MUMBAI: Televising news and giving it a reality television twist in order to stand out seems to be the new mantra for news channels who are facing intense competition from "clones".
Zee News will present a telefilm Mission Akshardham that narrates the conspiracy behind the premeditated dastardly attack, which took place on 24 September, on one of the largest temples in the country with the intent of destabilising India.
A press release states that the telefilm is an integral part of the channel's contribution to the ongoing fight against terrorism by creating awareness amongst the people, thus empowering them.
The telefilm will be shown on Zee News (16 May at 8 pm and 10 pm; 17 May at 9 pm; 18 May at 9:30 pm); Zee TV (17 May at 10 pm); Alpha Bangla (16 May at 10:30 pm); Alpha Punjabi (16 May at 9 pm); Alpha Gujarati (16 May at 8 pm and 10 pm); Alpha Marathi (18 May at 10 am).
The release adds that the 40-minute telefilm Mission Akshardham is an effort to present the truth about how the ISI - the Pakistan intelligence agency - top brass conspired and misguided young minds into following the path of terrorism. This film is a real story of how these young people are driven and trained for such a merciless mission, adds the release.
Militants attacked the famous Akshardham temple at Gandhinagar in Gujarat killing innocent people and holding the country to a seige. Media reports indicated that the inhuman attack was a critical part of one of the biggest conspiracies hatched by the ISI to destabilise India.
The release says that the telefilm seeks to exposes the nexus between various terrorist groups and the ISI. It also portrays the entire modus operandi of these groups and how big plans for the attack against India are being planned and later executed.
The film has been shot in Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat to recreate an original ambience, says the release. Zee News claims to have used the actual white ambassador car in the film, which was hired by the terrorists for this attack.
The release also adds that the cast of the film includes Bollywood and well-known theatre personalities like Sunil Sinha, (playing the role of chief operational commander of the attack Zaki ur rehman Lakhvi), Shyam Pathak ( who plays the role of deputy commander Abdul Rehman Daquil) amongst others. Actor Raza Murad will lend his voice to the film.
Zee News principal correspondent and the director of this film Naveen Kumar who was working on this investigative piece managed to uncover details like the money paid to the terrorists for this act; kind of training which was given to the terrorists; actual names and ranks of the ISI officers involved; how the automatic weapons were smuggled into Ahmedabad; where the weapons were hidden before the final day of the attack; the local network which colluded and from where they picked up essential supplies before heading towards the temple for the attack.
Kumar had earlier investigated and developed the concept for 13 December the tele film reconstructing the conspiracy behind the attack on the Parliament, which was also produced by Zee News.