Rocketry The Nambi Effect - Captured ably by director and actor Madhavan
'Rocketry :The Nambi Effect' has a lot going for it, firstly it being the biopic of one of the if not India's greatest rocket scientists and R. Madhavan making his directorial debut. Does the film captivate the audience and make emotions soar? A big yes is the honest reply to that.
'Rocketry : The Nambi Effect' attempts to convey in two and a half hours not only the life and struggle of a patriotic citizen wrongly accused of treason trying to prove his innocence but also the very evolution of rocket science in India. The film opens with a rocket moving into space while the camera moves down from it to the simple household of one of its key designers Nambi Narayanan ingloriously arrested while his family is attacked physically. Cut to 19 years later, actor Suriya (Played by Suriya himself) interviews the now aged ISRO scientist and his story unfolds. We get to witness the colorful character of the man as a young Princeton graduate mentored by the great Vikram Sarabhai, who brushes shoulders with luminaries of the science world such as Neil Armstrong and APJ Abdul Kalam. Nambi in the next ten years uses his leadership skills and undying focus to rewrite the rocket fuelling system. And right when he makes his big breakthrough to bringing glory to India, he is accused of espionage and arrested and almost killed. The rest of the screenplay deals with his battle for justice and how he regained his fame.
Madhavan post his 'Irudhi Suttru' phase is going from strength to strength as an actor and playing Nambi Narayanan to such perfection gains him yet another jewel to his crown. He nails the spirit of the ambitious but patriotic man who even turns into a monster to bring glory to the country. Maddy is brilliant in the scene when a man considers him as an enemy is the only one who visits him in jail. Simran as Meena Narayanan is perfectly cast and scores big in the end scenes when her character becomes emotionally unstable. Sam Mohan as Unni a man wronged by Nambi but reacts unexpectedly is brilliant while Karthik Kumar is superb as the CBI officer PM Nair. The rest of the cast including the foreign actors are pretty effective in their respective roles. Suriya's presence is more of a tactical need and if that is going to help more people see this must be told real life story, its a welcome one.
What works best in 'Rocketry : The Nambi Effect' is the honesty with which it sticks its guns to tell the tale as detailed as possible. There is no spoon feeding and audiences thankfully have to fill in the pieces. The character of Nambi as a a patriot and a go-getter is perfectly established with the moves he makes with professor Luigi Crocco , the CEO of Rolls Royce, hoodwinking the French to learn their technology and finally daring to bring in the rocket engine parts from Russia to India through Pakistan. The scene where Unni meets Nambi in jail is one of the most moving in recent times. The shame and mental trauma that the scientist and family face after being branded traitors are conveyed with conviction in the screenplay. The appearance of Nambi Narayanan himself in the climax makes the entire film even more personal and powerful.
On the flip side there are some lip sync issues and a feeling of watching a dubbed movie. The slow pace in the narration may not be everyone's cup of tea. The celebrity interview seems a bit forced and also the crew and their reactions are far from natural. The audience could have been better served to witness how Nambi Narayanan fought and won his case in a little more detail.
Sam C.S has scored the music opting to give a classical touch that is a little off color in a few places. His songs do enhance the scenes. The technical aspects including the sets of rockets and their launches are authentic while the cinematography and editing are right on the money. R. Madhavan has made a solid debut as director, handling a difficult subject and doing full justice to it. In spite of the flaws its a standout effort in telling a story that must be told.
Verdict : Go for this powerful biopic that will educate you, engage you and shed light on a contemporary hero's brave and inspiring battle against the system.
