The Madhya Pradesh High Court has rejected a plea filed by Siddiqua Begum Khan, daughter of the late Shah Bano Begum, seeking to halt the release of the upcoming film Haq. Starring Yami Gautam Dhar and Emraan Hashmi in lead roles, the film draws inspiration from the life and legal battle of Shah Bano, whose famous 1985 Supreme Court case played a crucial role in strengthening maintenance rights for divorced Muslim women in India.
Siddiqua argued that the film was made without consent from Shah Bano’s family and claimed it misrepresented personal details of her mother’s life. She further alleged that the film commercially exploits her mother’s identity. However, the Indore bench dismissed these claims.
Justice Pranay Verma, while passing the order, noted that an individual’s privacy and reputation do not legally continue after their death. He added that Haq carries a clear disclaimer, stating that it is a dramatized and fictional adaptation inspired by public records and a Supreme Court judgment. The Court also observed that some creative interpretation is permitted in storytelling, and this alone cannot be considered misrepresentation.
Directed by Suparn S Verma, Haq focuses on the historic case in which Shah Bano, at the age of 62, sought maintenance from her former husband. The case became a landmark moment in discussions around women’s rights and personal laws in India.
