India’s Dream Slate Pictures is commencing a biopic of Kiran Bedi, the first woman officer in the Indian Police Service (IPS).
Formerly India’s national junior tennis champion, Bedi joined the IPS in 1972. She earned fame for her campaign against drug abuse in Delhi. She also introduced reforms at Delhi’s Tihar jail, which earned her the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1994. Known for her staunch anti-corruption stance, Bedi then moved to a life in politics after retiring from the IPS. She served as the Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry from 2016 – 2021.
“Bedi: The Name You Know. The Story You Don’t” promises to delve deeper into Bedi’s life, “revealing the untold incidents, personal and professional challenges and unwavering determination that shaped her extraordinary career in policing,” according to a statement from Dream Slate Pictures.
The film is written and will be directed by Kushaal Chawla (“Another Time”). It is produced by Gaurav Chawla (“Tulsidas”) for Dream Slate Pictures. It is set for a 2025 release.
Bedi said: “This story is not just my story. It’s an Indian woman’s story – an Indian woman who grew up in India, studied in India, raised by Indian parents, and worked for the people of India throughout her career. My story began at the age of nine when my father told me, ‘Life is on an incline, you either go up or you come down,’ and my mother said, ‘You shall be a giver and not a receiver.’ These statements remained my guiding principles. As we aim to release this film in the 50th International Year of the Woman, this will be an Indian woman’s story representing our great nation internationally.”
Chawla added: “This film is a labor of love. Four years of expansive research and scriptwriting have been dedicated to ensuring an authentic and insightful portrayal of Kiran Bedi, India’s most beloved and iconic cop.”
“It is an honor and privilege to write and direct a film about unique life of Kiran Bedi. She has been a tremendous inspiration to me, and having her trust to direct this film is truly a blessing. In this feature film, I explore heart-warming transformations, unseen triumphs, and the extraordinary personal and professional journey of Kiran Bedi as she navigated her path as the first woman in the male-dominated world of policing. I believe the audience will truly get to know the woman behind the khaki, and be inspired and moved by her unwavering dedication and relentless navigation,” Chawla said.
Documentary “Kiran Bedi: Yes Madam, Sir,” directed by Megan Doneman, was released in 2008. Telugu-language film “Karthavyam,” loosely based on Bedi’s life, was a box office smash in 1990. Vijayashanti won India’s National Film Award for best actress for her portrayal of an IPS officer in the film. Kannada-language “Kannadada Kiran Bedi,” a fictionalized version of the Bedi story starring Malashri, was released in 2009.
Source Agencies
