“HAQ”: A Landmark Case on Screen — and Now in Legal Crosshairs

New Delhi Chronicle Entertainment Bureau

November 6 | 2025

HAQ, directed by Suparn Verma and starring Yami Gautam Dhar and Emraan Hashmi, is scheduled for release on 7 November 2025. The film is said to be “inspired by” the famous 1985 Supreme Court judgement in the case of Mohd. Ahmed Khan v. Shah Bano Begum, in which Shah Bano Begum successfully sought maintenance from her husband after divorce — a landmark moment in Indian legal history and Muslim women’s rights.

But even before its release, HAQ has fallen into a legal and ethical dispute due to objections raised by Shah Bano’s family.

What’s the Objection?

Shah Bano’s daughter, Siddiqua Begum Khan, has filed a legal petition at the Indore Bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court seeking a stay on the film’s release.

She alleges that the film depicts her mother’s personal life — including private and sensitive events — without obtaining consent from Shah Bano’s legal heirs. She further argues that the film violates the family’s right to privacy and commercially exploits their personal history.

The petition also claims that the film distorts facts, presenting a version that misrepresents the truth of what happened. Shah Bano’s grandson, Jubair Ahmad Khan, has publicly said that “a lot of facts in the teaser are distorted… They didn’t ask us anything.”

Additionally, the objection includes the claim that the film could hurt the sentiments of the Muslim community by misportraying Sharia law and the lived experience of Muslim women.

On the other hand, the makers of HAQ maintain that the film is a fictionalised account inspired by the case and contains a disclaimer to that effect. They argue that since the real court judgment and its public legal significance are part of the public domain, they are within their rights to base a story on them.

The High Court, during the hearing, asked the filmmakers to produce the disclaimer and verify the nature of the work — whether it is factual or fictional — before making a decision. As of now, the court has reserved its order on the petition, meaning the film’s release remains scheduled, but its legal future is uncertain.

Broader Context: Why This Matters

This conflict is not just about one film, but taps into multiple, intersecting issues:
1. Public interest vs. personal privacy
The Shah Bano case is a matter of public record and legal significance. Many argue that dramatizing such landmark cases is legitimate and beneficial for public awareness. On the other hand, the family’s objection rests on the view that while the judgment is public, the woman’s private life and personal suffering remain personal. The challenge lies in distinguishing between public legal history and private biography.
2. Consent and depiction of real-life persons
There is a growing debate over how cinematic works depict real individuals or their heirs. Even when a case is historic, the people involved may argue their rights are infringed if consent is not sought — especially if the depiction includes private or sensitive events. HAQ’s makers claim a disclaimer suffices; the family contests that.
3. Representation of religion, gender and minority rights
The Shah Bano case sits at the intersection of Muslim personal law, gender justice, and Indian secular principles. The family’s objection includes the claim that the film might misrepresent how Sharia was applied or portray Muslim personal law in a negative light. The film is therefore likely to spur debate beyond cinematic concerns — about religion, women’s rights, and India’s evolving legal framework.
4. Commercialising real struggle
The allegation of “commercial exploitation” — turning a real person’s life into entertainment without proper permissions — raises ethical questions. Should filmmakers pay greater attention to the real people behind their stories? Should there be a stronger framework for consent and factual accuracy? The HAQ controversy highlights growing vigilance among families of those whose lives inspired films.

What to Watch For
• Court ruling: The Indore High Court’s decision will be crucial. If a stay is granted, the film’s release may be delayed or modified.
• Filmmaker response: The makers may choose to modify the narrative, change names, add disclaimers, or negotiate with the family.
• Audience reception: Regardless of the legal angle, public perception will matter. Does the film respect the dignity of the person whose case inspired it, or is it sensationalised?
• Precedent: The outcome may set a precedent for future films based on real-life persons or landmark cases. Filmmakers, heirs, and legal experts will be watching closely.

Conclusion

HAQ is positioned as a powerful courtroom drama, drawing from one of India’s most talked-about cases on women’s rights and personal law. However, the legal challenge by Shah Bano’s daughter brings into focus the tensions between storytelling, public record, individual rights, and community sensitivities.

How the film navigates these challenges — and how the court rules — will shape not only its fate but potentially the treatment of real-life-inspired films in the future. For now, the release date remains set for 7 November 2025, but the story behind the story remains unsettled.