When director Abhishek Sharma was roped in to direct John Abraham and Diana Penty's new film Parmanu - The Story of Pokhran, little did he know that his film will become the talking point in just a few months for a not so jovial and euphoric matter. The film, based on the nuclear tests done in Pokhran during the NDA government regime in 1998, spearheaded by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was one of the greatest achievements of the coalition government back then. However, today the charismatic leader who loved writing poetry is fighting for his life and is admitted in AIIMS, New Delhi on life support. Top leaders of the country are paying him a visit.

Parmanu - The Story of Pokhran has real footage of Atal Bihari Vajpayee from the Pokhran tests and speaking about the film, Abhishek told a leading daily that he and John were clear about the fact that no actor will be cast to play Vajpayee in the film. Abhishek said, “We had to use his presence cleverly in the film. He’s almost like the sutradhar of the story. John and I had discussed that no one could be cast to play him. Thankfully, we managed to get his real speeches and visuals and intersperse them into the film.”

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He further added, “ Parmanu… is our dedication to his work for the betterment of our nation. I am so glad we could salute his contribution to making the nation a nuclear state with our film. He may not have been in active politics for years now but he will remain immortal through his speeches and poetries. With Parmanu…, we had hoped that millennials, who don’t know this leader, get to know him. Some of my millennial assistants were thrilled to know that a leader like him exists in India. His speeches were not divisive; they spoke of a vision which even the opposition leaders paid heed to.”

Atal Behari Vajpayee is a rare politician since his competitors also paid homage and tribute to him. The brilliant leader is fighting for his life today but irrespective of the outcome, he has earned his place amongst the great leaders of the country.