Jubair Ahmad Khan, the grandson of Shah Bano, has spoken about the petition filed by his mother, Siddiqua Begum, seeking a stay on the release of the film 'HAQ' in the Indore Bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court, alleging that the movie has been made without the family's consent.
Speaking to ANI, he said, "Shah Bano was my maternal grandmother. The makers did not approach us or seek our permission before making the movie. Anything that happens affects us as a family. They didn't ask us anything."
He added that the family only learned about the film after the teaser was released.
Jubair further expressed concern about the way certain scenes have been presented, "The teaser mentions in the beginning that it is inspired by the case of Mohd. Ahmed Khan vs Shah Bano Begum. A lot of facts in the teaser are distorted... It is our private matter that has been given a commercial angle. They should have taken our permission... The common people will watch the movie and think it shows true events."
Meanwhile, the producer's lawyer Ajay Bagadiya spoke on the petition, saying, "A lady, who claims to be the daughter of Shah Bano, has filed a petition in the High Court that the Right to Privacy and Right to Morality have been hampered. The petition says that facts have been distorted in the film."
However, he noted that, "The disclaimer of the movie clearly says that this movie is inspired by two things: the 1985 Supreme Court judgement in favour of Shah Bano and a book titled 'Bano, Bharat ki Beti'. It is a fictional depiction, and it is not necessary that everything is presented factually. The petitioner has to prove in court whether she is really Shah Bano's daughter. Because we have no confirmation that she is her daughter..."
Responding to the producers' lawyer's argument that the film is based on the Supreme Court's judgment and a book inspired by the case, Jubair countered that the teaser itself contradicts this claim.
"In the book, only the case law was told. Not the whole life. You will see the teaser of the movie. If the film is based only on the case, then it should show the court proceedings. But in the teaser and trailer, you can see... It is completely different from the true event..."
Reiterating his faith in the judiciary, Jubair said, "Our family will have to suffer... We are hopeful that the High Court will decide in our favour, as this is a breach of our privacy... The Indian cinema is the mirror of our society... The trailer shows that the movie is different from the true events..."
Earlier, Siddiqua had also sent a legal notice to the makers demanding an immediate halt to the "publication, screening, promotion, or release" of the film.
According to the notice, the complaint alleged the "unauthorised depiction of the personal life of the late Shah Bano Begum without the consent of her legal heirs". The notice was sent to the film's director, Suparn Verma, producers Junglee Pictures and Baweja Studios, and also to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).
The film 'HAQ' is based on the 1985 Supreme Court judgement in Mohd. Ahmed Khan vs Shah Bano Begum, a landmark case concerning women's rights and maintenance laws in India.
In 1978, Shah Bano, then 62, filed a petition in the Indore court seeking maintenance from her divorced husband, Mohammed Ahmed Khan, an affluent and well-known lawyer. The couple had married in 1932 and had five children. In 1985, the Supreme Court ruled that Shah Bano was entitled to maintenance under Section 125 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. However, the following year, the Rajiv Gandhi government passed legislation that effectively nullified the verdict.
Directed by Suparn S Varma, 'HAQ' also features Vartika Singh, Danish Husain, Sheeba Chadha, and Aseem Hattangady in key roles. The film, produced under the banner of Junglee Pictures, is backed by Vineet Jain, Vishal Gurnani, Juhi Parekh Mehta, and Harman Baweja.
