MP High Court Dismisses Plea by Shah Bano’s Daughter Against Release of Film ‘Haq’

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has dismissed a petition filed by the daughter of Shah Bano Begum seeking to halt the release of the upcoming Hindi film ‘Haq’, which is said to be inspired by the late Shah Bano’s life and legal battle.

The order, issued by the Indore bench on November 4 and made available on Thursday, stated that the plea was “devoid of merits,” thereby clearing the way for the film’s nationwide release on November 7.

Shah Bano’s daughter had approached the court demanding a stay on the film’s release, claiming it infringed upon her family’s privacy and misrepresented certain aspects of her mother’s life. However, the court ruled that there was no sufficient basis to interfere with the film’s release, noting that artistic expression is protected under the Constitution as long as it does not violate existing laws.

‘Haq’ stars Yami Gautam Dhar and Emraan Hashmi in lead roles and is reportedly inspired by Shah Bano’s historic legal struggle that led to the landmark 1985 Supreme Court judgment granting divorced Muslim women the right to maintenance under Section 125 of the CrPC.

The Shah Bano case had triggered a nationwide debate on personal laws, women’s rights, and secularism in India, eventually leading to the enactment of the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Divorce) Act, 1986.

With the High Court’s dismissal of the plea, ‘Haq’ will now release as scheduled on Friday.