The Verdict 498A: Raaj Shaandilyaa to bring real life story of Deeptanshu Shukla

Raaj Shaandilyaa, of Dream Girl (2019) and Vicky Vidya Ka Woh Wala Video (2024) fame, is shifting gears from comedies to bring a real-life episode to screen. His next, titled The Verdict 498A, will chronicle the case of Deeptanshu Shukla, an engineer who was accused of dowry harassment and finally acquitted in 2016.

Through the film, Shaandilyaa wants to show how Section 498A of the Indian Penal Code—that criminalises cruelty by a husband or his relatives against a married woman—has sometimes been misused to create false dowry harassment cases, leading to broken families and wrongful imprisonments. 

“This is not just Deeptanshu’s story; it’s the story of thousands of families suffering in silence,” he says, citing Atul Subhash’s case. “We cannot allow innocent lives to be destroyed under the guise of women’s protection. This film will inspire those falsely accused to stand their ground,” asserts the producer, who has acquired the life rights of Shukla. Bengali filmmaker Anindya Bikas Datta, who previously helmed Bonku Babu (2014), will take the directorial reins of the project. The makers are currently locking the cast.

According to the data published by the National Commission for Women (NCW), it received over 4000 complaints of dowry harassment in 2024. Even as the social evil plagues many parts of the country, Shaandilyaa says his production is his way of appealing for “Men’s Protection Act”. “We must put an end to the devastating misuse of this law. Now is the time to reform our judicial system to ensure it remains unbiased and does not favour any particular gender. Our nation needs a Men’s Protection Act. Justice must not be selective; it must be fair and equal to all,” he argues. 

Who is Deeptanshu Shukla?

An engineer from IIT Kanpur, Shukla was accused of taking a dowry of R15 lakh by his wife, who filed a case under Section 498A of the IPC. He turned advocate to fight his case and was acquitted in 2016.