New Delhi

When Haq dropped on Netflix earlier this month, it was widely expected to spark conversation in India. A courtroom drama inspired by the landmark 1985 Shah Bano case, the film takes on Muslim women's right to maintenance through the story of Shazia, played by Yami Gautam, locked in a bruising legal and emotional battle with her husband, portrayed by Emraan Hashmi.

What few anticipated was how powerfully the film would resonate far beyond Indian borders.

In the weeks following its January 2, 2026, OTT release, Haq has found an unexpectedly vocal and deeply engaged audience in Pakistan and Nigeria, two countries with very different cultural landscapes but strikingly similar conversations around faith, law, marriage, and women's rights.

At least Bollywood has the courage to make films on sensitive subjects. Kudos to the director, writer, and actors for delivering a tremendous job 👏🏻👏🏻 And yes, no one does it better than Yami Gautam. I repeat, no one.
What a masterpiece ! #HaqOnNetflix pic.twitter.com/omAOoIp6Yr

— Huda Shah (@hudashahh) January 15, 2026

Even Pakistani men are praising Haq:

‘Haq’ is a beautiful movie on the issue of talaq and the provision of maintenance allowance to a divorced woman in Islam. Yami Gautam Dhar who played the role of Shazia Bano has acted superbly. Wish divorce were not a stigma for women and the laws were not tilted in favour of… pic.twitter.com/VCSgqJhCl9

— Abdul Majeed Khan Marwat (@koolkopper) January 22, 2026

HAQ is so important movie and i wish we could make a film like this in Pakistan but everyone knows that'll get banned (at least) and/or the filmmakers will straight up be ki/led. Everyone just like the Sas bahu and maar peeet dramas here. That's so shit i swear.

— Moiz Mazhar (@moizmazharr) January 12, 2026

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Haq was released theatrically on 7 November 2025 and faced pre-release legal controversy over its portrayal of the Shah Bano case. It received positive reviews from critics, who praised its performances and its bold social commentary, but it underperformed at the box office.