The courtroom drama Haq, directed by Suparn Varma and starring Yami Gautam and Emraan Hashmi, opened to modest numbers at the box office. According to industry tracker Sacnilk, the film earned an estimated ₹1.65 crore on its first day of release.
Inspired by the landmark 1985 Supreme Court case Mohd. Ahmed Khan vs Shah Bano Begum, Haq brings to screen a powerful story of a woman’s fight for justice, equality, and dignity within the complexities of personal and secular law.
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Despite positive reviews and a strong word-of-mouth around its performances and theme, the film saw very limited audience around 9.97% across India on Day 1. Morning shows had a turnout of 5.66%, afternoon shows had 8.19%, evening shows 9.54%, and the night shows peaked at 16.5%.
The film reportedly released with about 1,800 shows nationwide, with the highest concentration in Delhi-NCR (497 shows) and Mumbai (300 shows).
A thoughtful film that needs time to grow
While Haq has been praised as a “powerful and thought-provoking courtroom drama”, the slow opening suggests it might take time to build momentum. The film’s Day 1 numbers are comparable to Vivek Agnihotri’s The Bengal Files, which had opened at ₹1.75 crore.
For Emraan Hashmi, Haq follows his previous film Ground Zero, which had a lifetime collection of ₹6.7 crore. Yami Gautam, on the other hand, last appeared in Article 370, which turned out to be a sleeper hit, earning ₹77 crore during its run.
Legal controversy ahead of release
Haq also made headlines after Shah Bano’s daughter filed a petition in the Madhya Pradesh High Court seeking to halt its release, citing emotional distress and misrepresentation. However, the court dismissed the plea, stating that the petition had been delayed and that the film was cleared for release on November 7.
Produced by Junglee Pictures, in collaboration with Insomnia Films and Baweja Studios, Haq features Sheeba Chaddha, Danish Husain, Aseem Hattangady, and Vartika Singh in key roles.
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Plot
The story follows Shazia (Yami Gautam), who marries Abbas Khan (Emraan Hashmi), a respected lawyer. When Abbas gets married for the second wife, he divorces Shazia through triple talaq and that's when she decides to challenge the injustice legally. Her battle for maintenance and equality mirrors the real-life Shah Bano case that questions the fine line between personal belief and constitutional rights.
While Haq may not have started very strong commercially, its emotional depth, sharp dialogues, and topical relevance might help it grow in the coming days as audiences gradually connect with its message.
