New Delhi: Barely two months after the alleged murder of Indore-based businessman Raja Raghuvanshi by his wife Sonam made national headlines, a film based on the incident has been officially announced. Raja’s family has given their full approval for the film. The project will be directed by SP Nimbawat, best known for Raza Murad-starrer Kabaddi (2018), and is tentatively titled Honeymoon in Shillong.
The shooting will begin by April next year.
“My brother has gone. Through this film we want to immortalise his memory,” Raja’s brother, Vipin Raghuvanshi, told ThePrint. “We also think that the media didn’t do justice to our brother’s story. Many facts were twisted. Through this film, we want to put out the 100 per cent truth about him.”
Raja Raghuvanshi had married Sonam on 11 May. He went missing just 12 days later, during their honeymoon in Meghalaya. On 2 June, his body was discovered in a deep gorge in the Sohra region of East Khasi Hills. The police investigation led to the arrest of his wife and her lover, Raj Kushwaha, among other accused.
Vipin said that 80 per cent of the film will be shot in Indore, with the remaining 20 per cent set in Shillong. While the script, written by Vipin himself, is complete, casting is still underway.
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‘No Sonam in the film’
Vipin and his elder brother Sachin Raghuvanshi spent weeks convincing their parents for the film.
“They are still processing the pain of losing a son. They weren’t willing to make a film on his life. But we convinced them saying that the world should know the 100 per cent truth of what exactly happened,” Vipin said.
He said that while the protagonist in the film will be named Raja Raghuvanshi, they will be changing the wife’s name.
“Our focus is to show what happened to Raja, his story. We are not concerned about anyone or anything else. We will not be using the name ‘Sonam’,” he added.
Having visited Shillong three times since the incident, Vipin expressed concern over the negative impact the case has had on the city.
“Why should Shillong suffer? During my last visit, I saw heightened police presence, stricter hotel security, and a general sense of unease,” he said. “This film isn’t just about seeking justice for my brother, it’s also about restoring Shillong’s image, so people can return to visiting it like they did before.”
Filmmaker SP Nimbawat, along with Raja’s brothers Vipin and Sachin, held a press conference in Indore on Wednesday where he emphasised that the film aims to raise awareness about the importance of thoroughly verifying a partner before marriage.
“Our hope is that what happened to Raja never happens to anyone else,” Nimbawat said. “This film is our way of trying to put an end to such crimes.”
(Edited by Aamaan Alam Khan)