Richie Mehta to Direct Prime Video Film on Phoolan Devi
Announced at Prime Video’s 2026 India slate launch, the Amazon Original will depict a 48-hour siege in the life of the Chambal bandit-turned-politician.
At the Prime Video Presents: India launch of their new 2026 slate, Prime Video announced a new original feature on the life of Phoolan Devi, to be written and directed by Richie Mehta.
The film, titled Phoolan, will focus on a dramatic episode from Devi’s life, centring on a 48-hour siege in which she is surrounded by thousands of armed men in the Chambal region. According to the official synopsis, the story unfolds as Devi fights to survive the confrontation, a moment framed as a turning point in her life and legend.
Mehta said he initially resisted the idea of directing the project. The filmmaker explained that the producers approached him several years ago, shortly after the success of his acclaimed crime series Delhi Crime.
According to Mehta, producers Shareen Mantri Kedia, Kishor Arora and Kanwal Kohli had secured the rights to Devi’s autobiography and believed he was the right filmmaker to tell the story. He said he initially declined, but the team continued discussions with him for several years before he eventually agreed to take on the project.
The film will be produced by Namah Pictures, with Mantri Kedia, Arora, Kohli and Mehta serving as producers.
Phoolan Devi remains one of the most controversial and mythologised figures in modern Indian history. Coming from a background of caste oppression and violence, she became a feared bandit leader in the ravines of the Chambal valley before later surrendering to authorities and entering politics. She was eventually elected to the Indian parliament, transforming her public identity from outlaw to political figure.
Mehta said the film will focus on a specific moment that illustrates the intensity of Devi’s struggle within a deeply patriarchal landscape. By narrowing the narrative to a single siege, the film aims to examine both the violence of the circumstances surrounding her rise and the personal resolve that shaped her reputation.
Further details about the cast and release timeline have not yet been announced.