Editor-turned-author Aashu Patel's first English novel, Madam X, which releases today will be turned into a film by Tigmanshu Dhulia. Mirror (August 4, 2014) had earlier reported that on the eve of Friendship Day, filmmaker buddies Anurag Kashyap and Tigmanshu Dhulia, had got together and the latter had expressed an interest in scripting a film based on the novel. Anurag had reportedly told Tigmanshu that he wanted to co-produce the film with him.

Huma Qureshi later revealed in an interview to Mirror (Oct. 18, 2014) that Tigmanshu had sounded her out at Ekta Kapoor's party for the central role. "Then both Anurag and Tishu called me to say they wanted me to play this intelligent, glamorous gangster in a thriller spread across continents. How could I say no to the dream team?" she had said.

Tigmanshu didn't want to comment on his partnership with Anurag or the casting. "We are yet to finalise the formalities. All I can say is that my company is working on the script and the film should roll by the year end or early next year," he informed.

Madam X is Rachana, a small town girl from Madhya Pradesh who joins the police. "Then, from the arms of an Indore cop, comes to Mumbai, becomes a receptionist, model, call girl, B-grade heroine and finally joins the underworld when her lover leaves her penniless. "It's a gripping novel and gives us great insights into the activities of the underworld which were at the peak in the nineties," says Tigmanshu.