Haq Movie Review: Yami & Emraan Shine in Shah Bano Drama

With an emotional, legal, and human drama, the Haq movie re-examines the landmark Shah Bano case. Yami Gautam and Emraan Hashmi also feature in the film as two key characters in this Haq film review and a story of Shazia Bani and her quest to avenge.

Suparn S. Varma, the director, and Reshu Nath, the author, craft a historical, personal, and, most importantly, socially significant courtroom drama that needs to be viewed as a must-watch event.

How does the Haq movie tell its story?

I expected a straightforward courtroom drama, but the Haq movie surprised me by spending nearly half of its runtime on Shazia’s marriage. The story – adapted from Jigna Vora’s book Bano: Bharat Ki Beti – is a fictionalised version of the 1985 Shah Bano case.

Set in Aligarh during the 1970s and 1980s, it starts showing Shazia and Abbas’s marriage and the slow erosion of trust. The cinematography by Pratham Mehta employs muted colours and natural light, making the interiors feel like rooms you’ve sat in.

When Abbas returns with Saira, Varma lingers on the small humiliations: Shazia silently serving tea, a new bed being delivered, the way community gossip moves like wildfire. These details anchor the Haq movie in reality.

The film’s second half shifts to the courtroom. The screenplay by Reshu Nath presents complex legal reasoning involving Section 125 and Muslim personal law in a manner that is easy to relate to.

Abbas presents a strong case of how the independence movement promised the Muslims personal law, whereas Shazia offers her interpretation of the Sharia and the Constitution. The scene filmed at the Supreme Court is to be shot with silent power; we observe Hashmi and Gautam look at each other, speaking with the reverberation of the high walls.

I was watching the judges, and I got a sense that I was watching history being discussed right before my eyes.

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Haq Movie Review – Real Shah Bano Case Background

The 1985 Shah Bano case (Mohd. Ahmed Khan v. Shah Bano Begum) centred on a divorced Muslim woman who sought maintenance under Section 125 of the Criminal Procedure Code, a secular provision. The Supreme Court ruled in her favour and made it clear that this provision works for all citizens irrespective of religion, and therefore, her ex-husband will have to maintain her outside the iddat period.

This historic decision highlighted the significance of gender justice against personal law and sparked a debate nationally on the connection between religious personal laws and civil rights of secular people. Following the outcry, the government passed the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Divorce) Act, 1986, which weakened the judgment provided that maintenance was restricted to the iddat period.

The case remains a pivotal reference point in the ongoing debate over gender equality, secularism, minority rights, and the proposed Uniform Civil Code in India.

Haq Movie Strengths

• Human interest storytelling: The Haq movie does not sensationalize Shazia and instead makes people perceive her as a neighbour or a friend and likens her to a normal person.
• Emotional control and pacing: Director Suparn S. Varma allows the silences to be more impactful. The scenes in which Shazia picks up the broken bangles or reads the Quran in the empty room make the emotional peaks all the more decisive when they come.
• Contextual depth: “Haq” subtly contextualises the Shah Bano case by alluding to the political and social turbulence that followed, hinting at debates over the Uniform Civil Code and layering past and present to create tension.
• Good acts: Yami Gautam as Shazia is a quiet but strong woman who bears all her sufferings with a sense of honor. The character of Abbas, a privileged and conservative male, is interpreted by Emraan Hashmi, and a certain touch of seriousness and delicacy adds to the cast.
• Cinematography and direction: The movie employs muted colours and natural light, which creates a simple and stark visual image that enhances the tone and realism of the historical backdrop.

Haq Movie Critiques

Minor discussion of the aftermath: The Haq movie offers a glimpse into the political turmoil that followed the Supreme Court decision, but it does not delve deeper into the social and political factors that emerged after the decision.

Streamlined reporting: The Haq film will definitely miss out on certain information about the actual case, as names will be changed and the case law will be simplified; fictional characters and dramatization scenes might simplify the facts.

Pacing problems: The story takes nearly half the film's duration to reveal the relationship between Shazia and Abbas, prior to arriving at the court, which can be annoying to those interested in a more grounded courtroom drama.

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Performances that carry the Haq movie

Role

Actor/Contributor

Shazia Bano

Yami Gautam Dhar

Abbas Khan

Emraan Hashmi

Saira

Vartika Singh

Maulvi Basheer

Danish Hussain

Bela Jain

Sheeba Chaddha

Writer

Reshu Nath

Director

Suparn S Varma

As a critic, I sometimes resist gushing, but Yami Gautam makes it impossible. Her portrayal of Shazia is a masterclass in controlled emotion; she communicates rage and dignity with a glance.

In the marketplace scene, she encourages the other women to pick up the Quran and challenge patriarchal society, and this comes out as much as a mic-drop moment without losing the intricacy of the topic. In the courtroom, she sheds melodrama and speaks as someone who has lived this pain, making her arguments feel personal rather than preachy.

Emraan Hashmi holds his own. His Abbas is quiet, almost brooding, using the existing legal framework to justify his actions.

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In one passionate speech, he references Pakistan, the independence movement and the importance of Islamic law to minorities. This monologue is delivered by Hashmi in the most genuine way, which makes the audience sympathise with a man who sincerely thinks that he is doing the right thing, keeping the tradition.

Vartika Singh, playing Saira, is subtle; she is not a villain, but a woman demanding her first love. Sheeba Chaddha and Danish Hussain lend a sense of seriousness to the story, serving as supportive allies to Shazia.

These performances work because the writing respects all characters. The Haq movie acknowledges that Abbas is not uniquely cruel; he acts in a society that allows men to abandon their responsibility.

Verdict and Recommendations after HAQ Movie Review

Haq is one such significant movie that addresses a controversial topic in a mature and yet sympathetic way. The critics consider it an interesting court case worth watching due to its bold advocacy for gender justice and legal rights.

The movie is worth watching due to its touching narration and strong acting.

Despite some problems with the timing and the simplicity of the information on the law. The film succeeds in crafting a heart-rending tale of justice, gender, and religion. It is also noteworthy to watch those who may be interested in socially relevant movies and good acting.

Recommendations:

Haq is worth watching if you enjoy socially relevant cinema and legal dramas.

Get ready for a cogitating, gently dramatic story as opposed to epic courtroom antics.

To further understand the issue the film raises, consider reading about the actual case of Shah Bano.

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FAQs about the Haq movie

What is the release date of the Haq movie?

The Haq Movie was released on 7 November 2025.

Who directed the Haq movie, and who wrote it?

The Haq Movie is directed by Suparn S Varma and written by Reshu Nath. Varma’s restrained direction and Nath’s clear writing allow a complex legal drama to unfold as a personal story.

Is the Haq movie based on real events?

Yes. The Haq Movie discusses a fictionalised version of the landmark Shah Bano case of 1985, where the Supreme Court ruled that divorced Muslim women are entitled to maintenance under Section 125 of the CrPC.

How do Yami Gautam and Emraan Hashmi perform in the Haq movie?

Both actors excel. Yami Gautam’s Shazia combines restraint and ferocity, while Emraan Hashmi plays Abbas as a man shaped by privilege rather than outright villainy.

Does the Haq movie address current debates, such as the Uniform Civil Code?

The Haq Movie is relevant to the current problems, making references to the abolition of triple talaq and the suggestion of the uniform civil code.

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