- By Swati Singh
- Sun, 28 Sep 2025 10:43 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Former Principal Judge Swati Chauhan has made her directorial debut with 'Saira Khan Case', poster of which has been unveiled. The film has been inspired by a real-life case from her own courtroom. It is co-written and co-directed by with Karan Razdan, known for movies like Dilwale, Diljale, Deewane, Qayamat, Dushmani and Trimurti. The movie is scheduled to hit the theatres on October 10, 2025. The film is bankrolled under the banner of Soul Films by Salim Lalani, Swati Chauhan, Nizar Lalani, Shamshu Pirani, Nimesh Patel and Satish Bhanushali. It stars Rajniesh Duggal, Poonam Dubey, Karan Razdan, Aradhana Sharma, Rajeev Verma and Mukesh Tyagi in pivotal roles.
About the documentary
Saira Khan Case is based on a real-life story of a Muslim woman who faced unilateral divorce through triple talaq and was separated from her children, while her husband insisted on his right to four marriages. The drama explores the clash between personal religious law and India's secular legal system, a theme Judge Swati Chauhan encountered during her judicial tenure.
Swati Chauhan reflected on her journey, stating that she had to opt out of judicial services as the prejudices in the system forced her to choose between privileges and principles. She revealed that after her retirement, she pursued a diploma in filmmaking to tell real-life stories through cinema. "My commitment to justice never wavered. Cinema became my new courtroom," she said.
She further stated that the upcoming movie will highlight the 2014 judgement and it also protects the privacy of those involved. Chauhan said, "I’ve kept the soul of my judgment intact while observing strict privacy—no names, locations, or identifying details of the parties involved. The verdict in the film closely reflects excerpts from my ruling, with only minor modifications."
She explained that the script takes creative liberties in shaping characters, settings and timelines. It also weaves in references to recent legal developments like the ban on talaq-e-biddat and the ongoing Supreme Court discussions on other forms of triple talaq. Under Razdan’s cinematic vision, Chauhan’s courtroom judgment has been transformed into a compelling story that extends beyond legal proceedings.