First-look poster of Vivek Agnihotri's 'The Vaccine War' unveiled
What's the story
Ahead of its release on September 28, director Vivek Agnihotri has unveiled the first-look poster of his upcoming film, The Vaccine War.
Starring Anupam Kher, Nana Patekar, and Pallavi Joshi, among others, it will reportedly be released in 11 languages, including Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, and Kannada.
Previously, The Vaccine War was slated for a theatrical release on Independence Day but was later pushed.
Context
Why does this story matter?
Agnihotri is coming off the heels of the success of The Kashmir Files (2022), based on the genocide of Kashmiri Pandits in the 1990s.
The film divided the critics but won applause from the audience, eventually winning the National Film Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration and Best Supporting Actress (Joshi).
The Vaccine War is now expected to replicate that success, too.
Poster
Did you check out the poster yet?
Unveiling the poster on X, Agnihotri wrote, "The first look of India's first ever bio-science film #TheVaccineWar."
The poster features the ensemble cast, which, apart from the aforementioned names, also includes Sapthami Gowda, Raima Sen, Girija Oak, Nivedita Bhattacharya, and Mohan Kapur. We also see another character in a PPE suit.
Notably, the film is set against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic.
About the film
What 'The Vaccine War' is all about
Agnihotri earlier mentioned the film is "an incredible true story of a war that you didn't know India fought" and "won with its science, courage & great Indian values."
It is produced by Joshi and Abhishek Agarwal Arts.
Recently, R Madhavan praised the film, "Take a huge bow team #TheVaccineWar.. the Indian scientific community owes your debt of gratitude as we to them (sic)."
Source
Venture draws inspiration from book
Speaking to Hindustan Times earlier, Agnihotri had revealed his vision for the film.
"I've read the ICMR director general's book (Balram Bhargava's Going Viral- Making of COVAXIN: The Inside Story) that showcased how Indian scientists [mostly women] tirelessly made a COVID-19 vaccine," he had said
Through the film, Agnihotri will shed light on this "lesser-known" story.