Introduced by Prof. Gitanjali Shahani, Department of English Language and Literature, SFSU, who has taught and written extensively on Shakespearan drama, and Shakespeare in Hindi cinema.

Under the masterful direction of Vishal Bharadwaj, Shakespearean tragedy seem a natural lens through which to view contemporary India. Haider, his adaptation of Hamlet, is the third in a series after the highly acclaimed Maqbool/Macbeth (2003) and Omkara/Othello (2006). Bharadwaj fuses Bollywood scale and spectacle with indie sensibilities, and brings the passion of Hamlet to life with an intensity rarely seen in Indian cinema, while Basharat Peer’s brave and brilliant script transposes the Shakespearean cycles of violence and revenge to the conflict in Kashmir. Bollywood heartthrob Shahid Kapoor (Jab We Met, Dil Bole Hadippa) brings pathos to his role as Hamlet, Tabu (Life of Pi, The Namesake) brings depth and mystery to her role as Ghazala (Gertrude), and Irrfan Khan (The Lunchbox, Slumdog Millionaire) mesmerizes as Shakespeare’s Ghost. Winner, People’s Choice Award, Rome Film Festival.