Director - Suparn Varma
Writer - Reshu Nath
Cast - Yami Gautam, Emraan Hashmi, Sheeba Chaddha, Aseem Hattangady, Danish Husain, Nitin Mahesh Joshi, Rahul Mittra, Vartika Singh
Duration – 2h16m
 
Suparn Verma’s Haq walks into volatile territory with both sensitivity and courage. Loosely inspired by the landmark Mohd. Ahmed Khan v. Shah Bano Begum case, the film could have easily turned into a loud political statement or a sermon on the Uniform Civil Code. Instead, Verma approaches the story with empathy, using the legal and religious conflict as a backdrop to explore something more intimate — a woman’s fight for dignity, independence, and justice within a system that often mistakes faith for patriarchy.
 
Set in the late 1960s, Haq traces the emotional and moral journey of Shazia Bano (Yami Gautam Dhar), who finds her life upended after her husband, Mohammed Ahmed Khan (Emraan Hashmi), takes another wife and later refuses to provide maintenance. What follows isn’t just a legal struggle — it’s a deeply personal one, as Bano confronts the societal and religious machinery that enables her husband’s actions. Verma’s direction resists the temptation of easy sensationalism. Instead of vilifying the male lead, he portrays Khan as an intelligent, wounded man using his faith as both armor and excuse.
 
Yami Gautam Dhar delivers a powerhouse performance that anchors the film. Her portrayal of Shazia is layered with restraint and quiet fury — a woman aware of her vulnerability yet unwilling to surrender to it. In one standout courtroom sequence, Verma strips away all music, allowing Yami’s raw, trembling voice to dominate the silence. It’s the kind of scene that reminds you why she’s among the most versatile actors working today. Emraan Hashmi, too, impresses with his controlled performance as Khan — a man who is neither a monster nor a martyr, but a reflection of societal contradictions. Danish Hussain as Shazia’s supportive father adds warmth and gravitas, while Sheeba Chaddha’s limited role feels like a missed opportunity.
 
While the film’s first half moves with emotional precision, balancing realism and drama, the second half stumbles slightly. The storytelling becomes formulaic, leaning on courtroom theatrics and predictable emotional beats. Too many fade-to-black transitions dull the intensity that the first hour builds so meticulously. Still, Verma’s script, co-written with Reshu Nath, succeeds in making the personal political without turning it into a lecture.

What makes Haq truly compelling is its refusal to weaponize religion. Instead, it exposes how human ego and patriarchy twist sacred principles to maintain control. In a political climate where cinema often panders to polarized narratives, Haq stands out as a thoughtful, quietly defiant work that questions injustice without shouting slogans.

Despite uneven pacing, Haq is an important and deeply humane film elevated by Yami Gautam’s career-best performance. Suparn Verma crafts a sensitive yet sharp drama that balances empathy with critique, reminding us that real faith never stands in opposition to justice.