Shreyas Talpade and Kajal Aggarwal’s ‘The India Story’ Hit with Legal Notice Over Farming Controversy
Bollywood is facing a legal challenge as a notice has been issued to Zee Studios and the makers of the upcoming film The India Story: Slow Poison In Progress. The notice, sent on June 15 by advocate Hiranya Pandey on behalf of Bhavesh Sodha, raises significant concerns regarding the film’s teaser and promotional materials. It alleges that the content contains misleading and defamatory claims about Indian agriculture, the dairy sector, and poultry farming, which could potentially harm the reputation of these industries.
Legal Concerns Over Misleading Claims
The 18-page legal notice argues that the film presents India’s farming ecosystem as a source of “slow poison,” exaggerating issues related to pesticide usage, food adulteration, and cancer statistics. According to the complainant, these portrayals unfairly damage the reputation of millions of Indian farmers, dairy producers, poultry businesses, and agro-input suppliers while instilling unnecessary fear among the public.
Specific claims in the teaser are being challenged. The notice disputes the suggestion that India excessively uses pesticides, stating that the country’s pesticide usage per hectare is significantly lower than that of many other nations. It also contests the film’s assertion that a majority of milk in India is adulterated. Furthermore, the notice objects to a scene depicting a syringe being injected into a dead chicken carcass, labeling the visual as scientifically impossible and misleading. The complainant emphasizes that any claims linking agricultural practices to rising cancer cases must be backed by robust scientific evidence.
Demands for Transparency and Action
The legal notice demands that the filmmakers disclose the source material, methodology, and scientific basis for every major statistic and visual used in the film. It calls for the immediate removal of the teaser and all related promotional content from digital platforms. Additionally, it seeks substantial corrections to the film before any public release.
A copy of the notice has also been sent to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). The complainant has urged the Board not to grant certification to the film or to review and withdraw the certificate if it has already been issued, until the allegedly misleading content is removed and adequately substantiated.
The filmmakers have been given seven days to comply with these demands. If they fail to do so, the complainant has warned of civil and criminal proceedings, including the possibility of approaching the High Court for an interim injunction to restrain the release of The India Story: Slow Poison In Progress.
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