Actor Manoj Bajpayee, the voice behind 'The Vial – India’s Vaccine Story' — History TV18’s brand new documentary on the country’s incredible Covid-19 vaccine journey — said his contribution was his way of paying tribute to frontline workers and others who made a big difference in India’s fight against the pandemic.
The documentary narrated by Bajpayee brings to life the inside story of what went into producing the Covid-19 vaccine vial, revealing the country’s success in developing, manufacturing and delivering the vaccine in unprecedented timelines.
Ask the Padma Shri awardee what made him say yes to the project and pat comes the reply, "The producers were keen that I be a part of this. Also, for me, it was my way of paying tribute to frontline workers and others who made a big difference. Remember, we were all in the comfort of our homes but there were thousands of people who were out working. There are people who worked behind the scenes — the scientists, the frontline workers who sacrificed family life and risked their life. This documentary celebrates their contribution."
Bajpayee, who completed recording for the project in two days, says it wasn’t as easy as it seems, considering he played the narrator for the documentary. "I had to join the parts, make it look seamless and engage the audience. It had data, lots of it, and was a task."
India's vaccine story was multi-faceted and came with successes and challenges like vaccine hesitancy but the actor credits people with ensuring that some of the challenges did not create big obstacles in the massive inoculation drive where strategies were planned and implemented for 1.3 billion Indians. "We should thank people. Majority of the population wanted to take the vaccine. They wanted Covid-19 to end. In the end, they had to step out and earn for their families," he said.
'The Vial – India’s Vaccine Story', which premieres on History TV18 at 8 pm on Friday, has many firsts and several untold stories that make it a must-watch.
For the first time, Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks in detail about India’s victory over the Covid-19 pandemic. The documentary also features interviews of vaccine manufacturers — Adar Poonawala, CEO of Serum Institute of India, and Dr Krishna Ella, chairman of Bharat Biotech — among others.
Bajpayee, when asked about the message for the masses who would watch the documentary, said, "The documentary talks about how the vaccine came up and how it was distributed to the masses. Everyone should watch it. The makers have worked hard to bring out some unknown aspects. When you watch the documentary, just remember don’t take it for granted. We are just a species and should not take nature lightly."
part from inoculating its 1.3 billion population with at least one dose of the vaccine, India also played a larger role globally. India's ‘Vaccine Maitri’ initiative through which 232.43 million doses of the Covid-19 vaccine were provided across 100 countries is a testament to the nation's achievement.
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