Yami Gautam and Emraan Hashmi to star in Shah Bano-inspired legal thriller

Forty years after the Shah Bano case verdict that rocked the nation, the story is making its return and will be showcased on the big screen.

Forty years after the Shah Bano case verdict rocked the nation, the story will be showcased on the big screen.

Buzz has it that a powerful feature film inspired by the Shah Bano case is in the works, and will be helmed by Suparn Verma. Reportedly, the movie will feature Yami Gautam and Emraan Hashmi in the lead roles. Sources further reveal that the film has recently completed its Lucknow schedule.

Following Article 370, Yami’s next significant theatrical release is this untitled project, which will explore the personal toll of legal battles that sparked a national controversy.

In 1978, 62-year-old Shah Bano, a mother of five, took her case to the Supreme Court under Section 125 CrPC, seeking maintenance following her divorce via triple talaq by her husband, Mohd Ahmad Khan, who used Muslim Personal Law to refuse any support beyond three months for her and their children.

Following a seven-year legal battle, the court ruled in 1985 that Section 125 of the CrPC applied universally, granting divorced women the right to maintenance irrespective of religion. This landmark decision was a major victory for gender justice and constitutional equality.

The verdict faced strong criticism from conservative groups, leading the Rajiv Gandhi government to introduce the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Divorce) Act, 1986, which undermined the decision. Time and again, this controversy has reignited crucial debates around vote-bank politics, the UCC, and secularism — themes that still hold significant importance today.

Shah Bano’s voice once echoed through the revered halls of justice. Forty years later, that voice returns — stronger, bolder, and this time, on the big screen.