25 years after Shekhar Kapur’s Bandit Queen, dacoit-turned-Member of Parliament Phoolan Devi’s story will be told in a 20-episode web series. It will be directed by Tigmanshu Dhulia with Tannishtha Chatterjee as the protagonist.
Producer Bobby Bedi told PTI,
“The first season will end with Phoolan’s eight-year prison term, while the second will largely cover the years in the aftermath of her release.”
Born into a poor family in Bundelkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Phoolan became a victim of child marriage and abuse before escaping with a gang of bandits. After a gunfight between gang members, she reportedly survived rape and assault, and later gunned down 22 villagers as revenge.
She surrendered in 1983 and was charged with 48 crimes but after spending 11 years in jail, all charges were dropped by the Uttar Pradesh government led by Mulayam Yadav. She contested and won twice in Lok Sabha elections on a Samajwadi Party ticket from Mirzapur. On July 26, 2001, she was assassinated by three masked gunmen outside her Delhi bungalow.
