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This film is dedicated to all the scientists
who have worked to save humanity.
Specially, the women scientists of India.

[Ambulance siren]

Stop the bike!

- Don't come any closer, dude!
- Stop it.

- I said don't come any closer!
- I'm saying...

Stop, you bloody... stop!

Don't let him slip away.

Stop! Stop!

Stop I say!

Stop! Stop! Stop!

I'm on emergency duty.

The whole world is in an emergency.
Turn around.

I'm on government duty.
Look.

What's your job?

I'm a scientist.

Rocket scientist?

- I'm a virologist.
- What?

I'm a virologist.

What kind of science is that?

You know corona, the virus?

We're the ones trying to find its cure.

He's making a fool out of us.

- What are you doing?
- Get off the bike.

Get off it!

Go and sit on your heels over there. Move!

- You can't misbehave with me like that.
- Go and squat like a chicken!

Do it now!
Didn't you hear me?

Do it!

Do it now!

Listen man, I'll do it.

Why are you getting so angry?

Squat like a chicken!

Squat!

Let's go!

You cannot leave home means
you cannot leave home!

Why don't you guys get it!

We're all going to die.

Wait and watch...

We're all going to die.

A True Story

I
Patient Zero

Good Morning,
friends, how are you doing?

I'm Sharath from Fever FM.

Wishing you a very happy new year.

I hope you had a blast
at the party last night.

Partying in the Delhi winter
Is another experience altogether.

We'll talk more on that later,

But first, let's see what's in store
for the country this year.

Happy New Year, sir.

India is going to be the IT Hub this year.

We're already the fastest-growing economy.

And we're going to be
self-reliant in defense too.

This year, we're going
to leave everyone else

Behind in one thing,

Population.

Yes, you heard me right.

It's possible that our population might
hit 1.4 billion this year,

Sir, happy new year.

- Happy new year, sir.
- Hmm.

The Health Ministry called.

They want to talk to you right away.

- Put me through.
- Yes, sir.

Hello?

Okay, sir.

Tell Nivedita to come in.

She's taken the day off, sir.

Doesn't matter. Call her.

Yes, sir.

Enna...

Yes, sir?

- Happy Birthday.
- Sir?

Happy New Year.

Thank you, sir. Same to you.

Hmm.

I was on leave today sir,
I had told you about it...

Correct.

Nivedita, there's been a sudden increase

in pneumonia cases in China.

Sit.

They're saying it may
or may not be pneumonia.

They're claiming it's some unknown virus

that started at Wuhan's seafood market.

They discover lots
of such viruses in China.

What do you expect?
They eat too many wild animals.

What's weird is that the authorities

shut down the Wuhan market indefinitely.

If the first case was found in the Wuhan
seafood market on December 1st,

it means the person was infected
before that, in November.

That means the virus came

to the market from somewhere else

before it spread there.

There's another important
Question,

If the first case was
found on December 1st,

why was this fact kept hidden
from the world for 4 weeks?

And let's not forget that China's
BSL4 lab is in Wuhan.

You think it's a lab leak?

Our Health Ministry has organized
a conference for a briefing,

and some representatives from
the WHO will be there too.

You should represent ICMR.

Okay.
When do I need to be there?

At 10:00.

It's already 11:30, sir.

Not today, on the 7th.

January 7th, 2020.

- Sir, I dropped everything and--
- Huh?

I was on leave today, sir.
I thought this was something urgent.

You could have told me all
of this over the phone.

You are right.

By the way, Happy New Year.

Happy New Year.

[Music Playing]

On the 3rd of January,
44 cases were reported

to the WHO by Chinese
national authorities.

The statistics is alarming

and a matter of concern
for the World Health Organization.

What does your China Office
have to say about this?

It is very likely that the virus
spread from bats.

Sir, I have been to the Wuhan
seafood market.

They don't sell bats there.

- Excuse me?
- They don't sell bats there.

Maybe it came from bat
to another animal

and from that animal to human.

Has anyone from the WHO China Office

inspected the wet market?

- No.
- Have they inspected the P4 lab?

No, why would they visit the lab?

Is there a remote possibility
of a virus leak from Wuhan's P4 lab?

No, no way.

How can you say with confidence that

this is neither human-to-human
nor a lab leak?

That's what Chinese Officials reported
to our office.

You mean the People's Liberation Army?

This raises serious security concerns.

I propose that we form a committee

- that will look into the various aspects...
- Look into what, sir?

Something we don't even
have proper information about?

Shouldn't WHO be responsible
for providing

us with evidence-based
scientific information?

Unless, of course, they have some special
understanding with China.

What are you hinting at, Ms. Gupta?

Dr. Gupta.

Let me ask you straight, Dr. Gupta.

If this virus spreads

and reaches India,

does ICMR have the capacity to handle it?

Sir, the Indian Council
of Medical Research

is one of the oldest vaccine research
agencies in the world.

Our accomplishments don't get
as much attention because we're

Not sending rockets to Mars with their
tails on fire.

If there's any institution in India
capable of fighting this unknown virus,

it's ICMR.

INDIAN COUNCIL OF MEDICAL RESEARCH

Today, WHO shared the genome sequence
of the virus found in Wuhan, China.

With the world's top research agencies.

This will allow scientists around the world to
Make diagnostic kits for the virus.

Nivedita ma'am,
could you come here, please?

Have a look at this.

Sir, this is the genome
we have received from China.

It's surrounded by a protective membrane,
a protein Capsid.

This is not Pneumonia, sir.

It is not a DNA virus either.

It's a Ribonucleic acid virus,
just like SARS.

It'll spread quickly and mutate too.

Thank God, we still don't have
any cases of it in India.

We don't have any yet.

Call Priya Abraham at NIV.

Yes, Nivi ma'am?

Connect us to Dr. Priya.
DG sir would like to talk to her.

Okay, I'm on it.

Give me a minute, sir.

[Foot step]

I think May is perfect for the wedding.

Nah, nah Feb is too early.

I have just joined two months ago.

I can try March.

Check for the availability
of Vellore Army Club.

I've heard their AC is very strong.

Ma'am, a call from Delhi.

Listen, I have to go.

But I am coming to Vellore
on the 27th for three days.

And Merin,
I have to check your wedding gown also.

- Bye, dear.
- Okay, bye.

Bye, Merin.

See you.

DG sir.

Oh.

Good morning, sir.

I am sorry, I was talking
to my family on the other line.

Actually, my son's about
to get married...

That's nice. Great. Congrats.

Dr. Priya, can you check
your email real quick?

That is the sequence
of the novel Coronavirus.

I have a bad feeling about this.

I think NIV should start making
its diagnostic kits right away.

Okay, sir.

Give us some time.

This is not the time for some time.

I want it right now.

- And by right now, I mean...
- Right now, sir.

Hello?

Is DG sir always in such a rush?

We have to let the BSL4 lab know.

Order primers and probes for testing
this new strain of the virus.

Immediately.

Sir.

Sir, we sent out an advisory
to all hospitals and medical centers

that any suspected case should
be sent to NIV, Pune.

- Okay.
- Dr. Bhargava?

Sorry.

Yes, Dr. Ganga?

Anything important?

Yes, sir.

Dr. Nivedita?

Sir, the health officials
in Wuhan concluded that

this virus came from
the Wuhan seafood market.

And one of their criteria
for diagnosing the virus is that

the person should have visited
the seafood market in Wuhan.

So if someone has a fever

and their genome sequence
matches perfectly,

but they haven't been
to the seafood market,

then they wouldn't be considered infected.

And what's the problem with that?

Dr. Bhargava, out of the 41 cases
that the WHO reported,

14 had nothing to do with
the Wuhan seafood market.

A few days later,

the Science Journal
published a report saying,

"The Wuhan Seafood market
may not be the source

for this virus spreading globally."

After that, the Lancet published a report

about the first patient they found
on December 1st,

and how he had nothing
to do with the seafood market.

I suspected this from the beginning.

Something about this seems off.

On January 7th,

the National Institute of Communicable
Disease Control issued a report,

which was published
by the Nature Journal.

That report clearly says

that the Wuhan Coronavirus matches
perfectly with two old viruses!

Are you trying to explain it to me
or scold me?

Virus SL-CoVZC45

and virus SL-CoVZXC21.

Okay.

Both of these viruses were found
in bats in Zhoushan.

Guess who found them?

The Nanjing Military Research Institute
of the People's Liberation Army.

Think about it, sir.

Why a military research institute?

And what do these similarities suggest?

Does it mean that this virus was created
in the Wuhan lab through

- a reverse engineering process?
- We can't say anything for sure until

- we have evidence.
- One minute, sir.

If this hypothesis is wrong,

then why did the DG of the Institute
of Virology

send an email on January 2nd
to their internal staff

instructing them not to share any
information or data about this virus

with anyone else?

And, sir,
"It was prohibited with immediate effect."

What does the Chinese Communist Party
want to keep hidden from the world?

Sir, what if this is a cover-up
of the original source?

Original source?

Is this virus a natural mutation?

Or was it created in a lab
through reverse engineering?

[sighs]

I don't know if this virus
is a natural mutation

or a result of reverse engineering.

What's bothering me is

why the scientific community in China

is not saying anything...

The Indian government made
a big decision today.

Everyone flying in from Wuhan will have
to go through thermal screening.

[Door open]

So, the first suspected case
has taken a flight

from Wuhan, China,
and landed at Kolkata.

From Kolkata,

she took a train and reached Bengaluru.

From Bengaluru,
through some local transport

she reached Thrissur, Kerala.

There she developed
cold and cough symptoms

and reported the same
at a local medical center.

We have received her samples,

now they are with our NIV facility, Pune.

Let's make BSL2 - Team One

and BSL4 - Team Two.

Until both the teams'
results don't match 100%,

we'll not conclude anything.
Okay?

- Ma'am?
- Yes, Sree?

The Kerala samples have been secured.

- Have they been checked properly?
- Yes, ma'am.

The cold chain was maintained
and there were no leaks.

There is a throat swab sample too.

- What was the volume?
- 2ml, ma'am.

Make 4 aliquots, okay?

Send one for PCR, one for isolation,
one for sequencing,

and save one for our balance stock.

And Sree, please work
on these samples immediately.

I need the results ASAP.

What happened?

Nothing, ma'am. Just praying.

This is the first time I'm wishing
for negative results.

Get going.

[machine thudding]

What is the viral load?

It's quite high, ma'am.

And have you sent the samples
for sequencing?

Yes, ma'am.

Has anyone checked the clinical history
of the patient?

What's the PID?

Ma'am, Dr. Pragya will update you.

So all the test controls
are working properly?

Yes, ma'am.

And Team One,
Team Two results are the same?

Yes.

And is it matching
with the Wuhan isolate?

Yes, ma'am. I'll show you

the real-time PCR amplification
plots of the sample.

Also, I have the results
of the whole genome sequencing.

We have 99.99% genome recovery.

And it is matching 99.98%
with the Wuhan isolate.

Ma'am, we also have the electron
microscopy images.

Here.

[Heavy breathing]

This is such a beautiful virus.

It's so royal.

No, really.
Look at the crown on its head,

it's so majestic.

[Heavy breathing]

We got you now,
Your Majesty Corona.

So girls,

it is indeed severe acute respiratory
syndrome coronavirus 2.

Good job, everyone.

Pragya.

[Clapping]

What is a scientific achievement for us

is bad news for the world.

We, virologists, are bad news
messengers for the world.

[Telephone Ringing]

Hello sir.

Dr. Bhargava.

Sir, we have got our first case.

I'll inform the PM.

In the meantime,
you create a WhatsApp group.

Sir, I don't have WhatsApp.

The whole world's dealing with a crisis
and you don't have WhatsApp?

Are you serious?

I'm declaring a public emergency
of international concern

over the global outbreak
of novel coronavirus.

Hey, focus on your food,
not your phone.

Okay, tell me, what phone
is good enough to run WhatsApp?

Add some ghee to this dish.

You got to be smart to be a scientist.

Ghee has its benefits.

iPhone.

Suggest something cheaper.

You've become a big-shot
Director General,

but you're still a miser.

For God's sake, you still keep
patching up your old suits.

Just because someone has
minimal needs and avoids wasting

doesn't make them a miser.

Why are you using a spoon to eat?

Use your hands.

Warm fingertips make you hungry
and enhance the taste of food.

Give it a try.

The elders were right,

- "Simple living...
- High thinking.

What's the difference between iOS
and Android anyway?

Not much,
except for their configuration,

- pixel quality, and power backup.
- Fine.

Keep on eating.

The Prime Minister of India ordered

- to bring back all Indians
- Go on.

staying abroad through
the Vande Bharat program.

The Pakistan Government asked
its students in China to stay in Wuhan

because they can't handle
the Coronavirus.

WHO announced that the International
Committee on Taxonomy

has named the virus as SARS-CoV-2

and the disease caused by the
coronavirus would be named

COVID-19.

Ma'am, India is ranked 57th
on the health index.

Even behind Indonesia.

You mean at the bottom.

What about other data?

Ma'am, according
to Government of India,

there are only 8 doctors
for every 10,000 people.

ICU beds?

We have 6 ICU beds
for every 100,000 people.

This is how we will become a vishwaguru.

PPE kits?

Ma'am, India doesn't
manufacture any PPE kits.

And as per the Government of India,

we have only imported 275,000 PPE kits.

Ma'am, we don't produce masks either.

And as of now,
we only have 335,000 N95 masks.

Ventilators?

There's an acute short
supply of ventilators.

We have a total of 48,000 ventilators...

across the country.

A country set to become
a 5 trillion economy

is on track to becoming
the world's largest graveyard.

We are a dead country.

Can I have a moment with her, please?

Thank you.

Have you lost your mind, Rohini?

How can you say this?

Why don't you talk about China
and this virus's origin?

Because you know we can't.

Oh, so now you are saying
that India can't do it?

How can we say that?

Because it is a fact.

No, it is your opinion.

Okay, so we'll just say
experts believe India can't do it.

But we have spoken
to any experts about this.

Doesn't matter.

This is what they will say.

India can't do it.

Trust me.

You're a science editor,
not a political editor.

Everything is politics, boss.

Including science.

Vaishali, are you sure this is vegan?

Yes, ma'am.

Rohini, what if you're wrong?

I'm ready to go live.

Good morning, Ladies and Gentlemen.
I'm Rohini Singh Dhulia.

Welcome to my show.

So, officially, there's only one
active case in India.

But do we really have just one?

How can we be sure?

When we don't even have labs
To test the coronavirus.

I know you all have the same question
in your hearts and minds.

Is India's medical infrastructure

capable of saving the lives
of 1.3 billion people?

According to the experts,

there's only one answer.

No, India can't do it.

This is Rohini Singh Dhulia signing off.

Good night. Sleep well.

How do we handle this?

Like a war.

"India can't do it"

If someone is not against India
Then why would they say this,

especially during an epidemic?

"India can't do it"

The greatest threat to India
comes from its own people.

We have no one else but ourselves
to blame for 1000 years of slavery, right?

Dr. Bhargava, I have to say this again.

This is a kind of bio-economic war,

Where they are infecting humans
to make a vaccine

and control the world's economy.

Just think about it.

Who's going to be their biggest market
if they make that vaccine?

India!

But the question is,

"India can't do it"?
who's spreading this narrative

And why?

Because they want to strip us
of our confidence

and make us beg
other countries for help.

Now, we have to decide

India can't do it

or India can do it?

I have decided

We are going to make our own vaccine.

A vaccine that is Made in India.

No matter how many sacrifices
and hardships we have to face for it.

We aren't ready to make a vaccine.

We don't have the resources
or the experience.

We should focus
on an antiviral drug instead.

China and America have already
started working on a vaccine.

I think India should do the same.

No, Pragya, I don't agree with you.

We shouldn't just follow what China
or other countries are doing,

or treat this like a some war
and develop a vaccine.

We need to make a vaccine because as
scientists it is our national duty.

A vaccine takes 10-15 years to develop.

The actual process
only takes 12-18 months.

We waste 8-10 years
dealing with permissions,

approvals protocols... the red tapism.

Even if we get rid of the red tapism.

it'll still take at least 2 years.

And by then, we'll be too late.

Two years?

Why two years if we are doing it
on a war footing?

Should we follow the process

or should we make the process
to match the war?

Why can't it be ready by December?

It's impossible.

Doctor, there are two kinds
of people in this world.

Those who see the height
of Mount Everest

and think it's impossible to climb.

And those

who say let's at least
take the first step.

I'm the second kind.

We are going to make a vaccine,

and we are going to do it fast.

Now, the question is,
what kind of vaccine do we make?

Sir, everyone in the world...

is working on mRNA vaccines.

Like Pfizer, Moderna...

But there's a problem, sir.

mRNA isn't as stable as DNA.

And this can prove to be risky.

But sir, there are still global
concerns about DNA vaccines.

We don't even have permission
to give them to kids.

But I...

What do you think, sir?

My philosophy is to keep it simple.

Do what you know best.

We should make a "killed virus" vaccine.

A "killed virus" vaccine.

That's a smart idea, sir.

And they don't even need to be kept at
-70 degrees like those mRNA vaccines, sir.

So they are very good for India.

We are going to keep this under wraps
until we have our own vaccine.

It's going to be a top-secret project

for national security purposes.

Our motto is -

under promise, over deliver.

Okay then, Doctor,

since we've decided to make a vaccine,

we should collaborate
with Bharat Biotech.

I already spoke to Mr. Krishna Ella,
and he's interested.

You have spoken to Krishna Ella?

Why didn't you tell us?

I do not report to you, Dr. Priya.

Doc, this is unacceptable.
We should be working as a team, sir.

Dr. Priya, this collaboration could result
in a unique partnership

between the government
and the industry,

and perhaps pave the way
for a new self-reliant India.

Since you have already
spoken to Bharat Biotech,

get a MoU ready.

Wait...

Before you leave,

I want you all to read this statement:
"India can't do it."

Write it on your phone, your diary,

your bathroom wall,
everywhere you can.

It's going to remind you all that
we have to win this war.

From now on, our motto is going to be

"India can do it."

We have no choice but to win this war.

If we are going to die,
we are going to die fighting.

We are going to die self-reliant.

Are you ready for this war?

- Sir.
- Yes, sir.

That's great.

III
The Battle of Iran

This week we saw the
satellite images emerge

of what appears to be
a graveyard in the city of Qom.

Now these satellite images
show this vast graveyard

expanding significantly since...

If these satellite images of
this mass graveyard are real,

then we've got a huge
problem ahead of us.

Dr. Bhargava,
there's a city near Tehran,

the capital of Iran, called Qom.

About 1100 people from
Kargil went there for Haj

and now they're stuck over there.

Don't people go to Mecca for Haj?

No, Sunnis go to Mecca.

Shias go to Qom.

Besides that, there are around
6000 Indians living in Iran.

If ICMR could set up a lab over there,

things would be easier
for the evacuation...

Establishing a lab is not a joke.

We don't have the time
or the experience for that.

Dr. Bhargava,

we have Indians residing
in five cities in Iran.

You need to send five teams

and establish testing labs there.

Iran is a very complex
and sensitive country.

We have to be really careful

and smart about testing
those 6000 Indians

and bringing them back.

Can ICMR do that?

Well, if we got to do it
We got to do it.

No, ma'am.

I won't go to Iran.

But why, Dr. Marudhar?

No ma'am, not Iran.

I am ready to go anywhere else
but Iran.

Dr. Parmesh?

No, ma'am.

No, ma'am.

- What's wrong with all of you?
- Ma'am...

I'm ready to go to Iran.

Reema, you can't go.

Sit.

Sit down, sit down.

Ma'am, I'm ready to go.

Ma'am, I'll go.

Ma'am, I'll go.

Ma'am, I'm ready to go.

Ma'am, I'll go.

Ma'am, I'll go.

No, this can't happen.

No sir, I don't think we should
be sending women over there.

It's Iran, sir.

I don't differentiate,

we're all scientists here.

But they do, sir.

No matter how idealistic we become,

we can't ignore some social realities.

Listen, we've received
orders straight from the PMO.

If they say we have to go,
then we have to go.

Excuse me, sir,

He doesn't understand
the challenges women face.

We're scientists, not soldiers, sir.

In fact, even the military doesn't send
women to dangerous zones, you know?

Well then, send the men instead.

The majority of the
staff at NIV are women, sir.

There are hardly any men around here.

And the men we do have...

they're kids, sir.

What do I tell their families
if something happens to them over there?

Look, Dr. Priya,

you have three options.

Option One: Send your team there.

Option Two: Write a letter
to the cabinet secretary

refusing to send a team.

Option Three:

Well, there is no third option.

DG sir isn't a fan of AC.

He wants you to feel the heat.

Then let's call for a heater.

- Coffee is far superior.
- Dr. Priya, you're fired.

Hi, sir.

Sorry, sir?

You're fired.

You actually wrote a letter
to the Cabinet Secretary?

Yes, sir.
You told me to.

He said you're fired.
Fired!

Don't be a quitter.

Sit down.

- Sir, you just said I'm fired.
- Sit down.

You think we're planning a wedding here?

If there is a fire
in the house do we argue

Who will get the water,
man or woman?

This is war!

And we're all soldiers.

Sit down.

What's a soldier's number one duty?

To protect their people.

What's the worst that
could happen in Iran?

We'll die, right?

So are we going abandon 6000 Indians
abroad just to save our own lives?

Is that what soldiers
are supposed to do?

A soldier's supposed to take commands.

Whose commands?

His general's commands.

And who's your general?

Look at me, everybody.

If anyone has doubts,

you can bail right now.

Starting today, we have to stay focused
on the eye of the fish, just like Arjun.

Only the eye of the fish.

And in this war,
the eye of the fish for us

is to protect our people.

And that's only possible if you have
conviction and commitment.

It doesn't matter
if you're a man or a woman.

Is that clear?

Is that clear?

Have your coffee.

I'm sorry.

Don't worry, I'll set up a team.

There's just one thing
I don't understand.

What is...

What's the story of the fish's eyes?

Ma'am, should we just take
a U-turn and ask sir?

We have no option but
to postpone the wedding.

I'm going crazy with all this Iran thing.

I'm handling packaging, bookings,

visas, passports, and all that.

You're doing all that?

Who else will do it?

Priya, are you the Director of NIV
or an operations manager?

Honestly, a slave.

Okay, bye. I'll call you later.

Make sure that everything
is absolutely perfect, okay?

Varsha.

- Yeah, ma'am?
- Everything going fine?

- Yes, ma'am. Yes, ma'am. All okay.
- You guys are packing everything up, right?

- Yes, yes, yes.
- Did you guys eat dinner?

Okay.

Sadanand, let me know
if anyone wants some tea.

- Okay, ma'am.
- Take care.

- Check these, please.
- Okay.

Hey, what are you doing?

You know it's illegal
to bring children here, right?

This is a bio-secure zone.

Yeah, ma'am, I know.

But we must finish the packing.

And I can't leave her at home.

She's too young.

I'm a single mother.
I have to breastfeed her.

So, I brought her along.

[Baby Crying]

What's her name?

Aasha.

Aasha.

Nice name.

Why don't you let me
take care of Aasha?

I'll look after her.

Come over to my place
when it's time to feed her.

Okay.

Come here, my baby.

Don't worry, I'll look after her.

[Mobile Ringtone]

Hi, Nivi.

Dr. Priya, our scientists headed to Iran

had a ton of extra baggage

but couldn't afford to pay for it,

so they missed their flight.

What?

[Telephone Ringing]

Hello, sir?

Yes, I heard what happened.

Why didn't anybody go
with them to the airport?

Sir, our things were going
there on four different flights.

Everyone was busy packing.

Your scientists didn't
even have a hundred thousand rupees?

Not my scientists, sir,

India's scientists.

The Indian Air Force plane
That took off from Tehran

Carried swab samples of Indians
Stuck in Iran.

These will be tested
in the labs for Coronavirus.

All the citizens with negative reports
Will be evacuated

And flown back home to India.

Who would have thought we'd not only be able
to test them without any prior experience

but also evacuate them?

Yes.
Mission accomplished, finally.

Yes, finally!

Three cheers for Team ICMR!

Three cheers!

This is a really small victory.

We still have a real battle ahead of us.

Go home and get some rest.

Spend some time with
your family for a change,

before your kids forget
what your faces.

For a change!

Did you say something?

Me, sir? Nope.

Okay, bye.

People thank cricketers
even if they draw a match.

They cheer them.

Just get used to it, Priya ma'am.

Of course, of course.

Whether anyone says thanks or not

we will continue to care as mothers.

- Good night, girls.
- Good night.

[Door opens]

A remarkable moment in Indian history
occurred as scientists from India

opened their first-ever lab outside
the country, situated in a war-torn area.

They successfully conducted tests
on more than 6000 individuals,

making a noteworthy contribution.

Hello friends, I am Rohini Singh Dhulia

Welcome to my show.

Today, Johns Hopkins University
in America

put out a report saying that by July,

somewhere between 250-400 million people
in India will be infected with corona.

400 million.

All the top research agencies from around
the world are worried about India,

but our own research agency,

the Indian Council of Medical Research,
seems to be asleep.

Because, the Government has locked up
the science department,

probably because they're more focused
on winning the elections.

Meanwhile, it's the regular folks,
who are really worried,

as they don't have access to proper
medical facilities or any hope.

This is Rohini Singh Dhulia signing off.

Good night and sleep well.

[Door opens]

Nivedita.

Sir.

- Are you okay?
- Okay.

[Heavy breathing]

Hey Nivedita,

we totally forgot something after
the evacuation in Iran.

How are we going to figure out
a diagnosis without the virus?

We will need to isolate the coronavirus.

- You mean we grow our own virus?
- Yes.

Set up a protocol and ask NIV
to start the process.

Okay, sir.

Good night.

Where are you going?

Sir, you just told us to go home
for a change, remember?

My bad.
Just go and tell them now, right now.

Now?

Yeah, right now.
Please, please.

Please.

Okay, sir.

Wait...

- Sit down. Yeah, sit down.
- Here?

Who is this Rohini Singh Dhulia
from the The Daily Wire?

Where do all these new news channels
keep popping up from, all the time?

They just said that 400 million people in
India are going to get infected by July.

She said her source was some report
from Johns Hopkins University.

Have you come across any such report?

Nope.

Okay. Go.

- Okay, sir.
- Yeah.

[Heavy breathing]

- Sir.
- No, thank you.

- Carry on.
- You sure?

I'm okay.

IV
Isolation

So Team, we will begin
our isolation process now.

As you know these samples
are very delicate.

They were shipped here last night,
so please handle them carefully. Okay?

- Let's begin?
- Yes, ma'am.

All the best.

[Door opens]

[Door closes]

Dr. Anita,

- Have you checked the vero-cell confluency?
- Yes, ma'am.

It's more than 80% confluent,
please check.

[Heavy breathing]

[Mobile Ringtone]

Hi.

Are you going to crash
there again tonight?

- What can I do?
- You know, we have a son, right?

And he looks quite depressed without you.

- Talk to him.
- Where is he?

- Call him.
- Adi.

Hi.

What are you doing?

Nothing.
What about you?

We're actually trying
to isolate the coronavirus.

What is isolate?

Isolate means...

We're separating it so
we can grow it in the lab.

In simple terms, we're going feed it
and make it grow big.

Isn't he dangerous?

It is dangerous. Not a "He".

Viruses don't have a gender.

Then why are we growing it?

We are growing it so we can figure out
what kind of a villain it is.

Then we will know the right
superpowers needed to kill it.

Once we know its strengths
and weaknesses,

we can kill it.

Just like Thanos, you know?
Like this.

But mom, Thanos is very powerful.

Only the Avengers can take him down.

Well then...

guess we'll have to become Avengers.

Mom, are you never
going to come back home?

Okay, good night.

The blame gets further
and further away from China

as opposed to calling
it the Chinese virus.

I can name Kung Flu,

- I can name.
- Nivedita?

- Nivedi--
- Sorry, sir.

No, no, no.
Please, please, please, relax, relax.

You know her?

Yes, sir.
China's Bat-Woman, Shi Zhengli,

Wuhan Lab's Director.

So, this is a fact.

Shi Zhengli brought the coronavirus
from a copper mine

to her P4 Wuhan lab,

where she did her gain
of function research on it.

In 2015, there was a research paper
published by Shi in Nature Medicine.

Here it is.

"Creation of a synthetic virus

or a self-replicating chimeric virus."

Shi even tested it on monkeys

to see how it would infect humans.

This means this virus was made in a lab!

Until yesterday,
all the scientists across the world

Were calling it a lab
leak or a manufactured virus,

but as soon as Trump
called it a Chinese virus,

everyone shut up.

Pretty wild, right?

But that doesn't mean this--

When it comes time to hear the truth,
Everyone fell asleep.

Remember, virus doesn't sleep.

How many samples do we have?

We have three samples, ma'am.

What is CT value?

Sample one has a CT of 26.

Sample two has 27
and Sample three has 29.

Great.

Please handle them very carefully.

It is extremely important
for India to isolate this virus.

Yes, ma'am. I'll do my best.

Thank you.

Hello, Dr. Priya.

Where is the problem?

Well, sir, our virus samples mostly
come from asymptomatic cases,

so they aren't strong enough
to take the load.

Then why don't we reach out
to other countries for samples?

I've already requested all
the international agencies, sir.

They all said no.

Well then,
maybe your specifications were off.

My specifications, sir?

- What about checking with the WHO?
- I already did, sir.

They are showing helplessness.

So we're just going do nothing
because they won't help?

I've been saying since day
one that this is a conspiracy.

We'll deal with the
conspiracy later, Doctor.

Dr. Priya, can we
isolate the virus or not?

Absolutely,
sir, we can if you only listen to me.

The viruses we receive
are stored in the labs

and transported to us at 4 degrees,

so they're weak by the time we get them.

That's why we're having
trouble isolating them.

Dr. Priya,
why do you always focus on the problem?

I want a solution.

Sir, I was just coming
to the solution,

but I have to explain the problem
to you first.

- Sir, can I suggest something?
- Go ahead, Pragya.

If we can get these
samples directly at BSL4,

the viral load will be high,

and we'll be able
to isolate it before it dies.

That's it!
That's the solution, sir.

Dr. Nivedita,
send a circular about this immediately.

Yes, sir.

Thank you.

What's interesting is that
the world is struggling

to find ways to kill this virus,

And we're struggling to keep it alive.

15 Italian tourists who
were quarantined in India

have tested positive for coronavirus.

Their samples are sent over to NIV, Pune.

[Car stops]

Ma'am!

Ma'am!

- Yes, Anita?
- Ma'am, there is some change...

in cell morphology.

Please check.

[Laughs]

Team, we've succeeded
in isolating the virus.

- What?
- Congratulations.

- I think there is a Wi-Fi connection issue.
- Can you hear us? Hello?

We're trying to figure it out.
Check the connection.

Ma'am, sound now.
One second, check.

- Can you check the wires over there?
- I fail to understand modern technology.

Can you hear us?

- Yes, yes. Yes, we can hear you.
- Okay.

Yes, we can hear you.

Where's sir?

Tell me, Dr. Priya,
what's the problem today?

For a change, there is good news, sir.

We have isolated the coronavirus.

- Really?
- Yes!

And with this India is the fifth country
in the world

to isolate the virus successfully.

[Clapping]

Congratulations.

Good job, both of you.

Sir, did you hear that?

Success isn't just about
finding Ravan,

it's about killing him.

Alright, you guys get some rest

and while you're at it, brainstorm on
how to kill Ravan.

Good night.

Amazing.

Sir lacks in the human
relations department.

He'll rarely use words
like sorry and please.

He's not expressive either.

But he's a good man.

I know.

My family is always telling me,

"Mom, you get too emotional."

"Your emotions are written
all over your face."

"You need to be more practical."

That's why I came here,

away from my family,
on a sabbatical.

I thought working a government job
would make me more practical, but...

I've clearly failed.

I'm sorry.

Hey Nivedita, you're still here?

Yeah sir, I stuck around.

We never know when
you might change your mind.

If you talk to the NIV team,

thank them on my behalf, will you?

For doing such an awesome job.

V The Lockdown

In the past two weeks,

the number of cases of COVID-19
outside China has increased 13-fold.

We have therefore made the assessment

that COVID-19 can be characterized
as a pandemic.

Pandemic is not...

[sighs]

You didn't go home?

You didn't go either, sir.

- What is your name?
- Bahadur, sir.

Nice name.

Today, the European Union has gone ahead
and banned international flights and travel.

Today, the Prime Minister has called
for a high-level meeting,

where the Cabinet Secretary
and the topmost scientists of our country

will fill him in on what necessary moves
the Indian government needs to make

in order to keep India safe from COVID.

[Car stops]

[Car Door Opens]

[Car Door Closes]

Are you all ready to brief the PM?

Yes, sir.

Dr. Bhargava.

Look, jargons won't
impress the Prime Minister.

He means business.

He only wants a result-oriented solution.

Okay.

If you'd like to quickly jot down
some key points

on a piece of paper, feel free to do so.

I've already taken care of that.

You have got a lot clarity in your mind.

Just two points?

Yes.

Scientists should always
Have clarity.

First, ban all international flights.

Second,

Impose nationwide lockdown.

You recommended a nationwide lockdown?

Dr. Bhargava, a total lockdown in our
Country is just not feasible.

I totally agree with sir.
Total lockdown is a must.

I also agree with him, Dr. Panda,

but can the government do it?

I mean no one opposed it?

A senior officer was sitting next to me.

Who, sir?

Don't ask his name.

He said all his relatives are in the US.

So we shouldn't ban flights to the US.

[Laughs]

So typical of them.

But what was the final decision, sir?

PM said we can win this
war only through science.

Many people will approach you with
different quick fixes and stuff like that,

but all your decisions should be
based on science.

Don't stray away from science.

The PM actually said that?

Yes.

He said only science must prevail.

Yes.

Amazing.

I have been a scientist for
so many years,

but today, for the first time, I feel that

we too have someone backing us.

Going forward, our mantra will be...

Only science can win this war.

Are we on the same page?

- Yes, sir.
- Yes, sir.

"In the beginning, there was neither
existence nor non-existence."

"Neither galaxies nor any space."

"What was hidden,
where and who hid it?"

"At that time,
there was no definite water mass either."

VI BBV152B

"There was neither death,
nor immortality."

"There was neither night nor day."

"Something was breathing on its own,

but with no one and nothing around ."

No one in the outside world knows
that you caged little thing

are making such a big contribution
in saving humanity.

Come, let's make a great vaccine.

"In the enlightened mind
a seed came to life, "

" Which culminated in reproduction."

"The seers, searching
in their hearts with wisdom,"

We will start with the
Group One animal immunization.

Now we are going
to start the inoculation.

I'm giving the vaccine candidate BBV152B.

Okay ma'am.

Please hold the animal.

Give me one spirit swab.

Okay, I'm going to do the injection.

Okay, we are done.

Okay, load the virus.
We'll do the intranasal.

[Music Playing]

Please put the animal back to the cage.

[water rushing]

[Car Door Opens]

- Hi, Varsha.
- Hello.

- Ma'am!
- Hmm?

- Oh, there she is.
- Hi, ma'am.

Come in, Pragya.

We have good news, ma'am.

The hamsters have produced
a significant amount of antibodies,

neutralizing the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

And has the vaccine cleared the virus
from the lower respiratory tract?

Yes, ma'am.

In fact, it has reduced the viral load
in the upper respiratory tract too.

That's good. Show me.

This is all clear.

And the animal's lungs
are absolutely unaffected.

Exactly.

And which of the three
is the best candidate?

Ma'am, BBV152B.

Just give us one minute.

That's a clear winner.

A champion.

I knew it.

[Mobile Ringtone]

Hi, George.

What happened?

Rohini, the ICMR has completed
small animal trials, successfully.

Now they are starting monkey trials.

So?

So, it means they're very close
to having a vaccine.

How do you know?

The question is how do you not know?

Because no one in this
government talks to journalists.

Look, even if they're
able to make a vaccine,

it's going be an inferior one.

There's no way they have the capacity
to vaccinate 1.3 billion people.

The only thing that can
save India is our vaccine.

So, what do you want me to do?

Create a narrative that
this vaccine is substandard

and make a case for our vaccine.

Check your mail,
I've sent you a toolkit.

It's all in there.

Just follow it.

VII Finding monkeys

[Foot steps]

What's the problem, Dr. Priya?

Sir, we'll have to suspend
non-human primate trials.

We don't have monkeys.

How can you even say that?

Sir, the monkeys we have are old.

They are not fit for the trials.

Then ask BSL3 to send you some.

Sir, we require pathogen-free monkeys.

And none of the agencies have them.

Then get them from China.

Sir, it's strange, but China banned monkey
exports when the pandemic started.

Then get them from the zoos instead.

No, sir, we need Rhesus macaque monkeys.

You can't find those in zoos.

So then go and get them from the jungle!

- The jungle?
- How, sir?

Why? What do you mean?

I mean we have to get a bunch
of permissions for that, sir.

The forest department,
animal ethics committee, CCSEA...

Sir, it takes time
to get these permissions.

If we want to keep going
with the vaccine trials,

we need to get the permissions
at lightning speed.

But this government...

Don't worry about the government,
I'll handle them.

How long will it take?

We just have to go and get them.

So, three-four days?

I'll give you two. Start right away.

- The monkeys you've been looking for
- Yes.

This is where you are going to find them.

You are going to be the
one catching them, right?

I'm a Forest Ranger.

You didn't bring a
monkey catcher with you?

They're fasting for Ramadan.

Then who's going to catch them?

You want to catch monkeys?

They are in the deep forest.

If you are scared of the jungle
how with you find monkeys?

[Screeches]

Scaredy-cat.

- I'll call you back!
- No! No way!

- No, you listen to me.
- Hello?

- They are my scientists. I care for them.
- Yes, yes.

Ma'am.

- DG sir.
- Yeah.

Okay, I'll call you back.

- Hello, sir?
- Dr. Priya, do you even realize

it's been 8 whole days and
you still haven't gotten those monkeys?

Have they gone to catch monkeys
Or a dinosaur?

Sir, I...

I am unable to contact my team.

It seems they are in some
very deep region of the jungle, sir.

Do whatever it takes.

I'm not going to waste my life
just waiting around for some monkeys.

I'm not the one causing
this delay, damn it!

Now does he want me
to turn into a monkey or something?

We are scientists, sir.

It's not our job to catch monkeys,
you know.

We want to get back home.

Our country has high hopes for us.

How are we going

to make that vaccine
without those monkeys?

Take it.

If you don't embrace the jungle,
you will naver find the monkeys.

"How was this nature formed?
What are its origins?

Where was it born?"

"Who really knows?"

"Even the Gods came
after its emergence."

"Who designed the nature?"

"Who really knows the creator?"

Pull your mask up, Krishna.

Good.

- Hello?
- Ma'am, we found the monkeys.

- When!
- This morning.

Oh, that's wonderful!

Yes, I'll inform DG sir.

Bye.

Send Varsha to my office.

[Door opens]

Where were you, Varsha?

A journalist wants to meet you.

Let her go to hell.
Look at this.

How did Ms. Maneka Gandhi and Peta
find out about our monkey trials?

Because Dhulia wrote a
story about our monkey trials.

But how did Dhulia find out about it?

We have published a
paper in the science journal

that we will trial on monkeys.

We as in?

Pragya ma'am.

Who did you say is waiting outside?

Rohini Singh Dhulia
from The Daily Wire.

You have a question for me?

Hi, I am Rohini Singh Dhulia,
Science Editor from the Daily Wire.

I know.

But why are you here?

You know this is not allowed.

Because you don't answer your phone

and this is a matter
of national importance.

Oh.

So, that's why you spread
misinformation like this?

Dr. Abraham, tell me something,

why are you testing
the vaccine on monkeys?

You know it's illegal in India, right?

No, no, no.

That was the earlier protocol.

ICDO came out with these
new worldwide guidelines after COVID,

where they made trials on non-human
primates, like monkeys mandatory.

And we have all the necessary permissions,

if you want Dr. Potdar
can mail them to you.

Why are we even bothering
with these experiments

when other countries already
have world-class vaccines in the works?

You know India has
never made its own vaccine.

Especially not
in such a crisis like this.

So why such a wastage of public funds?

Yeah,

we've always imported vaccine
technology from other countries.

And this is the first
time we're trying it ourselves.

But let me tell you something,

the Hepatitis B vaccine was
available around the world in 1982.

Whereas India...
When did India get it?

2002.

20 years late.

India got the Polio
vaccine after 22 years.

India got the tetanus vaccine
for mass inoculation after 30 years.

Ever since we got independence,

those International Pharma
Lobbies have been arm-twisting.

They kept blackmailing us and
we had no choice but to go along with it.

This is the first time India
is going to make its own vaccine,

is trying to be self-reliant.

Why don't you want that to happen?

It's not about me.

Why don't we just import this technology
from other countries like we usually do?

Just think about it.

It's been 70 years.

Why haven't we ever made
our own vaccine?

It's because we don't have the capability
to make world-class vaccines.

Ms. Dhulia, you are so wrong.

We've always had the capability.

But nobody has ever
trusted Indian scientists.

Dr. Abraham, please accept it.

We need the foreign vaccines
because we can't do it.

- Ma'am...
- That's what you always say.

- Ma'am...
- You always spread negativity.

DG sir is on the line for you, ma'am.

- Let me tell you something...
- Ma'am, now please.

- But I'm talking to her.
- Ma'am...

- She's spreading rubbish.
- DG sir is on the line for you.

It's urgent. Please, now.

Excuse me,
I have to get back to my work.

I have 1.3 billion
lives to save, you see.

Including all of yours.

Dr. Abraham,

what if you fail?

Yes, sir?

How many times do I have to
tell you not to talk to the media?

What am I supposed to do, sir?

They just showed up in my office.

But I specifically told you not to, right?

How could you not follow my orders?

No, no, sir.

They are spreading misinformation.

It is my responsibility to stop them.

Shut up.

Just shut up.

We're not supposed to talk
to the media and that's final.

No matter how much they lie?

Yes!

Learn to keep your mouth shut,
Dr. Abraham!

Never wrestle with a pig
Because you get dirty.

And the pig enjoys it.

We don't want to be a part of this fight.

We're fighting the virus.

If you don't understand
then you can resign.

Anything else?

Yes, sir.

We got the monkeys.

Not just one, but 28.

They'll be at NIV by tomorrow evening.

Start the trial immediately.

Immediately.

How can I start immediately, sir?

We have to quarantine the monkeys first.

Then do hematology
and biochemistry tests on them.

We have to test them for TB.

Do x-rays and ultrasounds on them.

Do pathogen tests.

Do bacteria cultures.

It'll take time, sir.
How can I start immediately?

These are delay tactics.

You told me you needed permission
to catch the monkeys within 24 hours.

We never told you,

"How is that possible, ma'am?"

Lightning speed doesn't work one way!

Oh, my God!

I got him not just one but 28 monkeys,

and he didn't say a
single word of appreciation.

There is only one solution for everything!

You resign Priya! Fire Priya!

And lightning speed!

He's talking to me about lightning speed?

How can we do all this
at lightning speed?

How can do so many
tests at lightning speed?

Is it possible!

What is it?

I won't lose.

[Door opens]

Dr. Bhargava.

Oh, Doc! Please,
please, please come in.

I came to say goodbye.

I'm retiring from ICMR today.

How could I forget that?

You can't retire.

I already approved
a year's extension for you.

No, no, sir,
I've made up my mind to leave.

I haven't taken a single
day off in the past 10 years.

I haven't been able to see my wife
in Pune since the lockdown.

She fell down last month
and broke her leg.

How is she doing now?

- She's better now. Thank you.
- That's nice.

If this is what you want.

You are one of the
top scientists in India.

ICMR will always be proud
of you and your contributions.

- Thank you.
- Please come.

All the very best to you and your team.

Thank you.
Thank you very much.

But sir, please be careful.

The path to developing
the vaccine won't be an easy one.

Even the origins of
this virus is unclear.

If we don't know where it came from,

how can we find the perfect cure?

You still have doubts?

A good scientist always
has doubts, right?

The only difference is that no one
questions it openly anymore.

Those who do it,

do it behind closed doors,
like me, in whispers.

So, no one else hears it.

Hmm.

Now, whether it's on Google, Instagram,

Twitter, YouTube, Facebook...

If you ask any COVID-related questions,

you'll get banned.

Freedom of expression,
of speech is a bloody joke.

All the scientists
who asked questions at the Wuhan lab

just disappeared.

Do you still believe
this isn't a bio-war?

Here's a little gift from me.

It's a biography of Swami Vivekananda.

It'll come in handy after you retire.

Thank you.
Thank you so much.

Let's catch up later, okay?

Doc... Dr. Bhargava,

I just want us to make the best vaccine.

Of course, we will.

It won't be easy, though.

They'll do their best
to make sure we don't succeed.

And even if we do,

they'll block
international approvals.

Even on your retirement day,

you still have a strong
connection to this institution.

We're lucky to have had
the chance to work with you.

Dr. Bhargava,

This is my research.

Okay.

WHO will definitely
go to China to investigate.

If my theory is wrong,

then you can burn it.

Thank you.

What do you think
WHO will conclude?

Neither this nor that.

Neti-Neti.

We won't need to burn this.

VII
Non-Human Primate Trials

- Put the oxygen mask.
- Yes, ma'am.

Get the pulse oximeter.

Check the saturation.

95%.

Okay, now we'll start the inoculation.

First intranasal and then intratracheal.

- Okay, ma'am.
- Load the virus.

We can't do it, Dr. Lekshmy.

We can't.

We don't have the expertise.

We have failed again.

Dr. Lekshmy?

[Door closes]

[Door opens]

Ma'am, you didn't have
to come, we were...

No, no, this was rather important.

What is the status on the
Non-Human Primate Trials?

We have analyzed the vaccine
Candidates on the monkeys.

So, what's the delay?

Ma'am, no one has gone home for 20 days.

We are low on staff.

Dr. Sreelekshmy hasn't slept for 3 nights.

She has the rest of her
life to catch up on her sleep.

We need to complete the monkey
trial protocols immediately.

Yeah ma'am, but we're trying our best.

No buts, Dr. Pragya.
This is a crisis situation.

Immediately means immediately.

As if I don't understand it's a crisis.

Get cracking, I'll join you in a moment.

[Door opens]

[Door closes]

[Heavy breathing]

[Door closes]

[Door opens]

[Door closes]

Sree?

Sree?

Create.

Destroy.

Sree?

Create.

Destroy.

Sree!

I've been looking for you, Sree.

We got results from the lab.

We need to analyze them
and you're sitting here?

Ma'am, the problem is that
our suit has 4 BARS of pressure

and our atmosphere has high pressure.

Yeah, so?

The monkeys we're testing have
to be anesthetized, then examined.

We take x-rays, do a bronchoscopy
on their four lungs, and then...

We also have to collect swab samples.

You're wasting my time
explaining the whole process.

What's your problem, Sree?

Ma'am, the problem is that we have to
do all this on 20 monkeys every other day,

and we don't have
the expertise to do it.

But Sree, you are the best
laboratory animal scientist.

No.

No, I'm not.

I failed everybody.

I failed NIV, I failed you.

Sree, you didn't.
Sree...

you didn't, Sree.

Ma'am?

I have a solution, ma'am.

We need a doctor who knows how
to do precision bronchoscopy.

What are you doing here, Anita?

Wasn't your mother-in-law sick?

Ma'am, she died in the morning.

I'm sorry.

But then what are you doing here?

Ma'am, we anyway can't
go to dead bodies now.

It's better I work.

This will be a great tribute to her,
by making the vaccine.

What are we doing!

What are we doing!

I know we're all going to die!

We are all going to die, I know!

We're all going to die!

Sree? Sree, calm down.

Look at me.

Come here.

Come here.

[Crying]

It's okay.

We're not going to die, girls.

We're scientists.

[Crying]

We fight.

We're brave.

We can make it.

You know why we have
so many women in our lab?

Because we are brave.

We can do it.

And we can fix a good meal!

I'm hungry. Come on, let's eat.

Oh Sree, you made me walk so far.

Pragya, I told you to leave it,
I'll wash them.

Why do you never listen to me, Pragya?

Anu, stop your mom
from doing the chores.

You only come home for a few hours

and you're already
busy with all this stuff.

This is too much. Stop it now!

Stop what?

I have this under control.
I don't need your help here.

I can handle your work too.

Sanjay, I...

I need your help making the vaccine.

Vaccine! Vaccine! Vaccine!

There is life other than
The vaccine, you know?

There won't be any life
if there is no vaccine!

[sighs]

I'm sorry.

Sanjay, we're stuck
with the monkey trials.

We need a neurosurgeon
who can give anesthesia

and do the whole process in 20 minutes.

Will you help us?

You haven't worn any lipstick
in the past six months, not even once.

Come on, Sanjay.

And the perfume I got
you for our anniversary?

I still haven't unpacked it.
I didn't have time.

Careful.

Yeah, move slowly.

Lock the table.

[Heavy breathing]

Put the oxygen mask.

Yeah, now put the pulse oximeter.

Check the saturation and breathing.

What's the reading?

98.

So firstly,
we'll go for intranasal inoculation.

Give me 1ml of the virus.

[Heavy breathing]

Check the pulse oximeter again.

So now, next we'll do
the intratracheal inoculation.

Give me the laryngoscope.

Get the laryngoscope.

Give me the intratracheal tube.

Give me 1ml of the virus.

[Heavy breathing]

Now put the animal
in the recovery room.

Okay.

- Dr. Prithvi.
- Yes, ma'am?

- The tests have to be accurate.
- Okay.

How are the monkeys doing?

All good.

Dr. Pragya needs the
result to be accurate.

We're doing our best, ma'am.

Yes.

Observation Day 1

What's the body temperature?

It's 38.2.

How's the food intake?

It's good, quite normal.

And the water intake?

Also normal.

- Any fecal matter?
- No.

Mom, have you ever heard the
story of Thor Ragnarok?

Are you even paying attention to me?

Yeah, of course I am.

Then repeat to me what I just said.

Did you put your eye drops?

Yep, I did.

Put on your glasses, okay?

- There is any food left over?
- He ate it all.

Did you collect fecal samples?

Yes.

Please come to my house immediately.

What's the body temperature?

38.2.

And what's the body weight?

5kgs.

How's the activity?

Normal.

Food and water intake?

Normal.

- Fecal matter?
- Okay.

- Urine?
- Okay.

I'm sorry if I have done anything
to hurt you.

But because of your help,

there's going to be
a great vaccine one day.

And a lot of lives are going
to be saved.

[Car Door opens]

[Car Door closes]

- Ma'am...
- Filter coffee.

Tell me.

Ma'am, the macaques...

they have shown strong
immune response to our vaccine.

The vaccinated family, unlike subjects
in the placebo group,

did not develop pneumonia.

his vaccine has shown
tremendous immunogenicity

and protective efficacy.

If it is safe for monkeys

then it is has
to be safe in humans, 100%.

We're just this close, ma'am.

Just this close.

Ma'am, our vaccine is ready.

Almost.

- Here.
- Ma'am?

This is Mysore Pak.

Have it, have it.
You'll like it.

Thanks, ma'am.

Pragya...

I'm sorry about the other day.

Ma'am, no.

I mean it.

Ma'am, please.

We're all working under a lot of stress.

That's true.

Wasn't your daughter
dealing with an eye infection?

How's she holding up these days?

Well, Sanjay and I got caught
up with all the vaccine trials,

so, we had to reschedule
her surgery, ma'am.

Oh.

The infection has actually spread in size,
but she's a brave child.

I told her today that I'd swing by

and take her in for the surgery.

And she told me, "Mom,

I don't really care
if you come home or not,

but you better get
that vaccine ready soon."

[Crying]

Sorry, ma'am.

No.

Our children don't deserve this.

No, they don't.

You've been very brave.

Thank you, ma'am.

IX 15 August

"Sing a sweet song to me."

"What happened?
Don't worry what will happen!"

"This time is all we have
Live a little. "

"Love you, life. "

"This time is all we have
Live a little. "

"Love you, life!"

"This time is all we have
Live a little."

How are you feeling today?
Dr. Bhargava?

Better.

There's a huge amount
of patients out there.

So why do they only have
two doctors and two nurses?

Can't do much about it, sir.

Seventy percent of our
staff has come down with COVID.

Guess you didn't take
the necessary precautions.

We're following all the
necessary precautions, but...

This PPE kit is so stuffy,

yet we're wearing it all day and night.

We can't even take
a quick break to eat, sir.

Sir, the medical staff's
immunity is so weak

that it'll be a miracle
if we make it through this.

When was the last time you went home?

It's been 22 days, sir.

I father had passed away.

He had comorbidity.

If only we had a vaccine, maybe...

And yet you're dancing?

Sir, you see that girl over there?

She just had a baby a few days ago.

Okay.

She's on a ventilator,
but she's still hopeful.

That hope is her vaccine, sir.

We'll get a vaccine...

Soon enough.
Just keep that hope alive.

The vaccine will come
when it's ready, Doctor,

but I don't think we'll
still be alive to take it.

You'll stay alive.

You have to.

Hmm?

[Sighs]

Hello, Priya.

Hi, Nivedita.

Sir, our vaccine candidates
are absolutely safe in animals.

It's time to ask Bharat Biotech to move

quickly with the Drugs
Controller General of India

and secure permission for
Phase I and Phase II human trials.

It's July 2nd already,

can we get the Phase I human
trials data by the 15th of August?

We still haven't picked
the sites yet, sir.

Choosing and preparing
over 100 human candidates

is going to take some time, sir.

It's not going to be that easy.

Yeah.

I have always seen the
Patient from the top.

I see the fear of death in their eyes.

But the doctors,
they have hope shining in their eyes.

Today, for the first time,

I had to lie down as a patient

and had a doctor staring down at me.

And there was fear of death
in both our eyes.

That last bit of hope will die too,
Nivedita,

if we don't roll out
our vaccine real soon.

Tell all the agencies
to have it done by August 15th.

Are you sure about
the 15th August deadline?

It's just 43 days away.

We determine the time,
the time doesn't determine us.

Draft a letter,
send it to me for signature.

August 15th.

Yes!

Yes! Yes! Yes!

What is it, ma'am?

They're going to roll out their vaccine
on August 15th,

but we got them!

Yes!

This is "The End" of Vishwaguru!

But ma'am,
releasing the vaccine early is good news.

What's the problem with that?

Come on over, Auntie.
I'll fill you in.

They aren't releasing the vaccine early.

They are rushing it.

They picked August 15th as the big day.

Do the math, Auntie.

That's why they're
breaking all the protocols.

Ma'am, I know you're
not a fan of this Government,

but why are you taking
it out on the vaccine?

This vaccine is supposed
to help the poor, right?

Auntie, you still don't get me.

Ever hear the tale of a king
who couldn't die?

No matter what you did,
he'd never die.

Then a scholar figured out
his life was stuck in a parrot's neck.

He snapped the parrot's neck
and the king died.

Our King's life
Is stuck in the vaccine.

[Commotion]

Why aren't you answering the media?

- Do you not have any answers for us?
- Let's go, sir. Come.

Dr. Balram Bhargava!

Can you enlighten us on how
you went from being a scientist

to being the government's puppet?

ICMR and Bharat Biotech have
wrapped up the animal studies.

Now it's time for the Phase I trials,

where they'll test this vaccine on humans.

ICMR set a deadline of August 15th,

so, the investigators get just 38 days

to find volunteers and test the vaccine.

Would you be willing
to give this vaccine,

made in just 38 days,
to your kids, family, or parents?

Something that's not backed
by any logic or science,

and is just a sham to score political
points for the upcoming elections?

This is Rohini Singh Dhulia signing off.

Good night, sleep well.

Everything will be okay.

Don't worry.

Everything will be okay.

Yes, everything will be okay.

This is not right, sir.

Our internal letter got leaked.

All we wanted was
to streamline the system so,

we could cut through the red tape and

get those trials done fast.

My actions made the government look bad.

I take full responsibility for it.

Here's my resignation letter.

I didn't take you to be a quitter, Balram.

You dived to look for a pearl,

but you got scared of the waves?

Pearls are always found
in deep waters.

Failure is just a stepping
stone toward success.

It's time to fix the mistakes,

not give up.

So, tell me, are we still moving forward
with making that vaccine, or what?

You bet we are, sir.

We've got three phases
of human trials to go through.

Phase I, Phase II, and Phase III.

After that, we have to manufacture
it and then distribute it.

This is going to take a while.

But if we do the trials simultaneously
instead of one after the other,

we can speed up the vaccine rollout.

So, what's the problem?

We can run Phase I and
Phase II at the same time,

but we can't start Phase III
until we get approval.

We are stuck there.

My boss always says

that destiny will have your back

if you have good intentions.

Take a look at this, Dr. Bhargava.

The drug controller published
a gazette notice on March 19th, 2019,

a year before COVID hit,

which states that if a drug
or vaccine passes Phase II successfully,

emergency authorization can be given
in national interest after Phase II.

Basically, the vaccination process
can start before Phase III even happens.

So, when are we rolling out the vaccine?

Very soon, sir.

We'll be the fastest ones
to make it.

And it will be the safest.

India's only indigenous vaccine.

India's very own vaccine.

Then go and make it.

Sir.

Thank you, sir.

You don't get anything
without working towards it.

Those who dare to win, never lose.

X
The Roll-out

I'm Sharath from Fever FM.

I won't ask you how your year was.

We know how it was.

I don't want to remind you
Of the bad memories of last year.

Instead I want to give you a good news

That we have all been waiting for.

CDSCO gave Covaxin the green
light for restricted emergency use today.

This will give the whole
country a renewed sense of hope.

Just so you know, Covaxin is
India's very first indigenous vaccine,

created by ICMR and NIV scientists working
in collaboration with Bharat Biotech.

It's being called a huge
Victory for Indian scientists,

who didn't take help
from other countries

and made India even more self-reliant.

So, friends, let's begin
This year with a bang.

[Heavy breathing]

Now the media will be silenced!

Yes!

Yes!

Yes! Yes!

Thank you, sir.

And finally, the big day is here.

India has kicked off
its mega vaccination drive.

3 crore frontline workers will be

the first people
to be administered the vaccine.

The first healthcare worker
in the country has been administered

the very first dose
of the vaccine.

This marks the first step in humanity's
Fight against the virus.

[Printing Machine]

Okay, so you take care
of the politicians.

Sure.

You take care of the celebs.

Sure.

[Messages sound]

What's with the
sudden drop in vaccination numbers?

People are scared
to take the vaccine, sir.

In some small town in
Uttar Pradesh called Barabanki,

people straight up jumped into
a river to avoid getting vaccinated.

And in Kerala, people are climbing
up trees to dodge the vaccine.

The Vice Chancellor of
Aligarh Muslim University said

that 18 of their professors died because
they were hesitant to get vaccinated.

And sir, I have a report here...

Here. Here's the report.

This report says that health workers
in India get attacked the most worldwide.

So, what's the bottom line here?

Well, I have emailed you 14 articles.

And I have them right here.

All of them are from The Daily Wire.

And I have crossed verified
the data with all scientific bodies.

Turns out, these articles were written
to make people doubt the vaccine.

All 100% fake articles
with malicious intentions.

What should be our course of action?

Expose them, sir.

Do a press conference and expose them.

That won't do much good.

They'll just publish
a tiny blurb on page 5 or 7

and keep writing their fake articles.

Instead, you should
talk to Krishna Ella's team.

Tell Bharat Biotech
to file a court case against them.

A court case, sir?

Do people in India ever win these cases?

Well, that's what our
courts are for, right?

Even I don't know.

This is a media trial, sir.

We'll have to fight
back through the media.

No, Dr. Priya.

We're all about following the Constitution
and the law of the land.

We have to handle this
in the right way.

Even if it results in unconstitutional
and inhumane deaths?

Let the courts decide it.

Was this your "the eye of the fish", sir?

Good night.

[Door opens]

[Door closes]

You wrote this article.

You wrote this one too.

And this one.

And this one.

And this.

You wrote all of these!

Yeah, so?

What are they based on, huh?

What's going on here?

What are you doing, Rohini?

What do you mean?

I'm just reporting the truth.

The truth?

Do you even know that
Bharat Biotech has filed

a 1 billion rupee defamation lawsuit
against us for spreading fake news?

Are you even aware of that?

You must be... kidding!

- These are all facts!
- Oh, come on, Rohini!

These are not facts!

This is targeting!

You're doing a hit job
on the government!

Rohini, it's okay to
criticize the government.

But what's your problem with
our country developing its own vaccine?

They made a vaccine...

but this is a substandard vaccine.

We don't have the world-class
infrastructure to produce it.

That's what the Johns Hopkins
report said too.

And I reported on that.

Oh, my God!

Later on, John Hopkins said
that their report was fake news.

Does it even matter?

Rohini, I may be against this government,

but I still support our country.

[sighs]

I think we should...

part ways.

You can't sack me.

If I go down, even you go down.

Who brought in all the funding?

I did.

This office is also because of me.

You have an international
network because of me.

And tell me something honestly,

which vaccine would you rather take?

A tried, tested,
reliable foreign vaccine

or a substandard Indian vaccine?

I mean, who knows,
it could be water.

Don't look at me like that.

You know them.

And chill, boss.

I've seen plenty of court cases
like this one.

Now go home and sleep well.

Despite the scientists' warnings,

the farmers continued to protest,

the elections took place in Bengal,

and they even went
ahead with the Kumbh fair.

Both the government and the people
totally ignored all COVID protocols.

XI
A nation on Fire

Mom!

Mom!

Mom!

How's my boy Elon Musk doing?

I'm doing good.
What about you?

- I'm good.
- Look who's here?

Nivi, you know
Adi wrote a poem for you?

- No way!
- Yep, Mom.

A really awesome poem.

That's amazing!

- Adi...
- Come over here.

Did you write a poem for me?

Won't you say it to me?

Go get your poem.

- Go, Adi.
- Ask your brother to get it.

- Go bring that poem you wrote for your mom.
- Adi, go get the poem.

How's he doing?

He's coping.

I'll take care of it.

[Phone Ringing]

- Yes, sir?
- Where are you?

Just got home, sir.

I'm sorry, but please come back.

Right now?

Yes.
Right now means right now.

- Okay, sir.
- Okay thank you.

Mom, my poem.

I'm so sorry.

I'll come back and listen to it,
alright?

I promise.
I promise.

Mom, please don't leave!

No, Mom, please!

- Please! Please!
- I'll be back soon.

It's been like forever since
we've talked!

Mom, please don't go.

- Please!
- Adi,

- your mom needs to get back to work.
- I haven't talked to you in 20 days!

- Please, Mom.
- Let her go.

- No! No! No, please!
- I'll handle him. I'll take care of him.

- Please, Mom!
- Hey! Adi!

- Hey! Adi!
- No! No! No, please!

- You go. Please go.
- No, Mom! No! No, please!

- Mom! Mom, please!
- Adi! Adi!

It's okay. She'll come back.

You shouldn't react like that, Adi.

It's okay, Adi.

Why don't we read the poem instead?

We'll read your brother's poem, alright?

Can I see it?

Locks all around,

the black sky surrounds.

The Maharashtra government
has imposed a lockdown.

This new variant is more contagious
than the previous ones

21 cases of this variant

considered To be highly infectious
have been found in Maharashtra

This new variant has been formed
due to a mutation in the delta variant.

Restrictions in place.

Families have no time for mourning.

I am not letting anyone go!

[Crying]

He has been pushing his kids
in a cart for four days straight

because he couldn't find them a bed.

Today, they passed away.

And now they are taking them
to the cremation ground in that same cart.

All I can see are funeral pyres,
as far as I can tell.

Will we ever really know
how many people died waiting

for oxygen in this pandemic?

Today, India has turned into
a living breathing funeral ground.

These are the images
that India will never ever...

Ever forget.

Sir.

Where is everybody?

Sir, 18 people staying
at our guesthouse caught COVID.

So?

There are no hospital beds available.

It's the same thing everywhere.

40 people got infected
at the Gorakhpur center.

And six of them are in a critical...

So, they got infected
and everyone else died?

They aren't going to come to office?!

They think it's all a joke.

Where's my peon, Bahadur?

Where is Bahadur?

[Door Bell]

[Crying]

[Ambulance siren]

Yes, Abhinandan.

See, our photos are selling
for 250$ and video footage for 400$.

Do you want the Ganga ones?
They are cheaper.

Okay, I'm sending you all the links.

Just select and let me know,
but the price is non-negotiable.

Okay.

Your kaadha.

Thank you.

Why are you doing this, ma'am?

Because it's happening.

And it's my job
to report what's going on.

Take a look.

But people are dying in Italy too.

I have seen it.

They buried thousands of them together.

Bodies from the first wave are
still rotting in trucks in America.

Why aren't you reporting that?

Instead, you're selling pictures
of our own people getting cremated

to foreigners for a few bucks.

What are you doing?

This is needed.

Otherwise,
the government will keep sleeping.

So, for you,
India only means the government.

People don't matter?

The feelings of the
family members don't matter?

We can't even give them beds
in the hospital.

We can't even give them oxygen.

Can't we at least give them
Some dignity in death?

You think I enjoy doing all this?

You think I don't feel the pain?

But it's my duty to bring
the truth to the people.

The truth.

So, the truth is only people
from one religion are dying

and nobody else is dying?

You keep trashing
the vaccine made in India.

And yet, you were one of the first ones
to stand in line and get the vaccine.

Why'd you do it?

Sorry, but I can't
keep doing this anymore.

I can't keep doing this anymore.

Auntie!

XII
The Final Battle

Today, all countries in Europe and the US
have lifted the ban on international flights.

By tomorrow, latest.

On the flip side, WHO and CDC
still haven't approved Covaxin for travel.

This once again proves that Covaxin
isn't up to international standards.

Now how are those ICMR scientists going

to face all those students

Whose only problem was that they took

- And when are you streaming that?
- A substandard vaccine...

Yeah, do let me know
before you do so, alright?

Yeah. I'm all ears for the news.

Speak to you some other time.

Thank you, bye.

Thanks.

Cheers.

What's the occasion?

I have fantastic news for you.

India's substandard vaccine
didn't get approved internationally.

Now you see the power of networking
on a global scale, huh?

We won the war, boss.

And the government lost.

The government didn't lose,

India lost.

What's the difference between the two?

The same difference we have forgotten.

Don't forget to burn the toolkit.

And sleep well.

What could be the reason?

Our vaccine's data shows
that it's safe and effective.

But WHO won't give us the approval.

Why not?

Sir, vaccines have turned
into a politics now.

- Politics?
- What else?

WHO approved China's vaccine months ago,

but they have kept us occupied with
tiny, petty things.

"Send this data, send that data."

We're scientists, sir.

And yet, we can see that there's deliberate
discrimination against our vaccine.

Excuses, excuses, excuses.

No sir, these aren't just excuses.

This is an orchestrated
campaign against India,

all because we didn't
approve their foreign vaccines.

Sir, check this out.

Look at these articles.
They are all written one after another.

What's interesting is that
they're all the same,

almost as if someone wrote
one article and it got circulated

with people changing the headlines
and reprinting them.

And watch this video too, sir.

I have 100s of tweets
and articles from various authors,

celebrities, influencers,
and journalists asking

why isn't India saving its people
by allowing foreign vaccines?

Who is playing with our lives?

Who is answerable?

India wants to know
and India must know.

These tweets from authors,
columnists, influencers, and celebrities

all show up on the same day,
around the same time,

and say almost the exact same thing.

Isn't that strange?

Like someone was giving them a dictation.

Sir, we have a smart vaccine
But they have a smart strategy.

You mean they're so powerful that
they're defeating our scientific evidence.

Sir, they're not powerful,
their masters are.

The Pharma lobbies
who fund the media.

Let me explain how.

First, they finance websites
like The Daily Wire.

Then Science Editors like
Rohini Singh Dhulia write fake articles.

Then some influencers pop up,
repost them, and sow doubt.

Then their so-called "fact checkers"
show up and confirm the news.

Then this whole ecosystem
spreads the news overnight.

And just like that,
they turn a lie into the truth.

This is all a network.

Who they are, where they come from,

where they go,
who they work for, no one knows.

They probably don't even know themselves.

This is clearly not a science war, sir.

This is an info war.

And the only way to
win is with information.

But we have a problem
we can't talk to anyone,

and they take advantage
of that weakness.

I think we should hold
a press conference

and present our points
to the media and the public.

No press conference.

That goes against my principles.

It's not about your principles anymore,
Dr. Balram Bhargava.

There are thousands of
scientists at ICMR and NIV.

This is about their
self-esteem and reputation.

It's our responsibility to bring
this truth to the media on their behalf.

What do the others think about this?

Sir, I agree with Dr. Abraham.

I also agree, sir.

I too agree, sir.

I think we should do it, sir.

Then you guys go ahead
and hold the press conference.

I won't talk to the media.

Why don't we approve foreign vaccines?

During the second wave,
when things were really bad,

I kept thinking about one thing,

when all other civilizations have fallen,

what made India survive,
despite all odds?

It was probably because
we see the universe as one.

We don't try to divide
or break things.

We always have faith in ourselves.

And that belief is timeless.

Today, once again, as many
powers are trying to tear India apart,

we need to decide

whether we let ourselves be blackmailed

or believe in ourselves
and become self-reliant.

And now you understand
why we didn't approve foreign vaccines.

So, think about it and
tell me what we should do.

What's there to think about?

If we got to do it, we got to do it.

Good morning, everyone.

A lot of fake news has been spread
regarding India's indigenous vaccine.

We are going through a
series of compliances to obtain

approval from WHO as we speak.

We have a bunch
of expert scientists here.

You can ask your questions and
they'll answer based on their expertise.

Thank you.

I'm Rooprashmi from the Daily News.

My question is,

more people died in the second
wave compared to the first wave,

despite the vaccines already
being rolled out during the second wave.

So, who is to blame?

Were you sleeping or
was the government sleeping?

Or both?

Nobody was sleeping.

They were sleeping.

Nobody was sleeping.

You know very well that we've
never faced anything like this before.

Nobody could have predicted a deadly wave
that would defy all scientific projections.

But there should have been oxygen.
Why wasn't that thought of?

Do you know many politicians

Were hoarding oxygen in the
Name of social service

And later they were selling it in black.

How pathetic is that?

Are you trying to blame
others for your failures?

[Murmuring]

If you read the supreme court's
Audit report, it says

That the Delhi government

Demanded 4 times more oxygen

Than it actually needed.

You cannot blame others for your mistake.

Excuse me! Excuse me!

Please, let's all stay calm.

This press conference
is about the vaccine,

so let's stick to questions
about the vaccine, okay?

The Government will address
all other questions.

Is it true that your vaccine
is substandard?

Hold on, who's asking the question?

- I can't...
- Ma'am...

Rohini Singh Dhulia,

Science Editor from the Daily Wire.

I'd just like to know,

is it true that Covaxin was tested
on humans without Phase III trials?

No one knows if your vaccine
is safe and effective or not.

Hold on, what do you
mean by 'your' vaccine?

It's India's vaccine.

It's mine, yours, our vaccine.

Okay, is India's vaccine safe
or not safe?

It doesn't matter what I say anyway.

She already has the headline ready.

Don't try these political
gimmicks with me, Dr. Abraham.

You're a scientist
and I'm a science editor.

So it's better
if you give me a scientific answer.

Okay.

Let's talk science.

Covaxin is made using the
tried and tested Whole-Virion

Inactivated Vero Cell method.

The efficacy of Covaxin
against severe disease is 93.4%

and an overall efficacy of
77.8% against symptomatic infections.

Against asymptomatic COVID-19,
the efficacy is 63.6%.

The vaccine also conferred 65.2%
protection against the Delta variant.

Now let's check out all the
other vaccines WHO has approved.

Pfizer, Moderna,

and that Chinese vaccine CanSinoBIO...

All these vaccines have been
made using new, untested technology,

yet WHO approved them,

but they are finding it
difficult to approve Covaxin

which is based on a
proven 70 years technology.

But to even think that Covaxin
is not safe or not effective

is not just illogical but it's hilarious.

Lots of companies making
vaccines from other countries

approached the Indian
government for approval,

people were dying,

but you didn't give the approval to them,

just to prove that India has become
a self-reliant country by making Covaxin.

Just so that they can brag
about it during the next election.

Ma'am, do you even know

why those foreign vaccines
weren't approved?

No, please tell us.

We would all like to know that.

[Murmuring]

Please tell us.

But somebody has to answer.

Excuse me.

- Actually, actually, we are...
- Please...

- We are...
- Okay, okay.

Calm down.

Give them a chance to reply.

Dr. Abraham, we are waiting.

This is... this is classified information.

We are not authorized to talk about it.

Excuse me, one minute...

Please, tell us.

Please, please calm down.

You'll get all your answers.
Please, please calm down.

I'll answer that question.

I'll answer that question.

I'm sorry, I'm a bit late.

Please, please, please.

Hello, Ms. Rohini.

We finally meet.

All those foreign vaccines
you keep talking about,

it's not like the Indian government
said no to approving them.

They had long talks, negotiations,

but the deal didn't
work out in India's favor.

They were trying to blackmail us.

So we only had two choices.

Either, like always,
we give up and accept their deal,

or we treat this crisis as a challenge

and try to be self-reliant.

We went with the second
option and it worked.

This whole "self-reliant"
thing is just an excuse

to avoid all the technical facts.

If your government thinks those
foreign vaccines are blackmailing them,

then why are you scared to tell the truth
and share the technical facts with the world?

You want to know the technical facts?

Yes, of course.

Dr. Panda?

Yes, sir?

Give her the technical facts.

Go ahead, please.

mRNA vaccines need to
be stored at -70 degrees.

Then they have
to be diluted with saline.

And those foreign vaccines weren't
ready to provide us with that saline.

Those vaccines also
require a special syringe.

And those syringes are always
in short supply.

That's why millions of doses went
to waste in the US and Japan.

Now just tell me, what would have happened
if that vaccine came to India?

Our country has a protocol that says

if you want your vaccine
to be given to our people,

you have to test it on our people first.

They didn't agree to that.

But you didn't question that.

And you didn't spread
this news to the people.

We consider Covishield as our own
because they followed the protocol.

You are sitting here and
pushing for foreign vaccines.

Do you even know how many
conditions they put on us?

Are you guys going to say anything
or am I supposed to do all the talking?

Dr. Nivedita?

The first thing these
foreign vaccines demanded was

the ability to change their timeline
and dosage whenever they felt like it.

And not only that,

they wanted the Indian Government
to give them billions of rupees upfront.

And if they don't deliver the vaccines,

we won't get our money back either.

If there's any dispute,

we'd have to go to New York to fight it.

Their vaccine,
their courts,

their trials...

Do we even stand a
chance of winning there?

They had another condition too.

If anyone dies in India
after taking their vaccine,

they won't take any responsibility for it.

We're not saying those
vaccines are bad or anything.

Why don't you like the vaccine
that we developed ourselves?

I'm sure you've heard
of TB Macaulay, right?

He was the one who formulated
India's education policy.

He believed that if Britain
wanted to rule India,

they should make Indians
feel inferior through education.

Indians are inferior while foreigners,

especially Westerners, are superior

If ICMR didn't have "Indian" in its name

and if Bharat Biotech had a Western
country's name instead of "Bharat,"

you wouldn't have doubted our vaccine.

That's exactly what Macaulay wanted.

You know what?

We didn't patent our vaccine candidates.

Any idea why?
Tell them.

It's because patents mean profits.

Almost every country
in the world patents its vaccines,

but we chose not to.

Because we firmly believe

that innovations and knowledge
meant for public service

belong to the people.

Who are we?
What's our identity?

Nobody cares about our religion
or caste when we travel abroad.

They just want to know where we are from.

Indians, from India, "Bharatiya".

I think that should be our last name.

You can have Abraham, Rehman, Ram,
or Rohini in front of that.

Rohini Bharatiya.
Sounds pretty good, don't you think?

Nowadays, scientific research

and development is the biggest market
in the world.

And everyone knows that
if India decides to join in,

there's no stopping us.

Because we have plenty
of bright minds in science.

We admit we may have
been weak in the past,

but we aren't what we used to be.

The underdog is now racing alongside them.

And who knows,
Might even surpass them.

I don't know much about world politics.

All I know is that

this is a war against India.

But Covaxin is our greatest
victory in this war.

The enemies of humanity
want to hold us back,

and you're helping them do just that.

Dr. Bhargava,
you're trying to divert the blame on us

and cover up your own failures.
Isn't it?

Our failures?

Can you shed some light on our failures?

Our biggest failure is that India

made the fastest Indigenous vaccine
in the world in just 7 months.

India has given out about
a billion vaccines already.

And we're going to reach our goal of
2.5 billion in the next couple of months.

And this is the world's
fastest vaccination drive.

It's like three times more than the USA,

seven times more than Japan,

11 times more than Germany,

and 14 times more than France.

India even gave out 250
million vaccines in a single day.

And this is again a world record.

[Clapping]

Thank you, thank you.

Back in March 2020, we only
had one COVID testing lab in India.

But by the end of the year,
we had 3390 labs.

In March 2020,
we only had 500 oxygen plants in India.

But in just 112 days,
we boosted it up to 2500 plants.

[Clapping]

When the lockdown hit,
we didn't have any PPE kits

because no one used to make them here.

But nowadays, India is the second
largest exporter of PPE in the world.

And same goes with masks.

Under our Vaccine Maitri program,

India provided 240 million made-in-India
vaccines to 100 countries,

and that is the reason
a lot of the countries had to say

India's help was godsend to them.

India was the fifth country in this world
to isolate the coronavirus.

[Clapping]

Your track record just shows that your
journalism isn't about telling the truth.

It's all about spreading fake news.

This is a good strategy -

when you don't have
answers to the question,

just point the finger at the journalist.

Journalist?

Ms. Rohini, who is a journalist?

A journalist asks tough
questions to uncover the truth,

and does not undermine
what others believe.

Today, when India is about to triumph,

you're talking like those
who want India to fail.

Does journalism just mean blaming someone,

defaming someone without evidence,
or without following the law?

Hit and run! Hit and run! Hit and run!

That's what terrorists do.

You wrote an article
based on Johns Hopkins' report.

"400 million Indians will get infected!"

You didn't inform the people
when that report was discarded.

Because your job was done,
spreading fear like an enemy would.

And you succeeded.

Your truth isn't really true.

It's only half-truth.

That's why it's even worse than a lie.

Your so-called facts
are actually selective facts.

Ms. Rohini, it seems like you haven't
taken a good look at yourself in a while.

You should go home and look in the mirror,
and then you'll know

what a journalist shouldn't be.

Excuse me, Dr. Bhargava,

I think you're getting personal right now.

You can't make accusations
like that against me.

I don't need to make any accusations.

That's what the court said.

Today, you are the accused.

The court has issued
an order against you.

The court has ordered you
to remove 14 articles you wrote

about Covaxin from your websites
because they were deemed fake news.

[Murmuring]

That's impossible!

And you're also prohibited from publishing

any defamatory articles
about Covaxin from now on.

Fantastic!

You're lying!
Don't believe him!

This is a conspiracy!
I know you and I know your government.

We can't respond to that.

You should take it up with the court.
We're just scientists.

So, all the best,
Ms. Rohini Singh Dhulia.

Over the past two years,
there's something else I've learnt.

India is great,
and its people are amazing.

Especially our women.

Maybe the rest of
the world won't ever know,

but you should know,

the vaccine you got was made

70% by of the ladies at ICMR and NIV.

They were doing all sorts of things
like cleaning up after dirty dishes,

putting up with their husband's demands,

taking care of the kids
and the elderly at home,

wiping away tears,
mixing up kaadha,

and even dealing with
stubborn bosses like me.

But they stayed strong
and kept working on the vaccine.

If India is a vaccine superpower today,

it's all thanks to these women.

We're standing here today,

mask-less and fearless,
all because of them.

They are the epitome
of being self-reliant.

I want to dedicate this incredible achievement
in India to all the women in India.

Because it's all the result
of their hard work and sacrifices.

After this, nobody will ever say -

India can't do it.

India Can Do It.

India can do it.

Yes, India can Do It.

Yes.

India can do it.

India can do it.

[Clapping]

Some time later...

I sent your son to see a counselor.

She said his nightmares and symptoms

are like what soldier families
go through during the war.

I told her well he
is the son of a soldier.

How's my Thor doing?

Ma'am...

Thank you for the vaccine!

Thank you for the vaccine!

Our maid is back and you're
still doing all the chores all day.

You like doing them or something?

Yeah, kind of.

What are you going to do about it?

I'll do whatever you want,
I just won't operate on monkeys again.

Nice lipstick.

[Laughs]

INDIAN COUNCIL OF MEDICAL RESEARCH

Dr. Priya.

This is an advance copy of my book.

I got it, especially for you.

Oh thank you, sir.

Take care.