Bokadia, known for decades of work behind films like Aaj Ka Arjun, Insaniyat Ke Devta and Laal Baadshah, returned to filmmaking with Teesri Begum after a seven-year gap. The story follows Pooja, a woman who marries a man named Babban Khan after falling for his manipulations, converting her religion and taking the name Naghma in the process — only to later discover he already has two other wives. Zarina Wahab, Mugdha Godse and Kainaat Arora star in the film, which Bokadia has described as being based on a true incident.

The road to release wasn't smooth. Before its theatrical debut, the film ran into trouble with the Censor Board over a scene in which Babban Khan's character says "Jai Shri Ram." The board ordered the scene removed, and Bokadia initially pushed back, challenging the directive in the Bombay High Court and stating he had no intention of cutting the scene or its dialogue regardless of the cost. He eventually reversed course, removing the scene, after which the film received certification and was cleared for theatrical release.

Despite the legal battle generating attention, Teesri Begum didn't translate that into box office success, and the film underperformed in cinemas. Its move to OTT roughly two months after the theatrical run gives it a second shot at reaching an audience — one Bokadia has said he hopes will include a wide cross-section of women viewers, given the film's focus on themes of self-respect and social awareness around marriage and exploitation.

Bokadia's filmography spans roughly six decades and around 60 films, including hits like Teri Meherbaniyan, Pyaar Jhukta Nahin and Naseeb Apna Apna, along with collaborations across generations of Bollywood stars, including Amitabh Bachchan and multiple films with Rajinikanth. Teesri Begum marks one of his more overtly issue-driven projects in recent years, continuing a career built partly around socially themed dramas.

The film streams on WAVES OTT starting July 18.