Who Is Shah Bano’s Daughter? Why Has She Sued The Makers Of Movie ‘Haq’?

Siddiqua Begum Khan, the offspring and the rightful successor of the deceased Shah Bano Begum, has been the source of a big legal dispute just before the premiere of the film Haq (2025) with Emraan Hashmi and Yami Gautam in the lead roles. She has gone to the Madhya Pradesh High Court and has contested that the movie shows her late mother and the famous maintenance case of 1985, Mohd. Ahmed Khan v. Shah Bano Begum, without her or the family’s permission.

Who Is Shah Bano’s Daughter? Why Has She Sued The Makers Of Movie ‘Haq’?

Siddiqua Begum Khan’s legal battle is all about the right to privacy versus the unauthorized personal biography abuse. She has allegedly sent a legal notice where she claims her mother’s life events have been taken without permission. The film’s producers are of the opinion that even though the movie is based on the public judgment and literature, the petitioner still insists that the portrayal involves real identity and the private struggles of the people concerned. The lawsuit highlights a critical point where the legal/ethical compliance and artistic freedom are clashing in the movie industry, particularly in the case of films made about real lives. The judges’ decision might impose restrictions on the filmmakers in terms of dealing with sensitive inheritances and obtaining family consent in case of biographical dramas. On the other hand, the film ‘Haq’ is scheduled for release on November 7, 2025, making the decision very important.

Who Is Shah Bano? What Is The Movie ‘Haq’ About?

The case of Mohd. Ahmed Khan v. Shah Bano Begum, more popularly recognized as the Shah Bano maintenance case, was an important watershed in the legal history of India and the rights of Muslim women. It was the year 1978 when Shah Bano, a 62 year old mother of five living in Indore, filed in the local court to demand maintenance from her husband, Mohammed Ahmed Khan. He was a prominent lawyer and the divorcee who had divorced her through triple talaq. With this petition, she dared to confront the rigid unbending mindset of Muslim personal law while at the same time invoking the provisions of Section 125 of the CrPC which orders maintenance for wives who are incapable of maintaining themselves irrespective of their religion. The case not only drew attention all over the country but also sparked a debate between the advocates of religious freedom and women’s rights.

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