During a promotional event for his upcoming film Haq, actor Emraan Hashmi described himself as a “liberal Muslim” and insisted that the film, based on the landmark Shah Bano Begum case, does not malign or point fingers at the Muslim community.
Scheduled for release on November 7, 2025, Haq is a legal drama starring Hashmi and Yami Gautam. The movie is inspired by the 1985 Supreme Court judgment in the Mohd. Ahmed Khan vs. Shah Bano Begum case, which affirmed a divorced Muslim woman’s right to maintenance under secular law.
Hashmi defended the film against potential accusations of religious insensitivity, emphasizing that its focus is on women’s rights and dignity.
Speaking to the news agency ANI, Hashmi stated that as a Muslim, he approached the film’s script with sensitivity and concluded that it presents a “balanced point of view.” He added, “If it had been about maligning anyone, I wouldn’t have done it.”
Hashmi positioned Haq as a film that is fundamentally “pro-women.” In an interview with The Statesman, he said the film “raises issues of dignity and equality of rights.”
The actor cited his own background to illustrate his perspective, mentioning that he is married to a Hindu woman and that his son practices both Hindu and Muslim rituals. He explained that this “secular upbringing” allowed him to view the film’s subject matter through a balanced lens.
He encouraged the Muslim community to watch the film, saying they would connect with its themes in a “very different way.”
Even before its release, Haq has stirred controversy. Shah Bano’s daughter, Siddiqua Begum, sent a legal notice to the filmmakers alleging that the movie used her mother’s story without consent and demanding that the film’s release be stopped.
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