Multi-crore film on Phoolan’s killer

Bandit-turned-politician Phoolan Devi's killer's script that he wrote in Tihar jail, will be made into a high budget English-Hindi film

Multi-crore film on Phoolan's killer

Bandit-turned-politician Phoolan Devi's killer's script that he wrote in Tihar jail, will be made into a high budget English-Hindi film

Shekhar Kapur brought Phoolan Devi, the late bandit-turned-politician cinematic fame with his controversial 1994 film, Bandit Queen, which traced the dacoit's life up to her surrender in 1983.

Now it's the turn of her killer to have his story cast in celluloid. Sources reveal that Sher Singh Rana, who killed Phoolan Devi in 2001 is expected to be the protagonist of a big budget film.

In the last five months, the filmmakers have had several meetings with Rana, who is currently housed in Tihar jail.

Phoolan Devi was murdered in 2001 by Sher Singh Rana

Sunday MiD DAY has a copy of the agreement, which carries details of the film, and a book that will accompany the project.

Producer of the film, Jagjeet Singh Walia said, "Several personalities have seen films being made on them. Why not Rana? He is also a hero. He believes he killed Phoolan to defend the honour of the Kshatriya community, which he belongs to."

"The film explores his story, and how Phoolan was used as a pawn by politicians," the producer said. Walia added Rana was the author of the story which he then handed over to the filmmakers to turn into a screenplay.
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Scripting is underway, and the film is likely to start soon. "It is going to be multi-crore budget film in English and Hindi," he added.

On 25 July, 2001, Phoolan Devi was shot while she was getting out of her car outside the gate of her New Delhi home.

Her bodyguard Balender Singh was also wounded, and the assailants escaped in an autorickshaw. Sher Singh Rana, Dheeraj Rana, and Rajbir were identified as the accused.

Rana later surrendered in Dehradun and confessed to the crime. He claimed he was avenging the death of 22 Kshatriyas from Behmai who Phoolan had murdered since she alleged that they were responsible for her rape and humiliation. Rana escaped from Tihar in 2004, but surrendered in 2006 in Kolkata.