Haq movie review: Yami Gautam and Emraan Hashmi are terrific in this court room drama
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Haq movie review: Suparn S Verma's new film Haq starring Yami Gautam and Emraan Hashmi goes back in time and narrates the incidents that led to the iconic Shah Bano case. The film takes a deeper look at the Sharia law and how it deprived Indian muslim women of basic rights.
Yami Gautam and Emraan Hashmi's latest film, Haq, brings a landmark case from the past to the forefront. The Shah Bano case, where the Supreme Court upheld Allahabad High Court's verdict that gave senior lawyer Mohammed Ahmad Khan the order to pay lifelong maintenance to his estranged wife Shazia Bano Begum, is a case that changed the trajectory of muslim women and their rights in India. Inspired by the case and based on Jigna Vora’s book Bano: Bharat Ki Beti, Suparn Verma’s film fictionalises the landmark case, adding emotional depth and drama to make it into a solid and impactful film.
Yami Gautam plays Shazia Bano, and the story is told from her perspective. The story begins in 1967, when Bano Begum, a young, homeschooled daughter of a Maulvi, falls deeply in love with Ahmad Khan, a dynamic lawyer. The couple initially have a blissful marital life, with Ahmad Khan doting over his new wife and going out of his way to prove his love for her. But like most marriages, the spark in their relationship too wears off with time, kids and added responsibilities. As Ahmad marries Samina (debutant Vertika Singh), Shazia finds herself struggling to accept the new alliance and living in the same house. Ahmad’s love withers with time, and Shazia decides to walk out of their marriage with the kids.
Things get ugly after Ahmad stops paying maintenance to Shazia and their kids, and she is compelled to go to court against him. Ahmad in a moment of rage, gives Shazia triple talaq, which brings to the fore debate and discussions around women’s rights.
What works in Haq
Yami Gautam has time and again proved her mettle as an actor. Haq is her film and Gautam shines as Shazia Bano Begum. Her scenes as the new bride, who is deeply in love with her man, to the middle-aged mother who fights tooth and nail to get what’s rightfully hers and her children’s are two different personas of the same person. But Gautam balances the two striking emotions well. Complementing her in every scene is Emraan Hashmi, a man who has really reinvented himself in the past few years, playing myriad characters. Written by Reshu Nath, Haq provides ample scope to both actors to perform and they do not disappoint.
Even the supporting cast, comprising of Vertika Singh, Sheeba Chaddha, Danish Hussain and Aseem Hattangady, deliver credible performances in their limited screen time.
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The film talks in detail about the Sharia law, the Quran and women’s rights. While the Quran has been written keeping in mind the interests of both men and women, the film projects how only men seem to have benefited the most and how women deserve their rightful place in a marriage.
It is also a clash of egos for Shazia and Ahmad. For Shazia, who maintains she loves her man, self-respect takes precedence over other emotions even as she and her righteous Maulvi father are shunned by the society for going to court. Meanwhile, Ahmad is a successful lawyer and knows how to bend the argument to his advantage. What starts as a regular marital tiff becomes a matter of pride and ego for him too as he is unable to digest a woman challenging his authority.
The film shifts to a courtroom in the second half and has the mandatory monologues by the two leads. Both Emraan and Yami’s monologues are written effectively, giving contrasting viewpoints and both actors shine in these scenes.
What does not work in Haq
The film drags slightly when it is inching towards climax. Since the story is known to many, there is no surprise element in the film or in its climax. It also very subtely plays to the gallery but that can almost be overlooked simply because the performances are all stupendous. One can’t help but notice that a film about the muslims and their laws has been made primarily by a Hindu crew.
Final verdict
Haq is an important film. The fact that the case played an important role in criminalising and abolishing of triple talaq in the recent years by the current government makes it an important watch- to understand the reasons that led to such a historic move in the country. The performances are like cherry on cake. Emraan Hashmi, Yami Gautam have been solid performers all throughout and in Suparn S Verma’s film, they shine.
Haq is releasing in theatres on November 7.
