2014 · Film
Haider
Vishal Bhardwaj's adaptation of Hamlet set in 1995 Kashmir, in which a young student returns home to search for his father, a doctor who disappeared after an army raid.
Reviewed by Movie Mandala, Sun, 18 Oct, 2026
Where to watch
IndiaAs of 18 October 2026, Haider is streaming in India on Prime Video with a subscription.
With subscription
Checked Sun, 18 Oct, 2026Open ↗
The story
In 1995, at the height of the insurgency in Kashmir, a Srinagar doctor, Hilaal Meer, treats a militant leader at his home. Soon after, an army raid destroys the house and Hilaal is taken away. His son Haider, a student and poet, comes back from Aligarh to look for him and finds his mother Ghazala growing close to Hilaal's brother Khurram. With help from his childhood sweetheart Arshia, a journalist, Haider goes from police station to detention camp, searching for any trace of his father.
Spoiler-free: only the set-up.
Who it suits
Viewers who like Shakespeare adaptations and serious political drama will find a long, heavy film of about two hours forty minutes. Despite its U/A certificate it has torture, killings and strong violence, and it is not for children.
Curation to help you choose, not a review.
Background
Haider is a modern adaptation of Shakespeare's Hamlet, also drawing on Basharat Peer's memoir Curfewed Night; Bhardwaj and Peer wrote the screenplay. It completes Vishal Bhardwaj's Shakespeare trilogy after Maqbool (2003) and Omkara (2006). The CBFC passed it with a U/A certificate after 41 cuts, and it was banned in Pakistan.
The film screened at the Busan International Film Festival and opened worldwide on 2 October 2014, earning about ₹85 crore. It drew criticism and boycott calls over its depiction of the security forces in Kashmir. It won the People's Choice Award at the Rome Film Festival, the first Indian film to do so. At the 62nd National Film Awards it won five awards, including Best Music Direction and Best Dialogue for Bhardwaj. At the 60th Filmfare Awards it won five, including Best Actor for Shahid Kapoor and Best Supporting Actress for Tabu.
The facts
- Language
- Hindi
- Hindi
- Hindi original
- Genre
- Political thriller, Tragedy
- Runtime
- 160 min
- Certificate
- U/A
- Director
- Vishal Bhardwaj
- Cast
- Shahid Kapoor, Tabu, Kay Kay Menon, Shraddha Kapoor, Irrfan Khan
Questions people ask
- Where can I watch Haider in India?
- As of 18 October 2026, Haider is streaming in India on Prime Video with a subscription.
- Is Haider in Hindi?
- Yes. Haider is a Hindi-language film.
- Is Haider suitable for children?
- Haider has a CBFC U/A certificate, which means children under 12 should watch with a parent or guardian.
- How long is Haider?
- Haider runs for 2 hours 40 minutes (160 minutes).