Veteran actor Kabir Bedi will play the lead role of Padma Shri Dr. Raj Bothra in the upcoming film based on the true story told in the book USA v Raj. The film delves into the journey of Dr. Bothra, a respected surgeon and pain specialist who spent decades helping people in both India and the United States. His life took an intense turn when he was wrongly arrested and imprisoned for over three years in the USA. He faced 54 federal charges at age 79. He was cleared of the charges by a unanimous jury verdict in June 2022.
The story shows Dr. Bothra’s strength and courage as he fought to prove his innocence. After a long legal battle, he was finally cleared by a jury in 2022. Alongside Kabir Bedi, actress Emily Shah of Jungle Cry will play Sonia Bothra, Dr. Bothra’s daughter who stood by him through his tough times. Ankur Bhatia, known for his role in the series Aarya, is also part of the cast.
The film is directed by the well-known cinematographer Ravi K. Chandran and produced by Prashant Shah of Bollywood Hollywood Productions with Twickenham Productions. The screenplay is written by a team including Zill-e-Huma, Shubho Deep Pal, Hussain Dalal and Abbas Dalal, based on Dr. Bothra’s memoir. The sound design will be handled by Oscar-winner Resul Pookutty.
The movie will be shot in India and the United Kingdom. It will delve into Dr. Bothra’s life across two continents.