ‘Yeh Pal Hai Fans Ka’, reinforces a simple idea: cinema’s most powerful moments are shaped as much by audiences as by actors on screen. Presented by Maruti Suzuki, the awards aim to turn fandom into the main event.

The announcement, held in Mumbai, was anything but a routine press conference. Bollywood stars Akshay Kumar, Tamannaah Bhatia, Jacqueline Fernandez, Sonam Bajwa, Aparshakti Khurana, composer Mithoon and singer Palak Muchhal joined fans to kick off the celebrations, turning the launch into a high-voltage, participative spectacle.

Staying true to the theme, fans didn’t just watch the announcement, they drove it. Akshay Kumar took the lead, pulling fellow stars on stage and energising the room, before the unveiling of a live LED Fan Meter. Powered purely by audience cheers, the rising meter culminated in the reveal of the Zee Cine Awards 2026 ground event date, announced in unison with fans, blurring the line between performer and spectator.

The momentum continued as Tamannaah Bhatia, Jacqueline Fernandez, Sonam Bajwa and Aparshakti Khurana recreated iconic hook steps, joined by Mithoon and Palak Muchhal for music-led interactions. Games, spontaneous performances and playful banter kept the focus firmly on shared moments, underscoring the evolving bond between cinema and its audience.

Beyond the launch, the awards will roll out as a multi-platform journey across television, digital, print and fan-led experiences. The aim is sustained engagement from the first announcement to awards night cementing fandom as a cultural force rather than a footnote.

Commenting on the milestone edition Zee head of advertisement revenue, broadcast & digital Laxmi Shetty said the 24th Zee Cine Awards continue to draw strength from the network’s omni-channel ecosystem, reflecting how audiences consume content today across TV, digital and social platforms. She noted that long-standing brand associations, including Maruti Suzuki’s three-year partnership and support from brands such as Hell Energy, underline the platform’s scale, trust and cultural relevance.

As Zee Cine Awards 2026 gathers pace, one thing is clear: this year, the loudest cheers won’t just echo in the auditorium, they’ll shape the show itself.

Hindi

Prime Video to stream Don’t Be Shy, produced by Alia Bhatt

Published

2 weeks ago

January 30, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: Prime Video has found its next feel-good original, and it comes with a healthy dose of heart, humour and youthful chaos. The streaming platform has announced Don’t Be Shy, a coming-of-age romantic comedy produced by Alia Bhatt and Shaheen Bhatt under their banner, Eternal Sunshine Productions.

Written and directed by Sreeti Mukerji, the film follows Shyamili ‘Shy’ Das, a 20-year-old who believes her life is neatly mapped out until it suddenly is not. What follows is a relatable tumble through friendship, love and the awkward art of growing up, when plans unravel and certainty gives way to self-discovery.

The project is co-produced by Grishma Shah and Vikesh Bhutani, with music composed by Ram Sampath, adding to the film’s promise of warmth and energy. Prime Video describes the story as light-hearted yet emotionally grounded, with a strong female-led narrative at its core.

Prime Video India director and head of originals Nikhil Madhok, said the platform was delighted to collaborate with Eternal Sunshine on a story that blends sincerity with humour. He noted that the film’s fresh writing, earnest characters and infectious music make it an easy, engaging watch for audiences well beyond its young adult setting.

For Alia Bhatt, Don’t Be Shy reflects the kind of storytelling Eternal Sunshine set out to champion. She said the film stood out for its honesty, its coming-of-age perspective and Mukerji’s passion, which she felt was deeply woven into the narrative. Bhatt also praised Prime Video for supporting distinctive voices and bold creative choices.

With its breezy tone and familiar emotional beats, Don’t Be Shy aims to charm viewers whether they are rom-com regulars or simply in the mood for a warm, unpretentious story about life refusing to stick to the plan.