18 Nov
2025
18 Nov
'25
1:56 p.m.
"Haq" (The Right) is not just a film; it is a powerful, emotionally charged
courtroom drama that takes a straight-up look at a monumental moment in India's social
and legal history. Skipping the melodrama, director Suparn S. Varma delivers a story of
resilience, legal complexity, and the fundamental right to dignity.
The Crux of the Matter: Story & Inspiration
The film, starring a brilliant Yami Gautam Dhar as Shazia Bano and Emraan Hashmi as her
lawyer-husband Abbas Khan, is a fictionalized account inspired by the historic Shah Bano
Begum case of 1985. This landmark case was a watershed moment that ignited a national
debate on women's rights, particularly among Muslim women, and the conflict between
religious personal laws and the secular law of the land (Section 125 of the Code of
Criminal Procedure).
Plot: The story follows Shazia Bano, a devoted wife and mother living in Aligarh, whose
life shatters when her husband, Abbas Khan—a well-respected lawyer—takes a second wife and
then instantly divorces Shazia using triple talaq when she demands maintenance.
The Battle: Humiliated and struggling to survive after her financial support is brutally
cut off, Shazia, supported by her steadfast father, approaches the courts for justice. Her
personal domestic dispute quickly escalates into a fierce, decade-long courtroom battle
that questions the very fabric of faith, women's rights, and the meaning of equality
in India.
???? Key Takeaways: What Works
Performances: Yami Gautam Dhar delivers what many critics call her career-best
performance, embodying Shazia's transition from quiet submission to fierce, dignified
courtroom defiance. Emraan Hashmi is equally compelling as Abbas Khan, the entitled
husband who uses his legal knowledge to hide his patriarchy behind the veil of religious
law.
Restraint in Direction: The film's biggest strength is its refusal to sensationalize.
It avoids unnecessary melodrama and flowery language, keeping the focus firmly on the
human cost beneath the legal and ideological battles. The narrative is honest and linear,
unfolding with remarkable sincerity.
Social Relevance: "Haq" doesn't shy away from asking uncomfortable, relevant
questions about gender parity, education, and minority rights. It critiques those who use
misinterpreted faith for personal or political gain, while upholding the right of a woman
to claim her due. It’s a compelling argument that one's Haq (Right) is not granted,
but must often be seized.
The Climax: The final courtroom exchanges, with powerful monologues from both lead
characters, are the film's emotional and intellectual core, driving home the intense
conflict between personal betrayal and public law.
The Verdict
"Haq" is an essential, high-impact courtroom drama. It’s a film that stays
rooted in the real world, providing a clear-eyed and empathetic portrayal of an ordinary
woman who found extraordinary strength to fight for her right and, in doing so, made
history. It may not fully explore the larger political implications of the Shah Bano
case's aftermath, but as a story of betrayal, resilience, and the relentless pursuit
of justice, it stands tall.