'The Tashkent Files', which features Naseeruddin Shah, Pankaj Tripathi, Mithun Chakraborty, Shweta Basu Prasad and Pallavi Joshi in pivotal roles, was scheduled to hit the theatres this Friday (April 12). However the director of the film Vivek Agnihotri says he has now received a legal notice from former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri's grandsons Vibhakar Shastri and Diwakar Shastri, seeking a stay on its release.
The grandsons have alleged that 'The Tashkent Files' is a propaganda film which makes an "attempt to create unwarranted and unnecessary controversy". However, Vivek feels the notice is politically motivated as the Shastris had apparently appreciated the film earlier.
Read Vivek Agnihotri's full statement, here:
“As you are aware that my film ‘The Tashkent Files’ is releasing on the 12th. Last night we have been served a legal notice seeking to stop the release of the film by the prominent Congress member and also Ex-Secretary of Congress who also happens to be Lal Bahadur Shastri’s grandson and a close aide of the top family. This is despite them seeing the film, appreciating it and expressing their gratitude to me in person in the 7th April in Delhi at PVR.
I have come to know from the horse’s mouth that they have been coerced to do this by the top family. Shastri’s grandsons have been used as scapegoats as the orders are from the top family. I fail to understand why would the top Congress leaders do that? Why would Congress want to stop the movie, shut me up. Why am I being constantly bullied, threatened to release the film? Why are they scared of a movie that raises some questions on a citizen’s #RightToTruth?
This is the first film in the history of Indian cinema which is dedicated to the journalists of India. This is a rare film where a young journalist comes out victor in her crusade to #RightToTruth. I expect our journalists to ask the top family and all concerned why do they want to stop the release of the film? What is making them feel so threatened?"
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