Even before the controversy surrounding Diljit Dosanjh's Satluj has died down, another film has found itself at the centre of a public dispute. While Satluj drew criticism over its portrayal of Punjab's years of Khalistani militancy, The India Story: Slow Poison in Progress, starring Shreyas Talpade and Kajal Aggarwal Kitchlu, is facing strong opposition from India's agrochemical industry ahead of its scheduled release on July 24.
The Agro Chem Federation of India (ACFI), a New Delhi-based body that says it represents nearly 85% of the country's agrochemical sector, has urged the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to closely examine the film before granting certification. ACFI Director General Kalyan Goswami told India Today Digital that the teaser contains what he described as "misleading and unsubstantiated" claims regarding pesticides, food safety and Indian agriculture. He added that the federation is seeking a meeting with CBFC Chairperson Shashi Shekhar Vempati.
Separately, Mumbai-based lawyer Hiranya Pandey, representing Bhavesh Sodha of Agri Business Centre, served a legal notice in June to the film's producers, Zee Studios and MIG Production & Studios LLP. The notice sought disclosure of the scientific evidence supporting the claims made in the teaser. According to Pandey, the filmmakers responded through their advocate on June 30, after which he filed a rejoinder with the CBFC on July 9 requesting a personal hearing before certification. He said his client would approach the court if the film is released without changes.
Pandey also objected to the teaser's use of the term "Mrityudata" (provider of death) in reference to "Annadata" (food providers), arguing that it was defamatory towards farmers.
He further claimed that the filmmakers' response acknowledged that certain sequences in the teaser were intended as "symbolic dramatisation" and clarified that the film did not claim pesticides were the sole cause of cancer.
The teaser of The India Story: Slow Poison in Progress, directed by Cheytan DK, presents a series of statistics alongside visuals relating to food adulteration and chemical-intensive farming. Describing them as "India's most shocking truths", it states, "We grew poison, not food." It claims that Indians are exposed to more than 50,000 metric tonnes of pesticides, affecting over 200 million people, links agricultural practices to rising cancer cases, raises concerns over the safety of milk and poultry, and characterises Indian food as "slow poison".
The film arrives amid continuing concerns over the use of certain chemicals in Indian agriculture that have led to export rejections in Europe because of carcinogenic residue levels, despite some of those chemicals remaining in use within India.
Writing on July 9, Kisan Tak Editor Om Prakash argued that the film had unsettled the agrochemical industry because it questioned a highly profitable business.
He wrote that while agrochemical companies had long operated without scrutiny, resistance emerged when a film attempted to expose the industry's alleged practices. He further alleged that the sector often ignores awareness campaigns about the health risks associated with excessive chemical use while objecting strongly to efforts highlighting those concerns.
Director Cheytan DK told India Today Digital that the film was not intended to target any individual or industry but was based on real events and factual research.
"Our point is simply that these chemicals should be used only to the extent necessary. If you overuse them and end up putting other people's health at risk, that's wrong," he said.
Cheytan explained that the project was inspired by a personal incident involving writer-producer Sagar B Shinde, whose close friend saw his six-year-old child diagnosed with cancer.
Why The India Story has sparked controversy
Unlike Satluj, whose controversy centred on certification, historical representation and its removal from the OTT platform ZEE5, The India Story has attracted criticism over its claims about public health and Indian agriculture even before its theatrical release.
Written by Sagar B Shinde, the film is scheduled to release on July 24.
Its teaser argues that Indians are being exposed to dangerous levels of pesticides through food, links chemical farming with increasing cancer cases, and portrays food contamination as a nationwide public health crisis.
Among the statements featured are "India's most shocking truths", "We grew poison, not food", "Indians were fed over 50,000 metric tonnes of pesticides", "Over 200,000,000 (20 crore) people exposed", and references to "rising cancer cases". It also questions the safety of milk and poultry products and describes Indian food as "slow poison".
The teaser further claims that these issues explain why "one in three families battle cancer", why "one to two lives are lost every 60 seconds", and why "over 10 lakh deaths occur every year", before concluding with the statement, "This is the India Story."
These claims have become the focal point of objections from sections of the agrochemical industry.
Despite the criticism, Cheytan maintained that the film was rooted in factual research and said audiences would understand both the importance of pesticides and the need to use them responsibly.
Pandey stated that the filmmakers' reply acknowledged that some elements of the teaser were symbolic rather than literal scientific representations and clarified that the film was not claiming pesticides alone caused cancer. He said his client would seek an injunction along with civil and criminal action if the film is certified without the requested modifications.
ACFI Director General Kalyan Goswami, however, said the federation is not currently pursuing legal proceedings.
Pandey described his client, Bhavesh Sodha, as an MSc-qualified horticulturist and proprietor of a Vapi-based Agri Business Centre involved in licensed agro-input distribution, corporate fodder supply and botanical consulting. According to Pandey, Sodha believes the film unfairly portrays both farmers and the agrochemical sector.
Why the agrochemical industry is objecting
In its representation to the CBFC, the ACFI argued that the teaser presents Indian agriculture in an alarmist and sensational manner while drawing direct links between farming practices and public health without adequate scientific evidence.
"The teaser of the upcoming movie The India Story: Slow Poison in Progress presents India's agricultural and food systems in an alarmist, sensational manner and appears to draw direct causal links between modern agricultural practices and a range of public health and social issues, without providing any apparent scientific substantiation," Goswami said in a July 9 statement.
He further said that the narrative was scientifically unfounded, damaged India's agricultural reputation and could negatively affect farmers' livelihoods and food security.
Responding to the criticism, Cheytan said, "Those who want to criticise will criticise, and those who want to stop it will try to stop it," while reiterating that the film's objective was to encourage responsible pesticide use rather than target any group.
The federation has requested the CBFC to examine whether any misleading, exaggerated, unsupported or unverified claims should be addressed before certification.
In one of its promotional posts on X dated July 10, Zee Studios cited The Times of India as the source for some of the statistical claims featured in its promotional material.
The numbers at the centre of the dispute
A major point of disagreement concerns the teaser's assertion that Indians are being "fed" more than 50,000 metric tonnes of pesticides annually.
Goswami argued that this interpretation was incorrect.
He said that while India imports and uses around 50,000 metric tonnes of pesticides for agricultural purposes, this should not be interpreted as suggesting that the same quantity is directly consumed by people.
The ACFI also referred to Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) figures indicating annual pesticide use of around 40,000 metric tonnes.
However, a December 2022 Lok Sabha reply by the Ministry of Agriculture stated that India's chemical pesticide consumption reached 58,720 metric tonnes (technical grade) during 2021-22. Official data showed that annual consumption had fluctuated between 59,669 and 63,406 metric tonnes over the preceding four years.
More recent figures from the Directorate of Plant Protection, Quarantine and Storage showed total pesticide consumption at 67,964.97 metric tonnes in 2023-24 and 67,826.82 metric tonnes in 2024-25.
The central dispute, however, centres not on pesticide usage itself but on the teaser's suggestion that these chemicals are effectively being "fed" to the Indian population.
The ACFI also cited studies supported by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), stating that over 96.5% of tested samples complied with prescribed pesticide residue limits. It additionally referred to World Health Organization assessments on cancer risk factors and National Crime Records Bureau data on accidental pesticide poisoning, arguing that the teaser presents mortality and cancer statistics without sufficient scientific context.
At the same time, Om Prakash noted that several pesticides still permitted in India, including glyphosate and 2,4-D, have been classified by the WHO's International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) as probable or possible carcinogens. He also pointed out that paraquat continues to be used in India despite being banned in more than 70 countries because of toxicity concerns.
Cheytan said the film originated after writer-producer Sagar B Shinde's close friend's six-year-old child was diagnosed with cancer, prompting the team to investigate the issue further and eventually develop the project.
Does the agrochemical industry deny there are problems?
No.
Interestingly, the ACFI has acknowledged that misuse and overuse of pesticides remain significant concerns. Speaking to India Today Digital, Goswami said excessive pesticide use by farmers is "a very big concern" and stressed the need for greater awareness regarding their safe and judicious application.
He said the issue deserved attention and noted that the federation regularly conducts awareness programmes for farmers in states including Maharashtra, Punjab, Haryana and Telangana.
IFFCO Managing Director U.S. Awasthi also acknowledged excessive fertiliser use, saying many farmers apply fertilisers unnecessarily, which damages soil health. He emphasised that chemical fertilisers should only be used in the required quantities and suggested that many farmers have become accustomed to relying on them because of their convenience.
Farmer organisations, including Rajasthan's Kisan Mahapanchayat, have sought stricter regulation of paraquat. States such as Kerala and Telangana have also taken measures against the herbicide, while a petition seeking a nationwide ban remains pending before the Supreme Court.
Om Prakash argued that regulatory failures and the influence of agrochemical companies continue to pose risks to public health.
The ACFI, however, maintained that public awareness should be promoted through scientifically supported information rather than exaggerated or unverified claims.
For now, no court has stayed the release of The India Story: Slow Poison in Progress, nor has the CBFC withheld certification. While the ACFI has opted for discussions with the CBFC instead of legal action, Bhavesh Sodha's lawyer has said his client will seek an injunction and pursue civil and criminal proceedings if the film is released without the requested changes.
Cheytan acknowledged that making the film had been difficult but insisted the team had done nothing wrong.
"Difficulties will always come and go, but if you genuinely want to contribute something meaningful to Mother India, you have to be willing to fight for it," he said.
