November 7, 2025 marked the theatrical release of a film that Bollywood desperately needed but probably didn’t deserve. Haq, directed by Suparn S. Varma (the mind behind The Family Man series), tells the story of the 1985 Shah Bano case, one of India’s most controversial legal battles that sparked nationwide debate about women’s rights, Muslim Personal Law, and secular justice. Yami Gautam stars as Shazia Bano, a woman abandoned by her husband Abbas (Emraan Hashmi) who remarries and stops providing child support, forcing her to take the fight to court for maintenance under Section 125 of CrPC. What starts as a domestic dispute transforms into a national controversy when Abbas attempts to silence her with triple talaq, igniting conversations about patriarchal interpretations of religious texts and women’s fundamental rights. The film currently holds a stunning 7.9 rating on IMDb with critics calling Yami’s performance “career-defining” and “clapworthy,” particularly her courtroom climax that’s reportedly leaving audiences speechless. Despite earning only 9 crore in its opening weekend at the box office, Haq is generating the kind of positive word-of-mouth that suggests legs beyond opening numbers, proving that sometimes the most important films aren’t the biggest commercial juggernauts but the ones that force conversations India needs to have.
The Case That Changed India Forever
The 1985 Shah Bano case represents one of independent India’s most significant legal and social turning points. Shah Bano Begum, a 62-year-old mother of five, was divorced by her husband Mohammed Ahmed Khan through triple talaq after 43 years of marriage. When he refused to provide maintenance beyond the three-month iddat period prescribed by Muslim Personal Law, she approached the courts seeking support under Section 125 of the Criminal Procedure Code, which mandates maintenance for divorced women regardless of religion.
The Supreme Court ruled in her favor, stating that secular law superseded personal religious law in matters of basic human rights. Chief Justice Y.V. Chandrachud’s landmark judgment emphasized that denying maintenance to divorced Muslim women contradicted the Quran’s actual teachings about compassion and justice. The verdict sparked massive controversy, with conservative Muslim groups protesting that secular courts had no jurisdiction over personal religious matters. The then Congress government, fearing backlash from its Muslim vote bank, passed the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Divorce) Act 1986, essentially overturning the Supreme Court’s judgment by limiting maintenance to the iddat period.
This political capitulation remains controversial decades later. Shah Bano herself, under immense pressure from her community, eventually denounced the Supreme Court judgment. The case became symbolic of how women’s rights get sacrificed at the altar of vote bank politics and how progressive interpretations of religious texts lose to patriarchal orthodoxy when political will is absent.
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Yami Gautam’s Performance That Demands National Awards
Every review of Haq emphasizes one undeniable truth: Yami Gautam delivers the performance of her career. Critics are using words like “outstanding,” “clapworthy,” and “speechless” to describe her portrayal of Shazia Bano, the fictionalized version of Shah Bano. Her courtroom climax scene has become the film’s most talked-about moment, with audiences reportedly breaking into applause during screenings.
Yami, known primarily for commercial films like Vicky Donor, Kaabil, and Bhoot Police, proves she’s capable of carrying an intense, performance-driven courtroom drama on her shoulders. Playing a woman fighting the entire system, abandoned by her husband, facing social ostracism, yet refusing to back down requires emotional range and physical conviction that many established actresses struggle to achieve. Yami nails it.
Credits: Deccan Chronicle
Her character arc spans from a traditional Muslim housewife who accepts her subordinate position to a woman who discovers her voice and refuses to be silenced. That transformation needs to feel organic rather than manufactured, and Yami’s performance apparently achieves that delicate balance. She embodies Shazia’s vulnerability without making her weak, her anger without making her shrill, and her determination without making her superhuman.
Director Suparn Varma told Rediff: “I decided to make it a compelling human story, which would give a balanced perspective. A perspective where it can be seen as an Indian film, not a film about a community.” That balanced approach required an actor capable of nuance, and Yami delivers exactly that. Her Shazia isn’t a victim waiting to be saved but a fighter who realizes she has the legal right to maintenance and pursues it despite every social, religious, and familial obstacle thrown her way.
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Emraan Hashmi’s Complex Antagonist
Emraan Hashmi playing Abbas Khan faces the challenge of portraying a man who abandons his family yet can’t be reduced to a one-dimensional villain. According to reviews, Emraan succeeds brilliantly, creating a layered character whose actions stem from patriarchal conditioning and religious misinterpretation rather than pure evil. He’s “fantastic” and “magnetic” according to critics, bringing nuance to a role that could’ve easily become a caricature in less capable hands.
Credits: Zoom Tv
Abbas genuinely believes he’s within his religious rights to divorce Shazia through triple talaq and refuse maintenance beyond the iddat period. He’s not twirling a mustache plotting how to destroy his ex-wife. He’s a man who’s internalized patriarchal interpretations of Islam that grant him absolute power over marriage and divorce while absolving him of long-term responsibilities. That makes him representative of a broader societal problem rather than an individual monster.
The chemistry between Yami and Emraan adds tension to their courtroom confrontations. These are two people who once loved each other, built a family, and shared intimate moments. Their legal battle carries the weight of that destroyed intimacy, making every exchange more emotionally charged than if they were strangers fighting over principles.
Suparn Varma’s Balancing Act
Director Suparn S. Varma brings credibility from his work on The Family Man, one of India’s most acclaimed web series. His feature film directorial work on Haq demonstrates his ability to handle sensitive material without tilting into propaganda or oversimplification. In interviews, Varma emphasized his fear that the film could become a propaganda piece and his determination to avoid that trap.
“It was at heart a domestic dispute that became a national dispute,” Varma explained, summarizing his approach. By keeping focus on Shazia’s personal story rather than using her as a mouthpiece for political messaging, he allows audiences to connect emotionally before intellectually engaging with the film’s larger themes about women’s rights and religious reform.
The direction is described as “sensitive” and effective at making audiences “feel for Shazia Bano.” Varma structures the narrative to build sympathy without manipulating emotions through cheap melodrama. The courtroom sequences, the emotional confrontations, and Shazia’s interactions with her children all apparently feel authentic rather than manufactured for maximum tears.
However, the film doesn’t completely avoid controversy. It concludes by mentioning how the Congress government offset the original Supreme Court judgment and applauds the current government for criminalizing triple talaq through the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Act, 2019. That political positioning has led some critics to question whether Haq maintains the balanced perspective Varma claims throughout or tips its hand in the final act.
The Box Office Reality Check
Despite strong reviews and word-of-mouth, Haq opened to modest box office numbers. Day 1 collection was approximately 1.75 crore rupees with only 1800 shows scheduled nationwide. The film doubled its earnings on Day 2, showing encouraging audience acceptance, but the first weekend total remained under 9 crore rupees. For a film starring recognizable names like Yami Gautam and Emraan Hashmi, those numbers represent a slow start.
Several factors explain the underwhelming commercial performance. First, Haq is a serious courtroom drama tackling religious and social issues, not a masala entertainer offering escapism. Indian audiences historically prefer lighter fare, especially post-pandemic when theatrical visits feel like special occasions demanding entertainment value beyond thought-provoking content.
Second, the film’s subject matter makes it inherently polarizing. Some potential audience members might avoid it fearing it’ll be propaganda (despite Varma’s intentions otherwise). Others might skip it thinking courtroom dramas are boring. The niche appeal of social issue films limits commercial potential compared to action blockbusters or romantic comedies.
Third, marketing and distribution seemed limited. With only 1800 shows on opening day compared to 3000-4000 shows typical major releases get, Haq suffered from availability issues. Audiences can’t watch what isn’t playing in their local theaters.
However, box office isn’t everything. Haq will stream on Netflix starting January 2026, giving it a much wider audience than theatrical release alone. Films tackling important social issues often find their true impact through streaming platforms where viewers can watch at home without judgment about what kind of movie they’re choosing.
The Supporting Cast and Technical Excellence
Beyond the lead pair, Haq features strong supporting performances from Sheeba Chaddha, S M Zaheer, Vartika Singh, and Danish Husain. These actors bring “emotional depth” to the social drama, creating a lived-in world rather than just a backdrop for the leads’ performances.
Technically, the film earns praise across departments. Vishal Mishra’s music complements the film’s mood with “weighty” lyrics by Kaushal Kishore. Sandeep Chowta’s background score is “effective,” elevating emotional moments without overwhelming them. Pratham Mehta’s cinematography captures both the beauty and pain of small-town India. Production design by Sonam Singh and Abhijit Gaonkar creates an authentic period atmosphere. Ninad Khanolkar’s editing keeps the 2 hour 14 minute runtime moving without drag.
Writer Reshu Nath deserves special mention for crafting a screenplay that balances legal procedural with emotional drama. The dialogues are “piercing and unforgettable, not preachy, but powerful,” according to reviews. That’s the hardest balance to strike in social issue films, making points without lecturing, educating without condescending.
Why This Film Matters Beyond Box Office
Haq represents something rare in Bollywood: a mainstream film with recognizable stars tackling a real social issue with nuance and sensitivity. Too often, Hindi cinema either ignores serious topics entirely or approaches them with such heavy-handed messaging that audiences feel assaulted rather than engaged. Haq apparently avoids both traps.
The film arrives at a moment when conversations about women’s rights within religious communities remain fraught and difficult. Triple talaq was finally criminalized in 2019, but debates about Muslim Personal Law, gender equality, and religious reform continue. By dramatizing the Shah Bano case for new generations, Haq educates audiences who may not know this crucial chapter of Indian legal and social history.
Muslim women audiences particularly have responded positively, with Times Now reporting: “Haq Is Must Watch: Muslim Women Announce Their Verdict In Yami Gautam-Emraan Hashmi Film’s Favour.” That endorsement matters enormously because it suggests the film successfully tells a story about the community without bothering or villainizing them, focusing instead on systemic issues that hurt women across religious lines.
Your Verdict on Haq
Have you watched Haq yet? Does Yami Gautam’s performance live up to the hype? Do you think Bollywood needs more films tackling serious social issues or should cinema remain pure entertainment? Drop your honest reactions in the comments because this film deserves conversation beyond box office numbers.
Share this review with anyone who cares about cinema that matters, films that challenge rather than comfort, and performances that remind us why we watch movies in the first place. Follow for more coverage of Hindi films that take risks and tell stories that need telling. Haq might not dominate the box office, but it’s already won the battle for critical respect and audience appreciation that’ll ensure its legacy lasts far longer than opening weekend collections ever could.
