Exclusive | 'Saare Jahaan Se Achcha' Makers Mount Explosive Thriller on the ‘Digital Arrest’ Scam

Bhavesh Mandalia and Sejal Shah reunite for a research-driven true-life drama tracing India’s multi-crore scam trail to Cambodian compounds — and a daring rescue operation.

Team THR India
By Team THR India
LAST UPDATED: FEB 23, 2026, 15:09 IST|4 min read
Writer Bhavesh Mandalia and director Sejal Shah to reunite for a true-life thriller
Writer Bhavesh Mandalia and director Sejal Shah to reunite for a true-life thriller

The team behind Saare Jahaan Se Achcha (2025) is developing its next project. After tackling complex, reality-inspired narratives in their earlier outings, the makers are now turning their lens to the steady rise of the so-called “digital arrest” scam — a murky operation that siphoned thousands of crores from unsuspecting Indians and led investigators to sprawling cybercrime compounds in Cambodia and parts of Southeast Asia.

According to sources, the film traces the anatomy of these scams: fear-driven calls posing as law enforcement, financial intimidation, and the psychological warfare that left victims paralysed into compliance. But the story doesn’t end there. As the investigation deepens, it reportedly builds toward a dramatic, high-risk rescue of Indians trapped inside these compounds — an operation that exposed one of the region’s largest cybercrime networks.

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“This isn’t just about a scam call,” says a source close to the project. “It’s about an entire underground empire built on fear — and a daring rescue that very few people know the full story of.”

The film is being written by Bhavesh Mandalia and directed by Sejal Shah under the banner of Bombay Fables.

Their previous collaboration, Saare Jahaan Se Achcha (2025), was a socio-political drama inspired by true events that explored themes of national identity, institutional power and moral ambiguity. The series was noted for its crisp storytelling and research-led narrative approach. The team also created Costao (2025), an investigative drama based on the life of Goa customs officer Costao Fernandes. Starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui, the film delved into systemic corruption and the personal cost of whistleblowing.

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Industry insiders suggest the new film is being mounted as a large-scale, meticulously researched thriller rooted firmly in reality. In an era where cybercrime headlines surface almost daily, this project promises not just edge-of-the-seat drama but a sobering reflection of our digital present.

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