Rocketry is a project that was first mooted in the year 2012 and was plagued by many challenges. R. Madhavan joined the project in 2015 as an actor and was soon elevated to co-director and co-writer after the film’s director Mahadevan, left the project. After completion, the film faced more challenges after a theatrical date had been set but withdrawn because of the Covid-19 pandemic. There was immense pressure on R.Madhavan to release the film on an OTT platform but he remained steadfast that Rocketry needed to have a theatrical release. The film had its world premiere on 19 July at the Cannes Film Festival and released theatrically worldwide on 01 July this year to lukewarm and even negative reviews, with many slating the film as a combination of science lesson and melodrama.
The film traces much of the career of rocket scientist, Nambi Narayanan whose friends and acquaintances included Neil Armstrong, Luigi Crocco and Abdul Kalam. As a proud member of ISRO, The Indian Space Research Organisation, Nambi Narayanan was determined to establish India as a leader in space and aeronautical programmes. The film focuses on the false charges brought against Nambi Narayanan and the ramifications of this action on his family.
The cast of Rocketry includes R. Madhavan, Simran, British actors Vincent Riotta, Phyllis Logan and Ron Donachie as well as Karthik Kumar, Jegan, Ravi Raagavendra and an extended cameo by Suriya. There is also a special appearance by Nambi Narayanan himself.
The challenge in making a biopic is that a large percentage of the audience would already know the story, so keeping that sector of the audience needs to be addressed. The bigger challenge in making a biopic of someone who is still alive is the possibility of legal action by people or by their families. Addressing these challenges would require a deft filmmaker whose experience in the medium would make the transition to film an easier one. However, for a first-time director to succeed in this is truly incredible.
Undoubtedly, the story is an engaging, uplifting, educational and inspirational one but it is the astute screenplay and well-crafted script that elevates this film to staggering heights. The characters are well fleshed out with credible flaws and the verbal exchanges have a natural flow with just the correct amount of wit and humour. There is no attempt at cinematic drama or an over-emphasis on emotion. Instead, Madhavan has relied on reflecting rather than showing without underplaying the power of the story.
In terms of acting, this is easily Madhavan’s best acting performance to date and, in a fair world, he would be a firm contender for the Best Actor for his portrayal of Nambi Narayanan. Simran refuses to be overshadowed and assays her rule brilliantly. Suriya, in an extended cameo, shows the meaning behind the saying that there are no small roles, only small actors. Despite the relative brevity of his role, he remains one of the film’s memorable characters. The British actors are very expressive and have portrayed their respective characters very credibly.
Cinematically, Rocketry is outstanding. Sirsha Ray’s cinematography captures the variety of moods of the film brilliantly with creative use of light and filters. Bijith Bala’s editing complements the neat screenplay while Sam CS’s music shows how effective a non-intrusive background score can be.
Whether you have heard of Nambi Narayanan or not, whether you know the full story of his life or not, Rocketry is a magnificent cinematic effort that is yet another film that shows the world what Indian cinema is truly all about.
Unfortunately, most film critics from India’s major publications were not wholly impressed by the film. Even at the box-office, it was a slow start and it took a few days to gain momentum but, even then, has not yet even reached its production cost.
Despite these factors, Sigaram looks at films independently, without partiality or favour. The film must be commended for its depth of scriptwriting, the careful selection of events from Nambi Narayanan’s life and successfully negotiating the political minefield that a film such as this would present.
Rocketry is the first film on Sigaram to score 10 out of 10.