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Rocketry: The Nambi Effect

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Rocketry: The Nambi Effect

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Kaushik Biswas 2144 570 days ago

Wonderful movie, everybody should see this film. Those who need a positive move in his or her life should watch this great movie. Because of based on true events director should more careful with script because some Hollywood touch little destroy this whole film, where the parts are coming from the Russia, and Americans are behind them, I think this is the only part I don't love in this movie. Otherwise the movie is great, a very few Indian movie is like this type. I love this movie.

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Superb movie ! Every Indian should watch ..

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great movie

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Rocketry: The Nambi Effect review | R Madhavan wins with the story of an underdog, Shah Rukh Khan's cameo is endearing

Rocketry the nambi effect review: r madhavan is a one man army who puts up a spectacular, inspiring show..

Pick the life story of a popular, celebrated personality, make a biopic on them and you know audiences would get drawn to the theatres. But when you choose to tell a tale of an underdog and yet manage to hold everyone's attention with your compelling storytelling and execution, that's the actual win. R Madhavan' s Rocketry: The Nambi Effect, based on the life of space scientist Nambi Narayanan, is that story which surprisingly nobody thought of narrating on the big screen until now, but it has so much to say. Written and directed by Madhavan, the film stars him as Nambi Narayanan and this is one onscreen portrayal, after a long time, that makes you notice the heart, soul and sweat that has gone into making it as real as possible. Read more: Rocketry The Nambi Effect's trailer screened at Times Square

Rocketry The Nambi Effect review: R Madhavan plays Nambi Narayanan in the biopic.

Rocketry: The Nambi Effect begins with a wide shot of the outer space and landing into Nambi Narayanan's house in Trivandrum where we are introduced to his family. While everyone is having a good laugh over lunch, their world comes crumbling down after Nambi gets arrested on espionage charges. A few scenes where Nambi's wife gets humiliated at a wedding she was attending, his daughter sits helpless in the middle of the road as someone throws dung in her face, his son gets beaten up and his son-in-law is attacked— are painful visuals to sit through. That's when you know it's not a man who was wronged, but an entire family that took the brunt. Cut to 19 years later, we are shown an elderly Nambi in conversation with actor Shah Rukh Khan (playing himself) taking us through his hardships through a series of flashback sequences.

Rocketry chronicles the journey of one of the most brilliant and skilled ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) scientist, who puts his nation and science before anything else, but is made to suffer on personal and professional level due some corrupt officials. As a young scientist, Nambi effortlessly manages to crack profitable deals outside his country that would help their department back home and India's Mars Mission. Be it earning a scholarship at Princeton, making a ridiculous demand from the CEO of Rolls Royce, leading a teaming of 52 scientists to learn technical know-how from the French and accomplishing some impossible tasks, and lastly convincing Russians to sell their technology to India at an affordable price, Madhavan does all this and more with so much charm and conviction.

Rocketry The Nambi Effect stars R Madhavan, Simran, Misha Ghosal.

The first half of the film throws way too many technical and scientific jargons at you which are difficult to understand and that makes the film a tad too heavy. But Madhavan holds no qualms about the same as he clearly doesn't compromise on the authenticity of his story. There are quite a few dialogues in English, French and even Russian, and many might find that a hinderance in the narrative, but they bring a lot of authenticity to the plot. There are some lighter moments, too, by means of Indian scientists having fun at the expense of people in different countries they visit. It's the second half of the film that's far more intense, gripping and intriguing. It shows how Nambi was tortured in the jail for a false confession that he sold secrets of rocket science to Pakistan. Here, I wish, the focus was a little more on telling us who wronged him and what was the agenda behind it, but somewhere that question remains unanswered till the very end.

That being said, throughout the film, you connect with Nambi's story on a personal level — celebrate his highs, feel the pain of his lows and cheer loud each time you sense the patriotic flavour in his actions and words. It won't be an exaggeration to call Madhavan a one-man army who puts together a spectacular show both in front of the camera and behind it, too. The research and homework that he has done behind putting together this biopic deserves an applause. He handles the subject with extreme honesty and deep understanding as a director, and portrays it with full dedication and earnestness as an actor. He has picked up nuances of Nambi to the T. His physical appearance adds to making it a believable character. Here, I'd like to mention the climax scene where Madhavan is talking to Khan and a close-up shot of his face transitions to real Nambi Narayanan. Not even for a split second you feel that's a different person. That's how real Madhavan looked on the screen.

In supporting cast, actor Simran as Nambi's wife Meena makes an impact with whatever few scenes we see her in. Then Karthik Kumar as the CBI investigating officer PM Nayar, Sam Mohan as Unni, Rajeev Ravindranathan as Param, Bhawsheel as Sartaj among others add depth to the storyline.

And having Shah Rukh Khan as the interviewer unfolding chapters from Nambi's life remains the highlight of the film. The way he emotes and gets totally involved in Nambi's story during the interview doesn't look like a scene from a film. And full credit to Madhavan here for picking such an inspiring story and telling in an even moving way that it leaves even King Khan teary eyed towards the end.

At 157 minutes, the film definitely gets a bit lengthy and a sharper editing, especially in the first half, could have made it a tighter watch. Nevertheless, some stories need that time and depth to be told and with Rocketry, you really don't complain.

Audiences might not categorise Rocketry: The Nambi Effect as a mass commercial potboiler and only fit for festivals, but it's time you set yourself free from these expectations for this film is definitely worth all your time and money. It lets you know your country better and tells the untold story of people who gave up a lot in life only for their nation.

Film: Rocketry: The Nambi Effect

Director: R Madhavan

Cast: R Madhavan, Simran, Kartik Kumar

R. Madhavan
Movie Review

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‘Rocketry: The Nambi Effect’ movie review: Madhavan’s intention is noble, but the film hits turbulence often

The first half feels like a science class, but the second, packs some emotional heft to ensure ‘rocketry’ lands well.

Updated - July 01, 2022 07:38 pm IST

Published - July 01, 2022 11:11 am IST

A still from ‘Rocketry’ | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Rocketry doesn't open inside a science lab or an aerospace facility. It opens with a neat shot of Nambi Narayanan's (Madhavan) home in Trivandrum, where everyone in the family is getting ready to attend a family wedding. It's been ages since they went together for such a function, says Meena (Simran). Everyone is excited.

Things do not turn out as expected, as Nambi gets arrested. But why would the cops be after an ISRO scientist who has contributed much to the nation's science and technology field?

Rocketry is the tale of Nambi Narayanan ’s splendid career as a scientist in the ISRO and how he was subsequently treated when a false case of epsionage was foisted on him. Madhavan deserves praise for picking a subject that not many people might be aware of, and more importantly, not diluting it by adding ‘filmi’ elements

But honest intention alone does not make a great film. Biopics are relatively easier than fictional topics to crack, and it's to Madhavan's advantage — this is his directorial debut — that he has rich material in front of him. Choosing the main events in Nambi's dramatic life was key, and Madhavan has picked the best. But translated into a film, it still feels like a missile gone astray.

The first half feels like an extended science class, with multiple jargons thrown in that not many people might relate to. In these portions, the film has very little flavour, and rather comes across as scenes documenting Nambi's victories in the scientific world. There are umpteen scenes here that are the cinematic equivalent of saying 'Nambi is a genius' and nothing more. Adding to the woes is the fact that the subject needed many foreign actors (Nambi studied at Princeton), most of whom are rather weak in performance and dialogue delivery. The Tamil version of the film, in fact, had unintentionally funny dialogues that sorely stick out.

It is in the second half that Rocketry feels more like a film, like a missile suddenly galvanised into action. The dialogues get sharper. Making up for the average directorial skills of Madhavan is actor Madhavan, who springs to life in the portions capturing Nambi's older days. The actor aces some of these sequences, especially the ones that follow his custodial torture. My favourite is a sequence of him being offered tea by an official... and this is after he has been traumatised for no fault of his. In this scene, Madhavan's hands shiver, his fingers tremble, and his lips quiver. It perfectly encapsulates a battered man. Also delivering fine little performances are Karthik Kumar as a CBI official, Simran as Nambi's wife who goes through a lot in this turbulent journey and Suriya in a cameo appearance as an interviewer.

The film is also about choices, and one really wishes that it explored that in more detail. There's a supposedly poignant scene in which Nambi has to choose between a coveted, well-paying job abroad and an average-paying job in India. What could have ended up as a scene with heft gets dissolved in a joke that one of the characters harmlessly cracks. Similarly, Nambi has to make a choice in another situation concerning one of his key team members, but the events that follow do not carry the emotional weight it ought to. Sam CS' music and Sirsha Ray's cinematography keeps us invested during those times.

The story of Rocketry is, without doubt, something that audiences have to be told. But, behind that thought is a film that connects only in parts and is, at many times, awkward. In the film, a character remarks that scientists are strange people. Maybe Rocketry is that strange film that keeps sifting between fact and emotion, without making a distinguishable mark.

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‘Rocketry – The Nambi Effect’ review: An important story of persecution that’s badly told

R madhavan’s film revisits the story of indian space research organisation scientist nambi narayanan being horribly framed for spying..

The Hindi film Mission Mangal tells the story of India’s chutzpah-laden Mars mission. The web series Rocket Boys traces the roots of the Indian space programme through the twinned journeys of pioneering scientists Vikram Sarabhai and Homi Bhabha. One name is missing from this victory parade, suggests Rocketry – The Nambi Effect.

Rocketry stars R Madhavan as Indian Space Research Organisation scientist Nambi Narayanan , who was falsely accused of selling information on India’s cryogenic programme to Pakistan in 1994. The fabrication not only ruined Narayanan’s life but also set back the Indian space programme by a few years, claims Rocketry .

Narayanan’s experience, detailed in his memoir Ready To Fire – How India and I Survived the ISRO Spy Case (written with Arun Ram), is a cautionary tale of how a career can be derailed simply by innuendo and the might of the state. Implicated by the Kerala police and the Union government’s Intelligence Bureau for reasons that remain murky, Narayanan spent decades trying to clear his name.

It’s a typically Indian tragedy, both of its time – the Congress party’s reign – and timeless. However, Madhavan, who has also written and directed Rocketry , ignores the larger implications of the ISRO spy case to instead fan present-day propaganda about the blight that apparently characterised the pre-Narendra Modi years. (For good measure, the prime minister’s voice and visage show up in the final scene.)

A thick air of conspiracy hangs over Rocketry , which has been released in Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu and Kannada. The film harks back to the days of the “Foreign Hand” and heavily hints at the involvement of the United States in Narayanan’s fall.

Before it launches into its main argument, Rocketry lurches from one amateurish eureka moment to the next. Narayanan creates a stir wherever he goes, whether it is at Princeton University in the late 1960s, or France, where he teaches his Continental peers a thing or two about rocket propulsion. There are moments in the 157-minute film when it appears that the entire Indian aerospace programme is being steered by one man and his associates.

At Princeton, Narayanan ingratiates himself with the professor Luigi Crocco by offering to cook and clean in exchange for tuition. When it’s time for Narayanan to return, Crocco regretfully says that he has lost his domestic help.

This singularly brilliant scientist is a chick magnet too. In America, France and Russia, women express an admiration for Narayanan that cannot be described as strictly professional.

The family man has a wife, Meena (Simran), back home, and an unwavering eye on the prize. Like other scientists who have achieved miracles on limited funding, Narayanan hustles for technological upgrades that boost India into an elite club whose gatekeeper is the United States.

In the present, Narayanan sits down for a television interview where he revisits his vilification. Shah Rukh Khan, in a heart-stopping cameo, turns on the charm as the movie star interviewer who gives Narayanan the respect he has been denied (Suriya plays the role in the non-Hindi versions).

The absence of context in Madhavan’s script is evident in the moment when Narayanan tells the actor, how many people, Mr Khan, are being made scapegoats in the name of patriotism? It’s a topic with which Khan is unfortunately familiar, especially after recent events.

If there was an opportunity to link Narayanan’s plight to countless other Indians victimised by fake police cases or hounded by intelligence agencies, this was it – but it is ignored by a film with other aims on its mind.

The narrative gains poignancy when it examines the effects of the accusations on Narayanan and his family. Tortured in custody and shunned by society, Narayanan must draw on every last reserve of strength to pull through his nightmare.

A stronger performer might have better conveyed Narayanan’s agony. Madhavan’s dedication, while undeniable, fails to challenge him to rise above his limitations and move beyond flat dialogue delivery and a handful of expressions.

Among the noteworthy actors is Sam Mohan as Unni, one of Narayanan’s associates who learns the hard way that feelings cannot come in the way of progress. Shah Rukh Khan pops up every now and then to leaven a film that tells a necessary story but tells it shoddily and without curiosity.

‘Give us any Muslim name’: How authorities tried to build a false spy case against Nambi Narayanan

Framing of ISRO scientist puts a spotlight on fabricated police cases in India

India could soon have a law to compensate those who have been wrongfully prosecuted

Rocketry – The Nambi Effect
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Rocketry: The Nambi Effect Review

There's wisdom to be found in an unfairly treated man's short and sweet concluding words -- a nation is only as great as our appreciation of the people who make it great, notes Sukanya Verma.

A scientist's enduring passion to make India a world class presence in space is reciprocated with infamy and disgrace. Not only does it stall India's space progress by significant years but also destroys an individual's credibility, career, psyche and personal life.

Except he perseveres and fights back until he is, finally, accorded the respect, distinction and compensation he rightly deserves.

The story has biopic written all over it.

R Madhavan felt so too, resulting in a passion project he writes, directs, produces and acts in.

In 1994, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) scientist Nambi Narayanan was falsely implicated in a so-called spy scandal alleging he sold classified information to the neighbouring nation for tons of money -- a bogus piece of news, eventually, dismissed by the CBI, Supreme Court and our very own Prem Panicker whose reportage of the episode and its repercussions are far more layered, curious and telling than this movie.

The events of Rocketry: The Nambi Effect 's inspiring true story are slyly bookended between a government that wronged him and a government that acknowledges the wrongdoing and rewards him handsomely for his contribution.

What nobody ever provides Narayanan with is closure.

But Rocketry isn't particularly complex to build on the ambiguity over the actual culprit or audacious enough to politicise it except toss a grateful carrot at the ruling powers.

Despite its all-too-neat suggestion of foreign forces at play and tendency to constantly overstate the genius as well as gross injustices, it cannot be denied that Madhavan's directorial debut is reeling in ambition.

He realises the actuality of the story is so dramatically potent on its own, he can barely conceal his excitement in a script that screams awe.

Whether he is negotiating technology aid from a Rolls Roys CEO with Partition-guilt in a cosy cottage in Scotland, proving MIT professor Ascher Shapiro's theory wrong to his Princeton teacher, discussing aerospace jargon with his Indian colleagues and French, contemplating lucrative job offers at NASA or talking shop with guru Vikram Sarabhai (Rajit Kapur in a tacky wig), everyone's reverential tone and wonderstruck eyes are designed to make us grasp what a wizard Nambi Narayanan is.

Even his ruthless actions are for the greater good of the country as a co-worker (a terrific Sam Mohan), from whom he withholds a tragic news, unpleasantly finds out.

Where Mission Mangal and Rocket Boys simplified science or made it intriguing enough for the layman to follow, Rocketry 's technical incoherence is a complete contrast to its reams and reams of expository, emotional, dialogue.

A good deal of which are conveyed via Shah Rukh Khan, in a cameo that becomes so much more in his skin.

Those deeply felt eyes of a considerate listener and the empathy flowing through his measured voice, the moment between him and the actual Nambi Narayanan is when Rocketry pierces through the heart.

When the subject of celebration becomes an object of ugly politics, the feeling of victimisation is uncomfortably mutual.

Madhavan's ageing, quite like '70s masala movies, is make-up at its dated, clumsy best.

But his comfort in speaking liquid propulsions and cryogenic fuels is effortless as his understanding of cocksure vision and personal crusade.

As a film-maker, Madhavan's flair shows in Rocketry 's meticulous casting (it's rare to see such lovely non-Indian talent in desi fare).

But the amateurish touches show every now and then.

In his overzealous excitement that needs to assert the heroism of its protagonist, some episodes bear the air of a James Bond thriller, others opt for the torture tropes of a typical Bollywood potboiler.

One of the biggest neglected aspects of Rocketry are Nambi Narayanan's brood.

The kids barely register.

And the post-espionage charges distress in the family while understandable, and feels hard to relate given how unfamiliar the bonds are.

As his traumatised significant other though, Simran is solid in the handful scenes she's allowed to shine. Although a scene of the ailing wife and her ostracised husband abandoned in the middle of the road is straight out of Mashaal .

It was over-the-top then. It is over-the-top now.

Though Rocketry is never always as well-made as it is well-intended, there's wisdom to be found in an unfairly treated man's short and sweet concluding words -- a nation is only as great as our appreciation of the people who make it great.

The man at the centre of the biopic believes it deeply even as the scene then cuts to him receiving the Padma Bhushan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's approving gaze.

The game of thrones is particularly ironic in the present political mood when skills and sincerity are unceremoniously overthrown in the lure of administrative greed.

Those wronged today must wait for a few decades for their share of glory.

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Rocketry: the nambi effect.

Directed by R. Madhavan

The story of a great Indian rocket scientist, a true patriot, who was turned into a villain in the blink of an eye. Rocketry: The Nambi Effect is a retelling of Shri Nambi Narayananʼs life story as it unravels in an interview by superstar Shah Rukh Khan.

R. Madhavan Suriya Simran Misha Ghoshal Jagan Dinesh Prabhakar Ron Donachie Vincent Riotta Phyllis Logan Gulshan Grover Ravi Raghavendra Shyam Renganathan Karthik Kumar Mohan Raman Sriram Parthasarathy Bijou Thaangjam Rajeev Ravindranathan Sam Mohan Bhawsheel Singh Sahni Jack Dimich Karina Matas Piper Gaurav Venkatesh Abhirami Venkatachalam James Eliya Shah Rukh Khan Muralidaran

Director Director

R. Madhavan

Co-Director Co-Director

Prajesh Sen

Producers Producers

R. Madhavan Sarita Madhavan Varghese Moolan Vijay Moolan

Writer Writer

Casting casting.

Aadore Mukherjee Mehra

Editor Editor

Bijith Bala

Cinematography Cinematography

Executive producers exec. producers.

Smriti Jain Gaurav Mishra

Visual Effects Visual Effects

Anuj Deshpande

Composer Composer

Sound sound.

Siddharth Dubey Justin Jose

Costume Design Costume Design

Niharika Bhasin Gautami Hazra

Makeup Makeup

Vikram Gaikwad Rohan Jagtap

Tricolor Films Sarke Studio

Primary Language

Spoken languages.

English Hindi Tamil

Releases by Date

01 jul 2022, 26 jul 2022, releases by country.

Theatrical UA Also in English, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam & Kannada
Digital Also in Telugu, Malayalam & Kannada

154 mins More at IMDb TMDb Report this page

Popular reviews

Review by Michael James ★★★

Though you know the biographical drama has been fictionalized enough with overly patriotic pushes, the untold real life story of of ISRO scientist Nambi Narayanan by itself is extraordinarily eventful and fascinating beyond thought. Well researched details and the grounded approach work to its favor. Madhavan gives his heart n soul delivering an award winning performance. However the same can’t be said with his debut directorial effort. Though he does succeed in his focal intention of making one sympathize with its lead character through the shocking happenings and well executed emotional moments, the weak writing makes the drama feel slightly superficial, lacking the much needed depth to keep you invested at all times. Hampering the interest further is the few unconvincing elements and slow paced narrative. A decent watch.

Review by Mihir Nanda

It's hard to rate a film like this which is made with so much research and dedication. So I'd just say that although far from perfect, the film is definitely worth watching because it tells a story which needed to be told and which many Indians like me would be unaware of. The first half is entirely about the contributions Mr. Narayanan made to Indian space research and what he had to go through and choose for making it all possible. And he deserves that recognition. The second half broke me. The torture that he and his family face at the hands of public and the bureaucrats is unbearable to see and made me think how difficult it would have…

Review by MK ★★★

A brilliant tale of a brilliant scientist. And yes; we, as a nation do apologize for what was done to you 'Nambi sir'. Mr. Shah Rukh Khan brings his own charm during the climax. ❤️

Review by Ashwani Kumar ★★½

Rocketry is a run-of-the-mill tale of one of the most important people from India’s space research experience and through one of the most complex geopolitical periods in modern history. Dr Narayanan is unequivocally revered among the political agents of our country, and his early achievements make him one of the founding actors of rocket technology in India. However, when we attempt to examine the course of events and the residual pieces of evidence, notwithstanding the judicial verdict in the ISRO espionage case, it becomes hard to tell whether Dr Narayanan's case is that of natural innocence or manufactured innocence leading to his acquittal. And when all things are kept aside to see the film from a position that has been…

Review by Cineoholic ★★★★

Another great Indian film which may go unrecognized by mass Indian audience.

Review by Nowayshlok ★★★★½

No wonder madhavan invested all his time and money into this passion project which the cheap and uneducated movie watching indian audience will fail to understand Half of the film was in English which added to it's very grounded and realistic approach considering the actual scenario. The foreign characters were not stereotyped or over the top which we usually see in any indian movie

Review by shri

very dumb movie about a very smart guy

Review by Kaizen ½

A boring history lesson.

It felt flat even though this film does have innovation for Tamil cinema; it’s just not executed well. The narrative also felt a bit binary and it’s fine to make someone from the past look good, but I just like depth from characters. Also, the English actors used were dreadful. However, the make-up was great at showing Nambi at different stages of his life.

I might rewatch it properly if it features in other people’s top Tamil films of 2022 lists but I would avoid watching this.

Review by AIanScott ★ 1

Here’s what would happen if Tommy Wiseau made a Bollywood film

Review by Vasanthan ★★★

Amme Bhagavathi!!

Much interesting story for a biopic but lacklustre cinema. I watched the tamil version and they had dubbed most foreign actors in colloquial tamil which was really off putting, guess I should have gone for the hindi version, probably the actors spoke english there.

Now coming to the film, the science ain't really that accessible. I mean yes beyond a point we nod along, go along with it and engage. But still the film could have made some efforts early on to engage us with the scientific aspects before goin all "solids, liquids and cryogenics" on us. Felt like the film took the easy way out here. Also Madhavan crams way too many incidents in such short time…

Review by Maitreyi

I'm assuming this is R. Madhavan's passion project - given that he's produced, written, directed, and acted in the lead role for this film. Films like these are precious things - the result of a vision scaled up by a thousandfold by virtue of all the people who worked on this with Madhavan, executing his ideas.

And so, it's not perfect. Not even close. The cinematography is beyond shoddy - focus is off on so many shots, and one time a guy hits his hand on the wall and a light turns on, but there's no light switch on said wall 🤣😭🤣 The editing desperately tries to make the film more interesting than it is with a little flair, but…

Review by Alicecharles ★★★★

In all honesty, I couldn’t understand much of the first half because I lacked the scientific knowledge to understand it properly so it was very heavy for me but the second half mightily saved the movie, truly engaging and intense changing the whole tone of the movie. The Climax was beautiful especially the transition of Madhavan to the actual Nambi was so smooth and authentic. Suriya as the host was just an excellent casting 💯

Most people might get bored for the first half, be mindful that it’s an auto-biography. Also konjam boomer comedies lam avoid panirkalam 🌝

All said, This was definitely a great watch. Kudos to Madhavan, the one man army who pulled this movie very well being a debutant director. It takes lot of background research, homework, dedication and diligence to pull all this.

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Rocketry: The Nambi Effect Is Most Intense When It’s The Most Intimate

Cast : Madhavan, Simran, Rajit Kapur, Misha Ghoshal, Suriya

Director : Madhavan

It's better to split Madhavan's first directorial into two different films— Rocketry and The Nambi Effect. One of these is a clunky and flat report card of a man's life achievements. The other is an intimate and intense human drama about the same man holding onto a few scraps of sanity in a crazy, unfair world.

The first half of the film is as much the story of India's rocketry experiments with a special emphasis on how Nambi Narayanan played a part in making India a serious contender in space. As someone who grew up in Kerala, this is the part that was new to me. Who was Nambi Narayanan? What did he do at Princeton? Where did our rocket scientists get their expertise? How did our country participate in space missions with our limited resources? And why did Nambi Narayanan learn how to make omelets?

These are the vital questions the first half answers as we learn a lot about a genius scientist who is part James Bond, part Albert Einstein and part Ambi from Anniyan . I watched the Tamil version and this is also where you'll find large chunks set almost entirely outside the country. We get a long stretch where he helps his mentor by doing odd jobs and caring for his wife. The action shifts to France and then to Russia but here again, you find the same problem you always do when the scene's full of foreign actors. The dubbing feels off and it's impossible to remain invested when we have dozens of white people speaking and cracking jokes in Tamil. The Russians feel like the caricatures you'd see in old Indiana Jones movies and there's a lifelessness to scenes set abroad that never lets you invest in the grand story it's trying to tell.

This is where you see the limitations of Madhavan as a craftsman. Exciting scenes which involve a chase on snow and elaborate experiments to test rocket engines feel basic like we're watching a show on Discovery Kids. Even the way the first half unfurls feels like a chat you'd have with a man at an airport where he goes on describing his list of achievements. Some of these are surprising like how he had to smuggle an engine out of a crumbling USSR. The others, like the time he corrects a textbook in Princeton—take too much time to arrive at a predictable punchline.

On one hand, you get loads of exposition explaining even the most basic things that are happening on a screenplay level, and on the other, there's so much jargon about rocket fuels and cryogenics that you're forced to watch the film with a dozen Wikipedia tabs open. It never quite strikes the balance between science and sentiment and there's also a lot of name-dropping that goes on to get you to see how big a deal this man was.

But it's " The Nambi Effect " part of the film I was surprisingly moved by. Madhavan is better at shooting drama than scale and the film really comes into its own when it's stripped off the largeness, to give us a tragically ironic story of India and its bone-crunching system. From the portrait of a cocky and arrogant man, we see a giant get reduced to an ant when an espionage case is filed against him. In one of Madhavan's best performances, you need to see him in a scene where he struggles to walk out of his holding cell, with stained pants and bloodshot eyes. He's bruised and broken from the outside but there's a strength he emits that somehow gets you to see the power of the truth only he believes in. I've never seen Madhavan exude such a potent mix of vulnerability and grit, even without the bells and whistles of the first half.

Also Read: Rocketry: The Nambi Effect Is A Typical Indian Biopic That Respects Its Idol More Than Its Audience

I also admire several decisions of Madhavan the screenwriter. Given how familiar this case is to a lot of Keralites, I expected the case to play like a visual document covering a series of familiar events. But Madhavan, the writer, does something really clever by giving two other characters a lot of importance along with Nambi Narayanan. One of these is a man named Unni, who adds several layers to our understanding of Nambi. Practical to a fault, you see shades of a megalomaniac in the way he understands nothing about family, only for us to see a totally different side to it much later.

On the other side is an Indian origin Nasa scientist named Amaldev. This characterisation helps you draw a parallel between a patriot like Nambi and a man with lesser talent living in a "fairer" country. And by juxtaposing Nambi with Amaldev's Cadillac and his entourage, the film underscores the tragedy of a man who was defeated by the same country he helped build, one dream at a time.

It is certainly a film I would recommend to two types of people—the first is obviously the folks who love science and who know a thing or two about ISRO's missions and how special they are. I'd urge them to watch it and then call me back to at least explain the difference between solid, liquid, and cryogenic engines and what they actually learned when they were in France.

The second lot is a set of people who've never heard of Nambi Narayanan. What happened to him is a travesty and it spells out how ridiculously easy it is for a person to lose everything for no reason. Call it office politics or personal vendetta—in Nambi's own words—no one should have to go through what he did.

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Film review: ‘Rocketry: The Nambi Effect’ ends with a bang

Entertainment bollywood.

R Madhavan, Shah Rukh, and Simran are in top form in this flawed, yet fascinating biopic

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There’s a powerful scene in the searing biopic ‘Rocketry: The Nambi Effect’ where its subject — a brilliant Indian rocket scientist who is celebrated and then vilified as a spy — rejects an apology from all those who tore his dignity to shreds.

Redemption is not for sale, declared a silver-haired R Madhavan, without a hint of malice. The scene often juxtaposes his face with the real-life scientific genius for greater effect.

R Madhavan as Dr Nambi Narayanan wasn’t being petty or cruel, but the idea of giving closure to those who slung mud on him wasn’t high on his list of priorities.

Now, had this been a typical Bollywood hagiographic biopic, this scene would have played out differently, where the titular hero Nambi Narayanan had a more gentrified response with a tear or two rolling down and a hug thrown in.

And remember, the apology was being rendered by a smooth-operator like Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan. Aptly cast as a show host — who’s suave and sensitive to his interviewee — Khan is utterly convincing in this significant role. But even Khan’s character cannot charm Narayanan because of the gravity of the crime thrust on the scientist is shockingly vile.

Narayanan’s rejection of an apology from a global icon like Khan reminded us that this is not the usual glossy, eulogised Bollywood biopics that we are accustomed to.

But be warned, this is no flawless film. Madhavan’s debut directorial is rough around the edges, especially in the first half where we are introduced to a sprightly Narayanan in his late-20s before he joins India’s hallowed Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). He’s the brightest bulb in any classroom and doesn’t think twice about challenging his professor at Princeton.

Actor R Madhavan with former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) engineer Nambi Narayanan poses for a photo during the screening of his upcoming film 'Rocketry: The Nambi Effect', in Mumbai on June 30

The nerdy Narayanan rejects a lush offer from American’s revered NASA to return to India to serve the nation’s space dreams. But at no point does director and writer Madhavan, who also plays the hero, stick to the usual tropes attached to biopics. He doesn’t airbrush his subject or elevate him to a venerated class.

When it comes to his work, it’s established clearly that Narayanan is cold and calculating and that he will go to any lengths to make sure his scientific goals aren’t interrupted.

A powerful scene in the first hour, which meanders along setting up the stage for his ignominious fall from grace, is when Narayanan makes an inhumane decision as a boss. A personal tragedy strikes his peer, but Narayanan decides to withhold that information from his wide-eyed colleague to protect his mission that’s already tottering due to limited resources from ISRO.

His narcissistic and toxic traits aren’t dialled down and that’s oddly heartening. How many biopics in India would dare to show a warts-and-mole account of a sharp mind? The biopic doesn’t also shy away from sinking deep into the know-how behind rocket science. You may not full understand it, but you find yourself invested.

The first hour meanders along establishing the persona and the man behind Narayanan and feels contrived and unthreatening, but it’s the powerful second half that makes this bumpy ride of a film truly worthwhile.

This film shifts into gear truly when an unsuspecting Narayanan is abruptly arrested in 1994 and branded a traitor who sold secrets to a rival nation. Instantly, his entire family — a bunch of simple-minded middle-class folks — is criminalised and targeted. And what hits hard is knowing this a true life story and such violent and gross injustices isn’t some pulpy fiction. Sometimes, truth is more gruesome than fiction — you start to believe.

The film also tenuously shows how rocket scientists are socially awkward.

A line of how he was alienated and his fellow scientists didn’t stand with him during his dark days in his life is wonderfully encapsulated when Madhavan says quietly that a scientist will know what to do when an engine fails, but won’t know what to do when a man falls. The widespread apathy to his case is felt deeply.

Madhavan shoulders the film with impressive authority. The varying ages and phases of Narayanan’s chequered life is brought to life with great authenticity. The parts in which he’s brutally arrested and tortured by the Kerala police is heart-wrenching. At one point, Madhavan’s character had to quietly remind his violent interrogators that he’s a learned rocket scientist and not some petty criminal who can be denied his basic human rights when in custody.

You shift in your seats uncomfortably and that’s precisely what Madhavan seems to want. He doesn’t want to let the audiences off their hook easily and we have to give him credit for being fearless on that front.

The movie explores the portrait of a self-respecting family being witch-hunted and their personal trauma without much melodrama. Actress Simran as Madhavan’s wife who is psychologically destroyed after her husband is brandished as a spy after he was allegedly honey-trapped by two Maldivian women is in brilliant form.

Their intimate moments where they are vulnerable with each other is deeply evocative. But the best part about this biopic is that their fierce quest to reclaim their honour is relayed without much pomp, fanfare, or frills.

It took Narayanan more than a decade to clear his name and that road was paved with pain and betrayal, but he didn’t relent as he soldiered on. And he hasn’t forgotten or forgiven, but the biopic makes you tip your hat to the real-life patriot. They come in all forms and sizes, and Madhavan proves that sky’s the limit when it comes to making a touching biopic.

The film begins on a whimper, but ends with a big bang.

Film: ‘Rocketry: The Nambi Effect’

Director: r madhavan, cast: madhavan, simran, shah rukh khan, stars: 3.5 out of 5.

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Rocketry – The Nambi Effect review: Madhavan-centricity, superficiality & Hollywood-style patriotism wrapped in drabness

Nambi Narayanan’s extraordinary story is marred by R Madhavan’s average direction and superficial writing.

(Note: This is a review of the Hindi version of Rocketry. The film was simultaneously made in Tamil, Hindi and English with some differences in the cast.)

Language: Hindi

The true story of rocket scientist S. Nambi Narayanan is as sensational or perhaps more so than any fictional tragedy that could emerge from a film scriptwriter’s imagination. Narayanan was a leading light in the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) when he was accused of espionage in 1994, only for the charges to be dismissed by the CBI in 1996 and subsequently, by the Supreme Court. The loss of reputation, the social ostracisation, the ruinous effect of the allegations and investigation on his peace of mind, his career and his family have been calling out to be made into a film for over two decades.

The timeline of events is not as easily decipherable in Rocketry: The Nambi Effect as it is in the previous paragraph. What is obvious from the film, however, is that even extraordinary realities can be reduced to ordinary cinema when subjected to average treatment.

Madhavan plays Narayanan in this biopic in addition to producing, directing and writing it. This is the starting point of the film’s troubles. Building up his character as a heroic figure is such an all-consuming priority that Rocketry invests next to nothing in those around him – not even in his legendary mentor and the Father of India’s Space Programme, Vikram Sarabhai ( Rajit Kapur ); not in any of his peers at ISRO who hang around him like a fan club; nor in his wife Meena played by no less a star than Simran .

With everyone else diminished to a mere sidelight in the narrative, Madhavan’s envisioning of Narayanan comes across as made-for-cinema rather than real.

The film portrays the gentleman not just as a genius, but also as a James Bond -like figure masterminding a race across snow-laden landscapes in foreign climes to sneak precious equipment into his beloved India, the envy of his male colleagues for his magnetic personality that attracts white women (a standard Indian cis-het male fantasy) and the very personification of deshbhakti. Maybe he genuinely is/was all the above, but Rocketry does not make any of these characteristics convincing.

Bond’s shenanigans are fun because the series does not pretend to be true-to-life. Rocketry seems not to know whether to pitch itself as realistic or larger-than-life.

The film’s Hollywood-style patriotism further robs it of credibility. Rocketry ’s deshbhakti is not the kind currently in vogue in Bollywood (possibly because it is not a Bollywood film, but has emerged from the Tamil film industry): it is not hate-filled, anti-minority or intentionally divisive. Instead, its idea of love for the country is the kind that lazy writers of American mainstream cinema have favoured for decades: a laughable worldview according to which the US is the centre of the universe and all human daring. In Rocketry ’s case, white people of the Western hemisphere are easily outwitted, deceived (the French particularly so) or charmed by brainy, enchanting Indians as exemplified by Narayanan himself.

The pedestalisation of the lead mirrors the depiction of India here: ISRO revolves around Narayanan in The Gospel According to Rocketry , such that at one point he negotiates a deal with a European space programme without his boss’ or the government’s knowledge, and he is praised by the said boss for doing so. This scene and several others are too silly to be excused with creative licence as their justification.

To be fair, the format does make it clear that this is Narayanan’s own account of himself. Rocketry is set up as an interview of Narayanan being conducted before a live audience by the actor Shah Rukh Khan (a role played by Suriya in the Tamil version). The film goes back and forth between the Q&A and flashbacks to Narayanan’s journey, beginning with him in his youth winning a scholarship to Princeton University, acing his studies, opting to return to India and to ISRO’s tight budgets instead of accepting a high-paying job in the richly funded NASA.

Rocketry tries to understate its political leanings. That it has leanings is evident, nevertheless, since it extends from the 1960s to the 2010s, skips any mention of past Prime Ministers, yet features a long passage overlaid with the present Prime Minister’s voice towards the end.

A star of Tamil and Hindi cinema, Madhavan has often used his naturally innocent appearance to good effect. He mines it here to pull off Narayanan’s blend of cockiness and likeability in the first half, but must explain why, at 52, he wants to pull off the role of a 20-something and 30-something youngster, which is what Narayanan is through a considerable length of Rocketry – this rivals 44-year-old Aamir Khan and 39-year-old Madhavan playing teenagers in 3 Idiots (Hindi, 2009). The makeup department does an impressive job of turning Madhavan into a likeness of the elderly Narayanan though. Like everything else after the intermission in Rocketry , his performance too is overshadowed by all-round mushiness.

It would be unfair to judge any of the remaining actors by their thinly written roles in this film, but the always-wonderful Simran does manage to make a mark despite being stuck on the margins through most of the plot. As for SRK who has to be himself in Rocketry , his charisma is inescapable, but the adulatory, hagiographical tone of the interview is embarrassing, as are the tackily predictable reaction shots from the crew shooting it.

All the foreigners in Rocketry are shown speaking in Hindi. I realise many viewers are put off by films that do this because we know that off screen, Russians in Russia, the French in France and Americans in the US don’t speak Hindi, but (don’t hate me for saying this) I’m okay with it, as I was with all Tamilians in Tamil Nadu speaking Hindi in Meenakshi Sundareshwar . It’s not authentic, it’s not ideal, but I’m willing to play along with a filmmaker who is asking us to suspend disbelief in the interests of less-than-challenging entertainment. Besides, the choice of dubbing voices for the non-Indians in this film are a decent match.

Language is the least of Rocketry ’s problems anyway, since it is governed by superficial writing, boring jargon in scene after scene before Narayanan’s fall from grace and run-of-the-mill storytelling. The second half dwells on Narayanan’s downslide, trauma and battle for justice. This section is somewhat more engaging than the first but it lacks clarity and is also over-dramatised too often. It need not have been considering how melodramatic the truth itself is and the advantage this part has of being the part of Narayanan’s story that has been widely covered by the press and thus cannot be brushed aside as probably being the man’s own rose-tinted view of himself, unlike his litany of feats, virtues and deshbhakti that precede it. As put off as I was by some of the stretched out, maudlin post-interval scenes, I confess I could not help tearing up too, knowing that an actual human being and his family went through this hell.

Little credit to the film for those tears though. Nambi Narayanan’s saga deserves better than Rocketry: The Nambi Effect.

Rating: 2 (out of 5 stars)

This review was first published when Rocketry: The Nambi Effect was released in theatres on July 1, 2022. The film is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

Anna M.M. Vetticad is an award-winning journalist and author of The Adventures of an Intrepid Film Critic. She specialises in the intersection of cinema with feminist and other socio-political concerns. Twitter: @annavetticad, Instagram: @annammvetticad, Facebook: AnnaMMVetticadOfficial

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Is Rocketry: The Nambi Effect Based on a True Story?

Directed by R. Madhavan , ‘Rocketry: The Nambi Effect’ is a Hindi language drama movie that revolves around Nambi Narayanan, an Indian aerospace engineer who makes several contributions to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) throughout his career. However, Nambi’s life comes crashing when he is framed and arrested on espionage charges. Though the disgraced scientist soon gains his freedom, the officials who tarnished his reputation are still roaming free.

The movie attracts the audience with its convoluted yet thrilling narrative, and R. Madhavan’s portrayal of the former scientist as well as his directional skills make it a joy to watch. Moreover, many in the audience cannot help but remark about the film’s realism. From Nambi’s heart-touching journey to the detailed proceedings of the Indian legal system, the movie’s authenticity is hard to miss and raises several questions. Is ‘Rocketry: The Nambi Effect’ inspired by real-life events, or is it a work of fiction? Well, we are here to explore the same!

Is Rocketry a True Story?

Yes, ‘Rocketry: The Nambi Effect’ is based on a true story. The movie is based on the life of ISRO aerospace engineer S. Nambi Narayanan, whose life from the age of 27 to 75 is depicted in the film. Born on December 12, 1941, the Padma Bhushan awardee made many crucial contributions to India’s advancement in the field of aerospace engineering. Narayanan’s expertise in liquid propulsion helped ISRO develop the Vikas Engine, which would send India’s first-ever Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle into space. But just when the scientist decided to retire, his whole life was turned upside down.

It all started in October 1994 in Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of Kerala, India. During a routine visa verification, the explanation of Mariam Rasheeda from the Maldives stood out to the Kerala police- she was suspected to be a member of the National Security Service of Maldives. There were further claims of Rasheeda communicating to Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, a research center of ISRO, and the residence of D Sasikumaran, the then general manager at ISRO’s Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre. Furthermore, her friend, Fauzia Hassan, was also arrested by law enforcement.

The allegations surrounding Rasheeda and Hassan’s frequent sightings at the Pakistan embassy in the Maldives led to the creation of a special investigation team with members from the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and the Research and Analysis Wing. Both the women were arrested and interrogated by the officials. The recorded interrogation sessions implicated several people from within ISRO as well as outsiders. This included Nambi Narayanan, along with Sasikumaran, who were to allegedly collect the documents to be forwarded.

While under arrest, Sasikumaran claimed that Narayanan had already negotiated for a transfer of drawings of the Viking engine to Brazil sometime in 1989-90. Thus, on November 30, 1994, Narayanan was arrested just a month after his formal application for retirement. The authorities claimed Hassan’s daughter gave him and Sasikumaran $50000 between January and September 1994. Due to the involvement of people close to the then Indian Prime Minister Narasimha Rao, the case was handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on December 4, 1994.

During Narayanan’s 50 days in prison, the IB officials allegedly wanted him to accuse the top officials of the ISRO of false crimes. The scientist claimed that he was also asked to state that A. E. Muthunayagam, the then Director of the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC), was involved in wrongdoing. Apparently, when Narayanan refused, he was tortured and made to stand for 36 hours, resulting in hospitalization. Moreover, he felt disappointed about ISRO’s lack of support on his behalf.

According to Narayanan, he was visited by the then CBI director, Vijaya Rama Rao, on December 8, 1994. During the conversation, the former explained that the engine and rocket drawings were not classified, leading Rao to wonder about the direction that the whole case had taken before he apologized to him. After much deliberation and investigation, CBI submitted a closure report in April of 1996 declaring no espionage had occurred. The bureau claimed that the testimonies from the suspects taken by the Kerala police were unreliable since they were taken under duress and forced by torture.

In 2018, the Kerala state government awarded Narayanan around $164,400 as compensation. Returning to the movie, its ideation began in 2012, when noted filmmaker Anant Mahadevan and journalist C. P. Surendran decided to take the scientist’s life to the big screen and went to him for his suggestions and permission. Narayanan was more than happy regarding the project and agreed to serve as a consultant. However, the initial project titled ‘The Witch Hunt,’ which would have starred actor Mohanlal did not proceed as planned.

Somewhere between 2012 and 2017, Mahadevan talked to Madhavan regarding the project, who was intrigued by the idea and decided to throw his weight behind it. In April 2017, the actor announced the project and claimed that it was unlike any film he had worked on, possibly being the biggest project of his career. Madhavan explained that the biopic is about an unsung hero, the likes of whom are never talked about. He had reportedly been silently working on the script for two years and regularly met with Narayanan for factual information.

As a result of his constant meetings with the scientist, the actor decided to expand the movie’s horizons. Initially, the film was supposed to focus only on the espionage case, but Madhavan felt that it would be prudent to explore Narayanan’s life in more detail. To better frame the film’s script, he took the help of the aerospace engineer’s 2017 autobiography ‘Ormakalude Bhramanapadham’ and Arun Ram’s 2018 official biography ‘Ready To Fire: How India and I Survived the ISRO Spy Case.’

The movie has several big names attached to it and is available in three languages- English, Hindi , and Tamil . The details of the case covered in the ‘Rocketry: The Nambi Effect’ came from official records as well as the real-life central figure of the story. As Madhavan states, the movie explores the events of the 1994 espionage case and Narayanan’s work before his reputation was tarnished with almost complete accuracy. Additionally, the stellar cast performances make the narrative even more lifelike.

Read More: Best Hindi Biopic Movies of All Time

Rocketry Review: ‘Even if it is Fake, One Must Watch it’

Rocketry: The Nambi Effect starring R. Madhavan is now streaming on Amazon Prime (in regional languages) and on Voot Select (in Hindi).

I recently read an interview where ISRO scientist said that Rocketry is fakery and most of the things shown in the movie are false claims. This was the statement of the scientist at the meet:

“Isro started the process of developing its own cryogenic engine in the mid-eighties, EVS Nambuthiri was in charge of this. 12 volumes were developed by a group led by EVS Namboothiri. At that time, Nambi Narayanan had nothing to do with cryogenics. Later, under the leadership of Gnana Gandhi, the development of the cryogenic engine started, but Nambi Narayan was not in that team.”

But I highly recommend you to watch this movie because of many reasons but first, let me share my honest review of Rocketry with you. I am wondering, why I did not post Rocketry review when I saw the movie; maybe I got caught in so many things that it just slipped out of my mind. But anyway, here you go!

Rocketry: The Nambi Effect Review:

Rocketry is biographical movie based on the life of ISRO rocket scientist Nambi Narayanan. It is about how he is a true patriot but faces charges of espionage. This is mainly because he had a lot of enemies because of his straight-forwardness and blunt nature and also for the fact that he was a true genius.

I am not revealing the whole story as I want you to watch it. And I will also not advocate if the story and claims in it is 100% true or not, but here I want to share my honest review with you.

I really liked the movie. Hats-off to Madhavan for such wonderful direction It truly touched my heart. Frankly, I just wanted to see the movie because it had Madhavan in it and I like him a lot. Obviously, every girl loves him since RHTDM!

But as the movie began and the story unfolded, I was truly hooked to my seat. The movie begins with some disturbing things that happens with Nambi sir’s family and then goes to the flashback.

Although, everyone in the movie was ‘acting’ but it never felt so. Every slap, every thrash, every single tear felt real.

I felt so sorry after seeing the movie and blame to the media for highlighting and exaggerating the case. And this actually happens. Whenever there is a court case or any incident happens, even before the final decision of the court comes, media is already doing debates and cooking stories that often ignites the fire of hatred and anger in public. News channels will highlight every bad thing about the happening but once someone comes out clean, they don’t even apologise. It is all about TRP for them but it actually ruins someone’s life including their families. It is bad and I really felt sorry.

I really want you to watch it for the sake of the actors, their efforts to bring such a realistic story with stellar performances and of course, to know about Nambi sir. Truly hats-off to the team. I actually cried in the climax because I felt so bad and sorry.

Here is the link to the media report where ex-scientists said it is all fake.

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PERTH, AUSTRALIA - FEBRUARY 10: Alex Sarr of the Wildcats goes to the basket during the round 19 NBL ... [+] match between Perth Wildcats and Cairns Taipans at RAC Arena, on February 10, 2024, in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)

French forward Alex Sarr has largely been considered the likely top overall pick in this year’s upcoming draft for most of the year. But ESPN’s Jonathan Givony recently reported that the Atlanta Hawks, owners of the first pick, could be considering selecting University of Connecticut center Donovan Clingan, either outright or in a trade-down scenario.

The report makes sense. The Hawks, looking to win now around guard Trae Young, were one of the worst defensive teams in basketball last season (27th in defensive rating, to be exact). Clingan, a monster of a human being, standing nearly 7’3, has drawn comparisons to Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert for his wingspan and reach, and projected ability to protect the basket at the next level and anchor a defense.

Could Sarr fall to the Rockets sitting at third? Would the Rockets be willing to sacrifice assets in a trade up? The Rockets own the third pick after the Brooklyn Nets’ draft pick jumped from ninth to third during the lottery; Houston owns the rights to Brooklyn’s pick as a result of the 2021 trade which sent James Harden to Brooklyn.

Sarr, a 7 footer, has all of the tools to be a defensive anchor in the modern day NBA. He can defend the rim and has the mobility to step out onto guards. And while he will never be a low post threat, the hope is that Sarr will some day develop into a reliable three point shooter. Sarr’s offensive game currently consists mainly of garbage buckets and lobs.

The Rockets’ best player last season and primary option on offense was budding star center Alperen Sengun. While Sengun is one of the most gifted young offensive centers in the league, his defense has yielded mixed results. While he was vastly improved on that end last season, head coach Ime Udoka often had to hide Sengun defensively on opposing wings when matched up against athletic rim running centers. In theory, Sarr could develop into the ideal defensive complement next to Sengun with his ability to defend the rim and also the perimeter.

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Currently, Jabari Smith Jr., the third overall pick in the 2022 draft projects to be Houston’s long term starter at power forward next to Sengun. While Smith had much success last season defending the perimeter, the fit isn’t ideal given his athletic limitations. Long-term, if Houston plans to build around Sengun, who is eligible for a contract extension this summer, the front office may want a more natural shot blocker playing the power forward. Could that be Sarr?

The Rockets are owed picks from Brooklyn through 2027 - they possess swap rights in 2025 and 2027; they own the Nets’ pick in 2026 outright. Would general manager Rafael Stone be willing to part with one of these assets in a trade up? It’s highly unlikely that Houston would relinquish its right to Brooklyn’s pick in 2025. The 2025 draft class is projected to be strong and the Nets are not projected to be good next season. But could either of the 2026 or 2027 picks, along with the third overall pick in this year, be a fair offer?

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'Rocketry: The Nambi Effect' review | Madhavan, Simran propel this compelling biopic

A still from 'Rocketry: The Nambi Effect'. (Photo| Cinema Express)

At one point in Rocketry: The Nambi Effect, we see Madhavan's Nambi Narayanan drive a snow sled in Russia as he tries to smuggle off rocket components in a Russian flight just as the Americans come to confiscate them. There are snow-capped mountains, an almost femme fatale-type Russian, and a rocket scientist who can handle his champagne.

If not anything else, Rocketry could have been our very own The World is not Enough meets A Beautiful Mind of sorts. However, that is not the story that Madhavan wants to tell, and that is certainly not the story Nambi Narayanan deserves to be represented in.

It is interesting where Madhavan, who makes his directorial debut with Rocketry, decides to start the film. He starts off with actor Suriya (Shah Rukh Khan in Hindi version), playing himself, interviewing Nambi in a live show. Although the premise isn't new, it is definitely promising, but we also see glimpses of Madhavan's directorial style where he ensures the melodrama is elevated among the peripheral characters.

Nevertheless, there is a gradual buildup to the crescendo, and we are introduced to Nambi's family, and it is intercut (editor Bijith Bala employs a smart editing style that is used often in the film) by the country waking up to the news of Nambi's alleged treachery. What happened to Nambi was the primitive form of 'Cancel Culture' where an allegation was enough to tarnish the image of a man who gave everything to his country.

But Madhavan doesn't just want to concentrate on the humiliation suffered by Nambi and his family at the hands of the power structures and people in the country. He wants to show us the man behind the white flowing beard.

Nambi would have liked it too, and the narration moves back and forth to reintroduce us to the life and times of Nambi Narayanan, a stubborn rocket scientist, whose only aim in life was to put Indian rocket science on the global map.

Starting off from the times of Vikram Sarabhai, we are shown Nambi's scientific exploits, his sojourns in Europe and the USA, his rejection of the highly lucrative NASA offer, and his run-ins with the red-tapism and lethargy of India when it came to funding science.

While these portions help us warm up to the enterprising life of Nambi Narayanan, it bares open a few problems in the film's writing. It doesn't help that there is a striking dissonance in the Tamil dialogues because it doesn't feel organic.

Also, these portions, which are set in the 70s, has humour that would have been best left in that era instead of transporting it fifty years into the future in 2022. However, points to Madhavan and team for not trying to dumb down rocket science to make it appealing.

Most of these scientific conversations that Nambi Narayanan has with his colleagues and friends aren't something that all of us would understand because it is indeed rocket science. But the writing around these portions is to keep us invested in the success of these missions and not about what the mission is all about.

All we know is Nambi and Co are doing it for India, and that pinch of patriotism is enough to pull us through.

Although these sequences explore international espionage, systemic corruption, and vanquished dreams, Rocketry truly becomes a wonderful film when the focus is trained firmly on what Nambi Narayanan, his wife Meena (A terrific Simran), children Geeta (Misha Ghoshal) and Shankar (Shyam Renganathan), and son-in-law Arunan (Muralidharan) go through after the allegations surface.

For instance, right after repeated bouts of torture, there is a monologue by Nambi. It is Madhavan's finest onscreen performance. Even in that acceptance of defeat, there is a slight sense of defiance. Even in that debilitating humiliation, Madhavan exudes the confidence of an honest man. Standing strong opposite him is Simran, who once again proves why she is a consummate performer.

Her guttural cries will be ringing in our ears long after the credits roll. The rest, especially Nambi's team - Param (Rajeev Ravindranath), Sartaj (Bhawsheel), and Unni (Sam Mohan) - are perfect foils to a rock-solid Madhavan and Simran at the centre of things.

Also, honestly, the actor in Madhavan outshines the director by a considerable margin. While some of the facets of his directorial approach are commendable, especially the place where he brings Nambi Narayanan on screen, there are a few others where some different choices could have given us a more rounded film.

Most biopics made in Indian cinema, especially if it is about living people, border on hagiographies. Nambi Narayanan's story makes for a cautionary yet fascinating tale of how a bonafide national treasure was unceremoniously discarded on the sidelines for a long time. It speaks about how even at the darkest of times, he trusted in the goodness of the people, and the judiciary.

It delves deep into how rumours and mob mentality easily ruin reputations without even the slightest afterthought about the veracity of the allegations. It doesn't shy away from raining complaints about his parent organisation ISRO and even nudges into the idea of who was behind this treachery.

Yes, our Indian cinema treats biopics as hagiographies, but when it is a biopic of someone like Padma Bhushan Nambi Narayanan, it is okay. It isn't tough to understand why Rocketry - The Nambi Effect had to be told this way… you see, it isn't rocket science.

Cast: R Madhavan, Simran, Rajeev Ravindranath, Sam Mohan

Director: R Madhavan

Rating: 3/5

( This article is taken from Cinema Express )

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Director Sam Taylor-Johnson ’s “Back to Black” invokes a single question, one fans of Amy Winehouse are sure to recognize: What kind of f*ckery is this? The Camden-bred superstar, played by Marisa Abela , was famously “just one of the girls.” Down to earth, charming, witty, and, when she opened her mouth, a dazzling performer with an unbelievably soulful voice. Infamously, those who remember Amy will also recall a brutal struggle with addiction and leeching media frenzies that followed her to her death at age 27 from alcohol poisoning in the summer of 2011.

“Back to Black” chronicles the years between the success of 2003's breakthrough Frank and the blowup of the film's titular album in 2006. But if you expect to learn about Amy the person or even Amy the musician, temper your expectations. Taylor-Johnson’s film, penned by Matt Greenhalgh , is concerned with Amy the addict , making “Back to Black” a dreadful, dastardly attempt at a biopic.

If there’s one assumption to be made about any musician’s biographical drama film, it’s that it will be music-centric. While “Back to Black” has plenty of performances highlighting some of Amy’s most famous songs, they are almost exclusively used for simple soundtrack and pity fodder rather than essential structure. They almost feel like flippant reminders to portray Amy as a performer rather than solely the emotional wreck they characterize her as. The film allots next to none of its runtime to the actual making of either album. We are given fractional context to her artistry, only minor bullet points, like a single guitar-in-the-bed songwriting sesh and a cheeky Mark Ronson namedrop.

"Back to Black" misunderstands Amy’s legacy. The film doesn’t permit unfamiliar audiences to be privy to her iconicity. It doesn’t showcase the ravenous support from her hometown and country, the way they rallied behind her, or the transition of her fame to the States. It neglects to acknowledge any of the reasons why Amy and her music were so beloved. Very little of her actual career is touched on in the film. Instead, it plays more like a montage of toxic romance, drug use, and impromptu tattoos.

Many of the onstage moments serve to show issues with sobriety or the mournful longing she feels for her on-and-off boyfriend and eventual husband, Blake (Jack O’Connell). The singular clip we’re given of the making of Back to Black is a moment of her tearfully recording the titular track, declaring, “he’s killed me,” and hard cutting to a leap in time where Amy is in the deepest throes of substance abuse. Not even her addiction, the film’s misguided though central focus is given thoughtful narrative—it’s just something that happens off-screen. It’s treated with cut-to-the-chase rapidity because, as the film sees it, we know it happens anyway.

Abela gives a valiant effort in her performance, loosely capturing Amy’s onstage mannerisms and idiosyncratic dancing. But gesture is not essence, and there’s always a distracting artifice to her depiction. Amy Winehouse's charisma and charm were almost as famous as her voice, and Abela’s hollow copy and exaggerated accent put her out of her depth in attempting to replicate them.

If the film’s navel-gazing take on defining Amy by drug use wasn’t criminal enough, the script treats these struggles and her eventual death as matters of fate: an end bound to her from the beginning. Every reach for a beer or glass of wine is dramatized like a smug nod to what we know is coming. From the top of the film, Amy is portrayed as a philandering, snarky silver tongue, a criminal to the love lives of others and a fated victim to her own heart. Blake is treated like a casualty to the irrepressible storm of her out-of-control nature, and her father, a powerless, wishful supporter, even though simple biography dictates otherwise. Neither of these men is fully to blame, but omitting their enabling and exacerbation of Amy’s vulnerabilities is irresponsible to the dignity of history. Amy is portrayed as a naive and directionless mess, and all the while, the music is never the cornerstone of the story. It begs the question: Why was this film made?

When we reflect on pop culture’s past with 2024 eyes, looking back on how the media and public treated Amy, we recall the exploitation with disgust. We compare it to Britney and vow to do better next time. The hopeful implication here would be that we could honor Winehouse’s story better in death than in her life, yet this expectation sets the viewer up for failure. While Taylor-Johnson directs scenes that seem to shake their head at the oppressive paps that tail Amy’s every move, her film fails to do anything different. There’s a gross level of romanticization and infantilization that hemorrhages any hint of life force from this story. The same sensationalist treatment she attempts to scoff at is integral to the story she’s chosen to tell. Taylor-Johnson’s predatory, voyeuristic eye never fails to capitalize on the strife of Amy’s addiction without providing empathy or care. It renders the music purely as a consequence of a proposed penchant for pain and poor choices, depicting its hero as pathetic.

“Back to Black” makes a martyr of its subject, flattening Amy Winehouse's life and music to a series of binges and failure to overcome heartbreak. It viciously strips her of any agency or humanity, positing her to be nothing more than a tragedy with an iconic album. While there’s no way to separate Amy’s biography from her addiction, to conflate it with her entire existence, sidelining personhood and omitting the pillars of her legacy is an offensive approach to storytelling.

For fans who love her, this film is a heart-wrenching watch for all the wrong reasons, and for any of the true loved ones she’s left behind, the impact feels as if it can only be devastating. “Back to Black” spotlights the same dialogue in its introduction as in its final act, Amy laments, “I want to be remembered as a singer. I want to be remembered for my voice." Yet, the film hardly remembers her for more than her darkest moments, a posthumous “too bad” that will leave many leaving the theater disturbed.

Peyton Robinson

Peyton Robinson is a freelance film writer based in Chicago, IL.

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COMMENTS

Rocketry: The Nambi Effect
Watch Rocketry: The Nambi Effect with a subscription on Prime Video. Tracing the life of Narayanan, renowned for developing the Vikas Engine -- one of the most efficient, liquid fuel engines in ...
Rocketry: The Nambi Effect (2022)
Rocketry: The Nambi Effect: Directed by Madhavan. With Madhavan, Simran, Rajit Kapoor, Ravi Raghavendra. The story of Indian Space Research Organization scientist Nambi Narayanan, who was framed for being a spy and arrested in 1994.
Rocketry: The Nambi Effect Movie Review
Rocketry: The Nambi Effect Movie Review: Critics Rating: 3.5 stars, click to give your rating/review,'Rocketry' takes off well, hits some turbulence on the way, but eventually soars high with ...
Rocketry: The Nambi Effect review
Rocketry The Nambi Effect stars R Madhavan, Simran, Misha Ghosal. The first half of the film throws way too many technical and scientific jargons at you which are difficult to understand and that ...
'Rocketry: The Nambi Effect' movie review: Madhavan's intention is
'Rocketry: The Nambi Effect' movie review: Madhavan's intention is noble, but the film hits turbulence often The first half feels like a science class, but the second, packs some emotional ...
Rocketry: The Nambi Effect (2022)
I think the movie will create interest among kids and teenagers in space and rocketry.. watch in theatre.. 19 out of 21 found this helpful. Was this review helpful?
Rocketry: The Nambi Effect
Rocketry: The Nambi Effect is a 2022 Indian biographical drama film written, produced and directed by R. Madhavan in his directorial debut. The film is based on the life of Nambi Narayanan , played by Madhavan, a scientist at the Indian Space Research Organisation who was accused in an espionage case and later exonerated.
'Rocketry: The Nambi Effect'
Rocketry doesn't just lack causality - it's also a casual film. If that isn't disrespect - heightened by the veneer of deification - then I don't know what is.
Rocketry: The Nambi Effect Review
3 min read. At one point in Rocketry: The Nambi Effect, we see Madhavan's Nambi Narayanan drive a snow sled in Russia as he tries to smuggle off rocket components just as the Americans come to ...
Rocketry
R Madhavan's film revisits the story of Indian Space Research Organisation scientist Nambi Narayanan being horribly framed for spying.
Rocketry: The Nambi Effect Review
The events of Rocketry: The Nambi Effect 's inspiring true story are slyly bookended between a government that wronged him and a government that acknowledges the wrongdoing and rewards him ...
Rocketry: The Nambi Effect Is Bigger Than Its Standard Biopic Template
The tonal change is designed to feel like the thwarting of progress; a fairytale morphs into a broken cautionary tale. Which is to say: We've seen that gimmicky Google-Earth-style opening shot in several movies over the years, but Rocketry uses it as a visual prophecy. The context is fitting.
‎Rocketry: The Nambi Effect (2022) directed by R. Madhavan • Reviews
The story of a great Indian rocket scientist, a true patriot, who was turned into a villain in the blink of an eye. Rocketry: The Nambi Effect is a retelling of Shri Nambi Narayananʼs life story as it unravels in an interview by superstar Shah Rukh Khan.
'Rocketry' movie review: R Madhavan narrates a compelling story of a
'Rocketry' movie review: R Madhavan makes his directorial debut with a biopic on former ISRO scientist Nambi Narayanan who was accused of espionage and fought a long legal battle to clear his name from all the charges.
Rocketry: The Nambi Effect Is Most Intense When It's The Most Intimate
Cast: Madhavan, Simran, Rajit Kapur, Misha Ghoshal, Suriya. Director: Madhavan. It's better to split Madhavan's first directorial into two different films— Rocketry and The Nambi Effect. One of these is a clunky and flat report card of a man's life achievements. The other is an intimate and intense human drama about the same man holding onto ...
Rocketry Movie Review: R Madhavan National Award-Worthy Performance in
Rocketry Movie Review, Rocketry: The Nambi Effect movie review - R Madhavan gives national award-winning performance in an inspiring story about powerful scientist.
Rocketry: The Nambi Effect Movie Review: Script Analysis
Rocketry: The Nambi Effect Movie Review: R. Madhavan writes this story with dedication and gives the much-needed homage.
Film review: 'Rocketry: The Nambi Effect' ends with a bang
There's a powerful scene in the searing biopic 'Rocketry: The Nambi Effect' where its subject — a brilliant Indian rocket scientist who is celebrated and then vilified as a spy — rejects ...
Rocketry
This review was first published when Rocketry: The Nambi Effect was released in theatres on July 1, 2022. The film is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video. Anna M.M. Vetticad is an award-winning journalist and author of The Adventures of an Intrepid Film Critic.
Is Rocketry: The Nambi Effect Based on a True Story?
The movie has several big names attached to it and is available in three languages- English, Hindi, and Tamil. The details of the case covered in the 'Rocketry: The Nambi Effect' came from official records as well as the real-life central figure of the story.
Rocketry Review: 'Even if it is Fake, One Must Watch it'
Rocketry: The Nambi Effect starring R. Madhavan is now streaming on Amazon Prime (in regional languages) and on Voot Select (in Hindi). I recently read an interview where ISRO scientist said that Rocketry is fakery and most of the things shown in the movie are false claims. This was the statement of the scientist at the meet: "Isro started the process of developing its own cryogenic engine ...
'Godzilla Minus One' Dethroned In Netflix's Top 10 List By A New Movie
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Could The Rockets Land Alex Sarr?
Would the Rockets be willing to trade assets to move up and draft Alex Sarr? ... Netflix s Most Popular New Movie Is Getting Rave Reviews But Hit Man Is Pretty Bad.
Young Woman and the Sea movie review (2024)
Still, this is a movie in which the journey is the destination, quite literally. The low-tech method of reporting on her progress across the English Channel initially provides some laughs, then great tension. The ebullient sense of joy on the other hand is crowd-pleasing without being corny. "Young Woman and the Sea" doesn't reinvent the ...
'Rocketry: The Nambi Effect' movie review
At one point in Rocketry: The Nambi Effect, we see Madhavan's Nambi Narayanan drive a snow sled in Russia as he tries to smuggle off rocket components in a Russian flight just as the Americans ...
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