Shreyas Talpade and Kajal Aggarwal starrer 'The India Story: Slow Poison in Progress' is set to release in cinemas on July 24. This film by director Chetan DK and writer-producer Sagar Shinde will present serious issues like adulterated food, pesticides, and the increasing threat of cancer with suspense, drama, and crime. The director claims that audiences will see original crowds and real locations in the film, because their aim was to bring the story to the screen with maximum realism. The inspiration for the story came from the news of a child's death Director Chetan DK explains that 'I initially wanted to make a film on an Indian revolutionary, but during this time, Sagar Shinde's close friend's six-seven-year-old daughter died due to cancer linked to pesticides. This incident shook the entire team.' Research uncovered Punjab's 'Cancer Train' The film took nearly three years of research. During the process, the team came across Punjab's so-called ‘Cancer Train’, a train running from Bathinda that has earned the nickname because many cancer patients travel on it for treatment. According to the makers, the film explores the impact of pollution, pesticides and chemical exposure on people's health. Courtroom scenes recreated on a custom-built set The film was shot across Kolhapur, Pune, Mumbai, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Kolkata, Hyderabad and several other locations. Director Chetan DK said most scenes were filmed at real locations, with minimal use of chroma. Filming lasted around 60–65 days, spread over eight to nine months. A dedicated courtroom set replicating the Bombay High Court was built in Naigaon, where court scenes were filmed over 12 days. The film carries the tagline 'Slow Poison in Progress'. Real crowds used instead of CGI Chetan DK revealed that the film features around 80 speaking and supporting characters. Large-scale scenes were filmed with real crowds rather than computer-generated effects. Between 8,000 and 10,000 people were hired for sequences set in courts, railway stations and locations across Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Gujarat and Kerala. The climax alone took 10 to 12 days to shoot in Kolhapur. Research covered several states across India The makers studied real-life cases from different parts of the country, including Madhya Pradesh, Kerala's Kasaragod region and Tamil Nadu. According to the director, years of chemical spraying in some areas have been linked to rising cases of cancer and birth defects. He added that the team was also alarmed to find products in the market containing very little real milk. He believes the film serves as a social warning rather than just entertainment. Shreyas plays a soldier, Kajal essays a lawyer The story follows a soldier whose daughter dies from cancer allegedly linked to pesticide exposure. Devastated by the loss, he joins forces with a farmer to take on powerful companies and the system through the courts. Shreyas Talpade plays the soldier, while Kajal Aggarwal stars as the lawyer who fights the case. Murali Sharma portrays an honest officer, and Manish Wadhwa plays the lawyer representing the opposing side.