Former Principal Judge Swati Chauhan has made a striking entry into filmmaking with Saira Khan Case, a compelling drama inspired by a real case from her own courtroom. The film, co-written and co-directed with renowned filmmaker Karan Razdan—known for hits like Dilwale, Diljale, Deewane, Qayamat, Dushmani, and Trimurti—unveiled its official poster today. Scheduled for theatrical release on 10 October, it features Rajniesh Duggal, Poonam Dubey, Karan Razdan, Aradhana Sharma, Rajeev Verma, and Mukesh Tyagi in pivotal roles.

The story is rooted in Chauhan’s own judicial experience, portraying the struggle of a Muslim woman who is unilaterally divorced through triple talaq and separated from her children while her husband maintains four marriages. The film delves into the tension between personal religious law and India’s secular statutes—an issue Chauhan herself addressed in her landmark judgment.

“Certain systemic prejudices forced me to choose between privileges and principles. I chose principles and stepped away from judicial service,” Chauhan said. “But my commitment to justice remained unwavering, and cinema became my new courtroom.” After retiring voluntarily, she pursued a diploma in filmmaking to bring real-life courtroom stories to the big screen. Guided by Razdan, she transformed her judgment into a gripping cinematic narrative.

Chauhan emphasized the film’s fidelity to real events: “The essence of my 2014 judgment remains intact, though we’ve kept names, locations, and identifying details private. The verdict in the film mirrors key excerpts from my original ruling, with only minor creative adjustments. We have added characters, settings, and timelines, while also reflecting recent legal changes like the ban on talaq-e-biddat and ongoing Supreme Court cases on other forms of triple talaq. The core issue, however, is exactly as in the original case.”

The film is produced by Salim Lalani, Swati Chauhan, Nizar Lalani, Shamshu Pirani, Nimesh Patel, and Satish Bhanushali under the banner of Soul Films.