Haq Film Review: Yami Gautam and Emraan Hashmi Deliver in Sensitive Legal Tale

In a cinematic landscape often prone to sensationalism, Suparn S. Varma’s Haq stands out as a restrained yet resonant legal drama. Written by Reshu Nath and adapted from journalist Jigna Vora’s book Bano: Bharat Ki Beti, the film draws loose inspiration from the real-life Shah Bano case of the 1980s while examining a woman’s quiet resilience against a patriarchal system. Instead of dramatizing or politicising its source material, Haq chooses temperance — and therein lies its greatest strength.

Haq tells the story of Shazia Bano, played by Yami Gautam Dhar, a small-town woman whose life spirals after her advocate husband, Abbas Khan (Emraan Hashmi), returns home with a second wife. What ensues is an emotional and legal battle that challenges both religious and civil jurisprudence. The story, moving from the sessions court in Aligarh to the Supreme Court, becomes an exploration of faith clashing with constitutional rights. Gautam portrays Shazia with conviction, navigating her character’s transformation from a subdued housewife to a determined fighter, while Hashmi brings a layered sensitivity to Abbas — a man torn between personal conviction and patriarchal privilege.

The film’s courtroom scenes, particularly the two back-to-back closing arguments delivered by Hashmi and Gautam, form its emotional apex. Rather than relying on rhetorical outbursts, the performances are marked by elegance and tension. Director Suparn Varma ensures these moments serve as reflections on conscience, law, and identity, centering on the eternal question — where does religion end and justice begin? The film also benefits from Aseem Hattangady and Sheeba Chaddha’s nuanced supporting roles, though the latter’s character could have used greater narrative depth.

Also Read: Emraan Hashmi Talks About His Role and Viral Dialogue in Ba**ds of Bollywood*

Technically, Haq is rooted in realism — its design eschews extravagant atmospherics for earthy tones and modest framing that mirror the restrained tone of the story. Cinematographer Amalendu Chaudhary captures both the domestic conflicts and courtroom intensity with simplicity, never letting aesthetics overshadow meaning. The film’s dialogues are measured, its pacing deliberate, allowing the emotion to simmer rather than explode. A few inconsistencies, particularly the uneven passage of time and visual continuity around Shazia’s appearance, lightly disrupt the flow but do little to weaken the film’s emotional clarity.

Ultimately, Haq succeeds as a thoughtful, quietly impassioned film that gives voice to gender assertion within faith and law. It neither vilifies nor glorifies those involved but instead questions the systems that perpetuate inequality. For Yami Gautam Dhar, this stands as one of her most mature and layered performances, while Emraan Hashmi reaffirms his capability to inhabit morally complex spaces. Haq doesn’t shout its message — it speaks with composure, and in doing so, makes itself heard.

Also Read: Varun Dhawan Unleashes His Fierce Soldier Avatar in First Look of Border 2