The Madhya Pradesh High Court has dismissed a petition from Siddiqua Begum Khan, the daughter of Shah Bano Begum, aimed at halting the release of the Hindi film Haq. The court ruled that the right to privacy and reputation does not extend beyond a person's death, allowing the film to be released on November 7.

Justice Pranay Verma stated, "The right of privacy or reputation of a person comes to an end after his or her lifetime." He emphasized that the filmmakers were not required to seek consent from Bano's family for the film, which is inspired by her life and the landmark 1985 Supreme Court ruling that granted divorced Muslim women the right to maintenance.

Siddiqua Begum Khan had argued that the film misrepresented her mother's life and was made without the family's consent, claiming it exploited Bano's privacy for commercial gain. However, the court found no merit in her arguments, noting that the film is a fictionalized adaptation based on the book Bano: Bharat Ki Beti, which discusses the public court judgment.

The court highlighted that the film's content is largely based on public records, stating, "Once a matter becomes a matter of public record, the right of privacy no longer subsists." The film, featuring Yami Gautam Dhar and Emraan Hashmi, has been granted a UA 13+ certificate by the Central Board of Film Certification.

Shah Bano's case, which began in 1978 when she sought maintenance from her ex-husband, became a significant legal battle in India. Although the Supreme Court ruled in her favor, the subsequent enactment of the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Divorce) Act in 1986 by the then government effectively overturned this ruling, igniting ongoing discussions about women's rights and personal law in India.