Vivek Agnihotri’s The Vaccine War finds its lead in Nana Patekar, shoot underway in Lucknow: report

Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri has been busy shooting his upcoming film The Vaccine War over the last few weeks.And while he has spoken about the film’s concept, the director has been mum about the cast of the film. Now, a new report claims that the film stars Nana Patekar, who has already begun filming it in Lucknow.

The Vaccine War is based on Indian scientists’ efforts to develop a vaccine against the Covid-19 pandemic. As per the film’s official synopsis, it is based on true events as is based ‘on the people who have sacrificed their day and night for over two years to develop the most effective vaccine in the world’.

An article in Bollywood Hungama quotes a source close to the film as saying, “The Vaccine War stars Nana Patekar in the lead. He has a very important and well-fleshed-out character. Nana sir is putting his heart and soul into playing his character and he’s happy shooting for the film.”

The report also says that the filming is on in Lucknow and other cast members include Pallavi Joshi, Divya Seth, and Gopal Singh. “Apart from Nana Patekar, The Vaccine War also stars Vivek Agnihotri’s wife Pallavi Joshi, who’ll be back on the big screen after her dynamic performance in The Kashmir Files. Gopal Singh, who recently played a significant role in Madhur Bhandarkar’s India Lockdown (2022) and veteran actress Divya Seth are also a part of the cast of the film. The movie is currently being shot in Lucknow,” the source is quoted as saying.

So far, the film’s makers have anot announced the cast. As per tem, the film stars ‘a prominent cast’ but the director has chosen to keep their names a secret. Vivek Agnihotri keeps sharing BTS visuals from the shoot but has not shown any person except himself so far. The Vaccine War is slated to be released in theatres on August 15, 2023.