The filmmaker has woven livelihood and faith as constantly interacting elements. The ‘community discipline’ enforced on the protagonist Abu Thahir (played by Esha) for trespassing into the home of his lover Nilofer (played by Malavika Manoj) is a unique portrayal of the behaviour of the Tamil Muslim community in the 1980s. The guilt and stigma carried by the family of Abu Thahir because of the collective punishment experienced by him have long-term mental health consequences for his family. The guilt is a shared one, as everything in a small town is built around the idea of family honour. The movement of Tamil Muslims to West Asia for menial jobs and the resultant prosperity is captured truthfully by the film. Prosperity comes with a price: the long-term loneliness of women and its impact on the upbringing of children. Malayalam films such as Adaminte Makan Abu and Sufiyum Sujatayum have depicted Muslim cultures in Kerala. For the Tamil film industry, Habeebi is most certainly the first of its kind.

The nostalgic value the story creates with the folk song Kappalukku Pona Machchan… Kan Niraintha Aasai Machchan… Eppathan Varuveenga ...Thinamum thozhuthu thozhuthu naan ketkiren (My beloved who is on a voyage, when will you come back? I am praying every day) is incredible. The song and its filming reenact the lived experiences of thousands of Muslim women in similar circumstances. The film is quite successful in portraying the restricted public spaces for young Muslim women and their pursuit of education and career. The outing of young girls to fetch water from a common pond is an opportunity for intimate conversations. In recent years, public libraries have also become such spaces. The use of the local dialect makes the experience more realistic.

The harmonious coming together of Hindus and Muslims in social and economic lives is reinforced through strong characters. The film uses the ritual recital of Mawlid for Prophet Mohammad (celebrating the birth of the Prophet through Arabic poems) as a space for community gathering of both men and women. It is a continuing tradition in Tamil Muslim communities. Abu Thahir finds employment in the town as a supplier of food to the Madarasa from homes so that he can catch a glimpse of his love interest. The patronage of faith education by the community is another tradition that is depicted well in the film.

The role played by Kasthuri Raja as the family head, Yusuf, carried the film significantly. The compassion and strong leadership of Saliha Beevi (played by Anusreya Rajan) is the moving force of the story. She runs the affairs of the joint family and emerges as the saviour of the protagonist when he faces financial challenges in the course of the story.