EXCLUSIVE: Riteish Deshmukh looks back at COVID-19 period as Pill nears release: “When Genelia tested positive...”

JioCinema’s upcoming medical drama series, Pill, featuring Riteish Deshmukh and Pavan Mallhotra, directed by National Award winner Raj Kumar Gupta and produced by Ronnie Screwvala’s RSVP movies is set to premiere on July 12. Set in pre-COVID era, Pill takes viewers into the murky world of India's pharmaceutical industry. Riteish Deshmukh essays the role of Prakash Chauhan who uncovers corruption in India's pharmaceutical industry.As he navigates through a web of powerful figures—from industrialists to regulators and journalists—tension mounts against Pavan Malhotra’s character of a manipulative CEO. This battle of ethics versus profit exposes a nexus where revenue is considered more important than patients’ health. Prakash's quest for truth in Pill challenges viewers to stay vigilant in a world where healthcare integrity hangs in the balance.Riteish Deshmukh has spoken about how this series changed his perception about the working of the medical and pharmaceutical worlds. He elaborated upon the unquestioning attitude that people have towards the medicines they consume, be it over the counter or prescribed. He insists that people must know what goes inside their bodies instead of blindly popping pills. The discussion surrounding medicines, naturally led to the COVID-19 pandemic of the recent past.Opening up about the pandemic and looking back at that period, Riteish said exclusively, “It was a difficult phase. When Genelia (Deshmukh) tested COVID positive, it was the initial phase. So, we didn’t know a lot. We had to separate the patients. It wasn’t easy. Over the world, the health ecosystem collapsed. But we have to give it to our system. The way the situation was handled, doctors came together, the government came in, the hospitals rose up. Of course there will be certain failures, some things will crumble. The human spirit to fight and revive was there. I always like to look upon the brighter side and don’t like to sulk upon things if they don’t go well. But for whatever reason, I feel we fought COVID pretty nicely.”Also Read: PILL Trailer: Riteish Deshmukh is a righteous doctor who takes on the dark underbelly of the Pharma Industry