Matchbox Pictures have acquired the filming rights to journalist Jigna Vora's book, Behind Bars in Byculla. Published by Penguin India, the book highlights the plight of female prisoners at Byculla Jail in Mumbai. 

Jigna was arrested in 2011 on accusations of instigating the murder of crime journalist Jyotirmoy Dey by gangster Chhota Rajan’s men. She spent several years in prison and was acquitted in 2017. The decision was upheld by the Bombay High Court in August this year. 

Sriram Raghavan, who had launched Jigna’s memoir, said he was curious about a crime reporter’s point-of-view about life in a prison. 

“Parts of it reminded me of (my film) Ek Hasina Thi. The book talks about Jigna's career as a journalist, how she got mired in the case, her time in jail, and her eventual acquittal. Alongside, it’s peppered with her interactions with the famous and infamous inmates. It’s a fascinating story and a gripping read. There’s a lot to read between the lines too,” Sriram said. 

Speaking about the film adaptation, Sanjay Routray of Matchbox Pictures said, “It is our privilege to have someone like Sriram Raghavan help us identify good content. We feel these incredible true-life stories in Behind Bars in Byculla need to be told on a wider medium. Matchbox will be collaborating with Jaspinder Singh Kang on this project.”

Recalling her years in prison, Jigna shared. “This is my journey to hell and back. I couldn’t have trusted anyone more than Matchbox to stay true to my story.”