Sriram Raghavan mentored Matchbox Shots, the makers of Andhadhun, Monica O My Darling and Scoop, have acquired the rights to Who Killed Moosewala? The Spiralling Story of Violence in Punjab, a book written by Jupinderjit Singh. The book is a crime reporter’s account of the singer’s killing against the backdrop of an intricate web of violence in Punjab. It takes us through his life with some glimpses narrated by his friends, teachers and parents.

The story will not be just about Sidhu’s killing, but the impact of drugs and the violence stemming from gangsters’ growing power in the Punjabi film and music industry. The narrative is more than just a mystery; it paints a comprehensive picture of the dark underbelly of an industry often glamorized, but rarely understood.

The film will take us through the journey of Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu and how he became Sidhu Moose Wala, one of the most-loved international Punjabi artistes of this era and a key figure for other mainstream Punjabi artistes. His lyrics and themes were often seen as controversial, but they largely resonated with the youth around the world.

Talking about his book being adapted into a film, author Jupinderjit Singh said, “From the time the book was published, there has been a lot of interest from various production houses. I was really impressed with the kind of content Matchbox Shots is producing, and I’m thrilled that they’ve acquired the rights to the book to develop it further.”

Producer Sarita Patil of Matchbox Shots says, “We have always found the macabre relationship between the music industry and gang wars in Punjab extremely intriguing. With Jupinderjit’s book Who Killed Moosewala?, we know we have a strong backbone for our story. Dikssha Jyote Routray from Matchbox will take this project forward, and we will collaborate with the best our industry has to offer to do justice to this story.”