Haider (2014)

Haider (2014) — Vishal Bhardwaj’s fierce, modern adaptation of Shakespeare’s Hamlet — is a dark, emotionally intense thriller set against the unrest of Kashmir in 1995. When a young man (Haider) returns home after his father’s disappearance, he uncovers betrayals, political brutality, and a tangled web of family loyalties that push him toward revenge and moral collapse. The film combines political realism with operatic tragedy: expect raw, wounded performances (notably Shahid Kapoor as Haider, with powerful support from Tabu and Kay Kay Menon), striking cinematography of the valley’s winter landscapes, and a haunting, poetic score and language. Bhardwaj preserves Hamlet’s psychological complexity while grounding the story in the violence and ambiguity of a conflict zone, so the narrative moves between intimate family scenes and charged public confrontations. Viewing experience: you’ll be pulled into a tense, brooding atmosphere — lyrical yet brutal — that alternates moments of aching sorrow, moral questioning, and sudden, unsettling violence. The film is as much political commentary as personal tragedy, with scenes that linger emotionally and morally long after the credits roll. Content note: Haider contains strong themes and scenes of disappearance, torture, political violence, and psychological trauma; it’s best suited to viewers comfortable with heavy, tragic material.

Actors: Shahid Kapoor, Tabu, Shraddha Kapoor

Director: Vishal Bhardwaj

Runtime: 160 min

Genres: Action, Crime, Drama

6.9 /10 8.0 /10 7.5 /10