| Director | Hansal Mehta |
|---|---|
| Budget | ₹65 lakh |
| Box office | ₹3.7 crore |
During the 1992 Bombay riots, a young Shahid Azmi and his family witness horrific communal violence. Deeply traumatized, Shahid flees to Kashmir and enters a militant training camp. However, after witnessing a brutal execution, he grows disillusioned and returns home to Mumbai. Shortly after his return, he is arrested under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) for an alleged conspiracy to assassinate political leaders. Despite his brother Arif's attempts to secure bail, Shahid is tortured into signing a false confession and sentenced to seven years in Tihar Jail. During his incarceration, he resists brainwashing attempts by fellow inmate Omar Sheikh and is instead inspired by another prisoner, Ghulam Nabi War, to pursue an education.
Upon his acquittal, Shahid returns to Mumbai, completes a law degree, and briefly apprentices under veteran lawyer Maqbool Memon. With Arif's financial backing, he establishes his own independent practice and marries Mariam, a young divorcee. Driven by his past experiences with institutional injustice, Shahid begins defending indigent Muslim youths wrongfully accused of terrorism under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA), often working pro bono. He secures his first major victory by winning an acquittal for Arif Paanwala, a suspect in the 2002 Mumbai bus bombing, due to a complete lack of forensic evidence.
Shahid's profile grows as he takes on defense cases for the accused in the 2006 Mumbai train bombings, the Aurangabad arms haul, and the 2006 Malegaon bombings. His work draws intense public scrutiny and malicious media labeling, resulting in non-stop death threats that strain his domestic life. On one occasion, assailants violently assault him and blacken his face outside the courtroom. Undeterred, Shahid takes up the defense of Faheem Ansari in the high-profile 2008 Mumbai attacks case. While deep in trial preparation, two gunmen infiltrate Shahid's office and assassinate him. The film concludes by noting that the Supreme Court of India ultimately acquitted Ansari of all charges due to a total lack of evidence, vindicating Shahid's legal defense.