Emraan Hashmi: Playing characters which are distant from my belief system is exciting space to explore

Mumbai, Nov 5 Actor Emraan Hashmi, who is gearing up for the release of his upcoming film ‘Haq’, has said that actors love playing characters which are distant from their belief system.

The actor spoke with IANS ahead of the film’s release at a 5-star property in the Juhu area of Mumbai. ‘Haq’ is inspired from the landmark case of Mohd. Ahmed Khan v. Shah Bano Begum. Shah Bano, a 62-year-old Muslim woman, sought maintenance from her husband after being divorced through triple talaq. The Supreme Court ruled in her favor under Section 125 of the Criminal Procedure Code, stating that maintenance applies to all citizens irrespective of religion.

Emraan essays the role inspired by Mohd. Ahmed Khan, a lawyer, in the film. The character is far off from his personal beliefs and world view. When asked how does he bridge the gap between his personal choices, your personal perspective or opinion and a character who is diametrically opposite to his beliefs, he said, “You you might play characters that are close to your ideology or your belief system but the whole idea of being an artiste is also to play characters you don't understand. So, in the process of playing that character you start understanding them better”.

Breaking down his process of approaching such parts, he told IANS, “When you read the script, you re-read it, when you play those, enact those scenes emotionally, something happens where it is like, ‘Okay this is what this character comes from, this is the truth of the character’”.

He further mentioned, “So that's something that's exciting for all actors, and the more distant it is from your belief system, from your ideology, your world view, the more interesting it becomes because you understand yourself, and when you're playing a character that's close to you, then where’s the fun in that? You know exactly what that is but then doing something that you don't understand, that's the challenge and that is also a certain awakening”.

The verdict on Mohd. Ahmed Khan v. Shah Bano Begum case sparked outrage among conservative Muslim groups, who argued that it interfered with Muslim Personal Law. Facing political pressure, Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s Congress (INC) government passed the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Divorce) Act, 1986, effectively nullifying the judgment and restoring the community’s personal law autonomy. This move was seen as an attempt to appease conservative Muslim leaders but drew widespread criticism for undermining women’s rights and judicial independence. The case ignited national debate on secularism, minority rights, and the need for a uniform civil code.

‘Haq’ is set to release on November 7, 2025.

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