Acclaimed production house to bring screen adaptation of Leena Dhankar’s book ‘The Gurugram School Murder’; adaptation backed by the victim’s family
Mumbai, Wednesday, May 27, 2026. – Matchbox Shots, the Mumbai-based production house mentored by filmmaker Sriram Raghavan behind critically acclaimed titles Andhadhun, Scoop, IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack and Khauf, has acquired the screen rights to the book The Gurugram School Murder, written by veteran crime journalist Leena Dhankhar.
The upcoming project draws inspiration from the shocking murder of seven-year-old “Prince”, who was found with his throat slit inside the bathroom of an elite Gurugram school on September 8, 2017. The incident sent shockwaves across the country, sparking nationwide outrage and debate over child safety in India’s most prestigious institutions.
The book traces the disturbing twists of one of India’s most high-profile murder investigations — from the hurried framing of an innocent school bus conductor by local police to the CBI’s eventual arrest of a student from the same school. The student was accused of committing the murder allegedly to get an examination postponed.
“What happened in this case is every parent’s worst nightmare,” said Dikssha Jyote Routray of Matchbox Shots, who is helming the project and has followed the case closely for years. “It is a tragedy that also unravels dark truths about the pressures shaping young children in contemporary urban India. Our commitment is to tell this story with the carefully researched nuance it deserves.”
For author Leena Dhankhar, the adaptation inspired by her book is an opportunity to highlight the human cost of the tragedy. “This is not just a crime story, but the story of a family’s pain and years of struggle for justice,” she said. “Through this story, we hope more people understand the emotional devastation such incidents leave behind. The family has lived with the loss every single day, and justice must prevail without compromise.”
The project carries the support of Prince’s father, who continues his long fight for justice. He said, “There has not been a single day when we have not remembered or missed him. Our fight has been painfully long, and it will continue until the guilty receive the harshest punishment. We want the truth to reach more people so society understands our pain and ensures that those responsible are never spared.”
For Matchbox Shots, the adaptation reinforces its reputation for gripping, character-driven stories inspired by real events. The production house is currently preparing for the release of war drama series Operation Safed Sagar on Netflix. With this new project, it revisits a case that forced India to confront uncomfortable questions about privilege, institutional accountability and child safety.
About Matchbox Shots
Matchbox Shots is a Mumbai-based production house mentored by filmmaker Sriram Raghavan known for Andhadhun, Scoop, IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack, Khauf, and more. Led by producers Sanjay Routray, Dikssha Jyote Routray, Sarita Patil the studio focuses on bold, nuanced storytelling across formats.
