'Haq' Director Reveals: Yami and Emraan's Monologues Shot in Single Takes

The film, based on the landmark Supreme Court judgment in the Shah Bano Case, features Emraan and Yami delivering powerful dialogues in the final minutes of the film.

Director Suparn S Varma has now opened up on helming the final stages of the film, revealing how he went about managing such a powerful scene.

Speaking to ANI, Suparan shared, "I had multiple cameras...I had my actors ready. I shot both the monologues in one take each. And then I did a second take just so that we could clap for them. That's about it."

"I did both the monologues in one single take. No breaks. Both of them have done amazing work. I did a few pickups. That's it. Nothing else. Those were straight 11 minutes, 7 minutes straight monologues. They were the whole film. The whole film builds up to that moment. And I could not falter there. The actors could not falter. And everybody delivered. Every department delivered. Every word mattered. Every gesture mattered. Every pause mattered. Every beat mattered. Every note mattered. Everybody delivered," he said, praising his team's efforts, which made the scene appear so powerful on screen.

'Haq', a courtroom drama, 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.

The film shows Yami as Shazia Bano, a character modelled on the real life Shah Bano Begum, who fights for maintenance and rights in the face of social and legal opposition. Emraan plays a dual role as her husband, 'Abbas', and the rival lawyer in court.

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On casting Yami and Emraan, Suparn recalled, "Yami came on board before the screenplay was ready. And when we went to her with the screenplay, she was like, who's playing Abbas? That's a bigger question. And for me, I really wanted Emraan Hashmi because I think the kind of intensity, the kind of integrity, the kind of charm that he brings to the screen is insane."

"He (Emraan) loved the film. He loved the film completely. He did have a few questions, though, and I told him, 'The answers are all in the script.' I handed it to him, and when a few doubts came up later, I simply said, 'Trust me.' And he went ahead with complete fearlessness," he said.

'Haq' released in theatres on November 7 and has been performing remarkably well since then. The film has received widespread praise from both audiences and critics alike.

Suparn couldn't be happier with the heartfelt response the film has evoked.

"Honestly, as a filmmaker, you always hope and pray for a day when your work truly connects , when audiences and critics respond with such warmth, when you see people moved to tears, giving standing ovations. It's been amazing. I mean, our entire team is just, overwhelmed by the love of the film and support the film has been getting. The word of mouth is insanely crazy. It's like a once in a lifetime kind of opportunity that's happened," he expressed.

- ANI