The makers of HAQ, a courtroom drama inspired by the Supreme Court’s landmark judgment in the Mohd. Ahmed Khan v. Shah Bano Begum case unveiled the film’s teaser on Tuesday.
The film stars Yami Gautam Dhar as Bano and Emraan Hashmi as her husband, and revisits one of India’s most debated legal battles of the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Revisiting A Landmark Case
HAQ takes a fictionalised and dramatized approach, based on the book Bano: Bharat ki Beti by journalist Jigna Vora. The film draws from the Shah Bano case, which ignited heated discussions on women’s rights, secularism, and the tension between personal religious laws and secular law.
The teaser hints at a gripping narrative that continues to resonate even four decades later, asking questions about justice, identity, and equality in Indian society.
Storyline & Characters
In the film, Yami Gautam Dhar plays a Muslim woman abandoned by her husband, who decides to fight for her rights and those of her children under Section 125 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC). What begins as a personal struggle evolves into a national courtroom battle with far-reaching implications.
Her husband, played by Emraan Hashmi, becomes central to a legal and emotional conflict that tests the boundaries of faith and justice. The cast also includes Sheeba Chaddha, Danish Hussain, and Aseem Hattangady, adding depth to the courtroom and family drama.
Bigger Questions Raised
The makers of HAQ underline that the story is not just about one woman’s fight but about broader social and constitutional questions. Among the issues the film highlights are:
- Shouldn’t justice be equal for all, irrespective of religion?
- Where should the line be drawn between personal belief and secular law?
- Should India move towards a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) under Article 44 of the Constitution?
According to the creators, the film begins as a love story and a domestic dispute, but soon transforms into a national conversation about rights, equality, and law.
Through its narrative, HAQ revisits the legal and social ripples created by the Shah Bano judgment, which continues to shape public discourse even today. The courtroom proceedings in the film dramatize not just an individual case but also policy debates that remain unresolved.
Release Date
Directed by Suparn S Varma and produced by Junglee Pictures in association with Insomnia Films and Baweja Studios, HAQ is set to release in theatres on November 7, 2025.
Read More: Supreme Court, Delhi High Court, States High Court, International
