Shah Bano’s family sues to halt Yami Gautam’s Haq release over privacy concerns
Emraan Hashmi and Yami Gautam’s Haq faces legal action as Shah Bano’s family alleges factual distortion and privacy violation.
Just days ahead of its theatrical release, Emraan Hashmi and Yami Gautam’s upcoming legal drama Haq has found itself at the centre of a legal storm. The family of Shah Bano, the woman whose landmark case inspired the film, has accused the makers of breaching their privacy and using her life story without consent. The controversy has now reached the courts, with Shah Bano’s family seeking to block the film’s release.
Shah Bano’s Daughter Moves Court
Siddiqua Begum, the daughter of Shah Bano, has filed a petition before the Indore Bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court demanding an immediate stay on the release of Haq. The film, directed by Subhash Kapoor and featuring Yami Gautam and Emraan Hashmi in key roles, is scheduled to hit theatres on November 7.
According to the petition, the filmmakers neither consulted nor sought permission from Shah Bano’s family before basing a film on her life and the historic legal case that sparked nationwide debate on women’s rights and religious law in the 1980s. Siddiqua’s counsel, Tauseef Warsi, told reporters that the family’s right to privacy has been violated.
Khan vs. Shah Bano Begum*, where for the first time in Indian history, a Muslim woman fought for maintenance and won,” Warsi said. “It is mandatory to obtain someone’s consent before using their name or depicting their personal life. The filmmakers cannot commercially exploit someone’s life without permission.”
Family Alleges Distortion of Facts
Shah Bano’s grandson, Jubair Ahmad Khan, also expressed his disappointment over how the story appears to have been portrayed. We had no idea such a film was even being made about my grandmother,” he said. “Many facts shown in the teaser are wrong and misleading. What happened with my grandmother was deeply personal, but the film seems to have added a commercial spin to it. They should have spoken to us before making it. Now, people will watch this movie and believe it reflects the truth — when it clearly doesn’t.”
The family maintains that the film trivializes a sensitive chapter in their lives and turns a personal struggle into a spectacle for entertainment. Jubair added that the portrayal of Shah Bano’s fight for justice was “oversimplified” and “dramatized” for cinematic appeal, something the family finds disrespectful.
Legal Notice Sent to Filmmakers
The notice alleged that the film not only invades the family’s privacy but also misrepresents crucial facts of the case, which could mislead audiences and harm their reputation.
The filmmakers, meanwhile, have not issued an official statement responding to the allegations or the legal action.
With the film’s release just around the corner, the court’s decision will determine whether Haq makes it to theatres as planned — or if the controversy surrounding Shah Bano’s legacy halts its journey before it even begins.