Haq Director Suparn Varma on Film’s OTT Hit: ‘I Saw This as the Next Big Leap’

Director Suparn Varma on Haq’s OTT Success: “I Knew It Would Be the Next Big Jump”

Director Suparn Varma is thrilled by the overwhelming response to his film Haq since its Netflix release, which has catapulted the movie to a level of popularity that even he hadn’t anticipated.

In an interview with the Free Press Journal, Varma shared,

“I knew that once it reached OTT, it would be the next big jump for Haq. But the response has been incredible — sometimes you expect a tsunami, but you don’t realize how big it’s going to be! I’ve had messages and calls from Nigeria, Canada, and it’s trending at number 1 across Arab countries, as well as Sri Lanka and Nepal. Every day I get around 200 DMs, calls, and messages. This morning, Alia Bhatt even told me she watched the film and loved it.”

Why Some Hindi Films Don’t Draw Audiences

Speaking at a Zoom roundtable with filmmakers including Neeraj Ghaywan, Anurag Basu, Arati Kadav, and Reema Kagti, Varma discussed challenges facing Hindi cinema today:

“Audiences have become much more unforgiving towards Hindi films. Some ideas that work perfectly in Telugu or Malayalam films might not get accepted in Hindi. That’s a reality we constantly navigate as filmmakers.”

Alia Bhatt Praises Yami Gautam

Bollywood star Alia Bhatt recently took to social media to laud Yami Gautam’s performance in Haq, calling it one of her favourite female performances of all time. Sharing a still from the film, she wrote:

“Queen Yami, you are pure craft, heart, and all things gold in Haq. One of my top female performances of all time… am a Yami fan waiting eagerly for all your future work.”

Earlier, several celebrities, including Farah Khan, had also praised Yami’s performance, suggesting she is deserving of an award for her portrayal.

Haq OTT Release

The Yami Gautam – Emraan Hashmi starrer Haq premiered on Netflix India this week. Yami shared the news on her social media, writing:

“Streaming now on @NetflixIndia #HAQ”

Originally released in theatres in November 2025, Haq tells the story of Shazia (Yami Gautam Dhar), whose husband, Abbas Khan (Emraan Hashmi), unexpectedly brings home a second wife, ending their marriage via triple talaq. The film follows Shazia’s legal battle to defend her rights, with Sheeba Chaddha and Vartika Singh in pivotal supporting roles.

Since its OTT debut, the film has trended globally, introducing the story to new audiences and confirming its success beyond the box office.