The Tashkent Files to premiere on & pictures on October 2

Endowed with the title of ‘Man of Peace’ and an ardent follower of Mahatma Gandhi – Lal Bahadur Shashtri died of a cardiac arrest in Tashkent after signing the ‘peace treaty with Pakistan’ right after the 1965 war. While this news created an emotion turmoil in the country, it also created a storm of suspicious thoughts which also led to a shut down on information flow regarding the cause of his death or any media reports.

Even till this date, there is no record of any inquiry into the death. Delving into the life and the mysterious circumstances surrounding the mysterious death of our former PM Lal Bahadur Shastri, director Vivek Agnihotri’s ‘The Tashkent Files’ asks pertinent questions that takes upon itself the onus of cracking the mystery that kept the whole nation guessing for decades.

The movie features an ensemble cast including Mithun Chakraborty, Naseerudin Shah, Shweta Basu Prasad, Pallavi Joshi, Pankaj Tripathi and Mandira Bedi who try to arrive at a closure on this seldom addressed topic.

&pictures is all set to air the World Television Premiere of The Tashkent Files on Wednesday, October 2, 12noon.

Agnihotri stated, “The idea of making a film like The Tashkent Files came from a germ of a thought when it dawned on me that our 2 nd prime minister’s death has been an unsolved mystery for the past 50 years. It was a topic that stayed with me for a long time. While I wanted to read about it, I realised there weren't many records which stated the exact happenings. And as a citizen of one of the largest democracies, I had the right to know the truth. So I spoke to people who were witnesses to what happened eons ago and relied on what they had to say. The complete process was overwhelming and it eventually led to some startling facts which in the end became the fulcrum of my script. And while the film kept evolving at every stage, it didn’t move away from the core thought and delivered the message it was supposed to.”

Joshi added, “The Tashkent Files is a movie that commemorates Lal Bahadur Shastri and highlights his doings for our nation. While we have always celebrated the contribution of Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru, we tend to overlook the importance of people like Shastri, Lokmanya Tilak, and many others who spent their lives working for our motherland. With the world television premiere on his birthday, I hope the audience watches the film and learns of his greatness.”

Elaborating on her role in the movie, Prasad said, “I was very intrigued with the plot in the first go itself, as it is a very unique concept of probing into a murder mystery or a conspiracy theory. While we have heard of biopics or period dramas, ‘The Tashkent Files’ is a film that is based on investigating the life of our former prime minster; a matter that took place almost 53 years ago. When I was offered the role of Ragini Phule, I took it up instantly as it was a chance to not only represent the fourth estate of the Indian Democracy, that is the media, but also represent the voice of the youth of our nation. The same voice that doesn’t hesitate from raising questions and letting anything deter them from wanting to know the truth. This is a topic less spoken about and with the movie premiering on &pictures, I am hoping that those who missed it in the theatres will watch the world television premiere.”