Rocket Boys Season 2: A Worthy Follow-Up to The First Season

Jim Sarbh and Ishwak Singh takes the center stage

Rocket Boys Season 2

Cast: Jim Sarbh, Ishwak Singh, Regina Cassandra, Saba Azad etc.

Screenplay, Dialogues and Direction: Abhay Pannu

Story: Abhay Koranne

Additional dialogues: Kausar Munir

Genre: Biographical drama

Producers: Siddarth Roy Kapoor, Monisha Advani and Madhu Bhojwani

Number of episodes: 8

OTT: SonyLiv

Season 2 of Rocket Boys is a worthy follow-up to the first season. It mainly looks at the decisions that shaped the nation’s space and nuclear programmes under the leadership of Jim Sarbh’s Homi Bhabha and Ishwak Singh’s Vikram Sarabhai.

There is also a major subplot of how their decisions ended up creating geopolitical ripples across the subcontinent.

Strong women characters

Much like the first season, the new season also has strong women characters.

Mrinalini Sarabhai played by Regina Cassandra is one example of this. She is the wife of Vikram Sarabhai and also a classical dancer. Her presence is significant both at home and also in the outside world.

Saba Azad who played Pipsi, a close friend of Homi Bhabha, has less to do in comparison to the first season, but she also gets her moments at a critical juncture.

The biggest strength of Rocket Boys Season 2 is the humane touch that director Abhay Pannu brings to the table. One example of this is how the director deals with the political undertones of the plot.

For instance, there are scenes showcasing the struggle of Indira Gandhi (Charu Shankar) post the death of her father Jawaharlal Nehru.

The entire process of Indira Gandhi coming to terms with her father’s death has been portrayed with a lot of sensitivity. Charu Shankar is impressive in capturing the spirit of Indira Gandhi. She brings in the required authority.

Humane touch in characters

The arguments between Ishwak and Jim Sarbh, though fierce, never get into the shrill territory.

The turbulent interpersonal relationship between them has been brought out well by the director. In spite of their great scientific achievements, they don’t come across as superheroes at any point.

On certain occasions, we see them vulnerable to provocations and also not shying away from their weaknesses.

The scenes between Vikram and Mrinalini Sarabhai are another major highlight of the series.

Their marriage is under severe strain because of Sarabhai’s long absences from home and his other attractions.

Still, Mrinalini doesn’t come across as a nagging wife at any point. She has her own ambitions of becoming a classical dancer.

There is certain assertiveness to the character which is refreshing to watch. Regina does a fantastic job of capturing the feistiness of Mrinalini. She has effectively portrayed the vulnerable moments of the character.

Impressive technical team

Season 2 also benefits from a very impressive technical team.

The cinematography by Harshvir Oberoi is successful in transporting the viewers back to that era with the frames being perfectly in sync with the nature of the story without overriding the content.

The sound design by Subhash Sahoo is also top-notch. A special mention must also be made of the show’s theme music, which is an absolute winner.

Falters at some places

The positive being told, there are certain areas where the series falters.

Primarily, the characterisation of the young Dr APJ Abdul Kalam could have been better written.

Also, some of the supporting characters come across as more of TV serial villains which are not in sync with the tonality of the show.

Particularly those played by Namit Das and KC Shankar.

Jim Sarbh, Ishwak take centrestage

The performances by Jim Sarbh and Ishwak are simply terrific.

There is no dull moment whenever Jim is on screen. He gets ample opportunities to be a charmer which Jim pulls off with ease. He is equally good in the more intense bits.
The scene leading to the death of Homi Bhabha has an emotional poignancy that stays with the audience for a long time.

Ishwak Singh’s part is less colourful but the young actor makes his presence felt.

He is particularly good in the vulnerable bits with his wife. He is successful in bringing out the zen-like attitude of Vikram Sarabhai.

Saba Azad enters pretty late but she does hold her own in the few scenes that she has got.

A special mention must be made of the intense scene where she questions the futility of war.

Dibyendu Bhattacharya is also in form, as a misunderstood scientist who has to prove his innocence.

Verdict

In a nutshell Rocket Boys Season 2 is a worthy tribute to the two great scientists. What elevates this underdog story is the humane touch that the director brings.

Year-End Roundup: Best Hindi Web Series Of 2022

The format of “web series” has given wings to several filmmakers to experiment more. A web series doesn’t necessarily need a big star.

Indeed, web shows have turned out to be a great platform for actors who generally don’t get the same scope in films.

For example, Delhi Crime Season-1 turned out to be a major boost for the career of Shefali Shah. It showed the actress in a different light.

Here’s the list of some of the Hindi web shows that caught our attention most this year:

CAT

In Hindi cinema, Punjab has been largely restricted to mustard fields, Bhangra dances and families living in big havelis. Thankfully, there have also been exceptions.

The most important of them is Abhishek Chaubey’s Udta Punjab.

Though the movie faced a lot of problems with the censor, as it showed the menace of drug abuse, it eventually came out with flying colours.

CAT, directed by Balwinder Singh Janjua, tackles two dark aspects of Punjab. One is militancy and the other is drugs.

Its central protagonist, Randeep Hooda, plays Garry aka Gurman Singh. In the past, he was roped in by the Punjab police to spy against the militants. Hence the name CAT.

He quits that line of work and starts leading a peaceful life. But the peace is short-lived as his younger brother is doing drugs, much like several other young men of Punjab.

This leaves Garry with no option other than to become a CAT again. This time, the mission is busting the big trafficking gang run by a political leader.

However, this is just the surface of the story, as many things are happening simultaneously. Revealing anything more about the plot would be inappropriate.

The best thing about CAT is juxtaposing militancy and drugs. These are serious issues which need nuance both from the director and the writer. Thankfully, Balwinder Singh and Co did a fantastic job.

CAT is filled with many backstories. These stories continue to unfold even in the last episodes and make the plot more engaging.

The past and the present of Gurman have also been superbly done. The audiences constantly root for Gurnam to come out safe.

Special mention to Abhishant Rana who plays the younger version of Randeep. He is simply terrific.

CAT gave Randeep a vast platform to display his histrionics and the actor didn’t disappoint one bit. With this performance, he showed once again why he deserves so much more.

Delhi Crime 2

The first season of Delhi Crime was a big winner on several counts. It was based on the aftermath of the Nirbhaya case, but it was much more than just the typical police manhunt.

Director Richie Mehta made some subtle yet effective points on the socio-political conditions we live in and how these conditions influence the police force.

Richie Mehta was immensely successful in humanising the police force by showcasing their humane and vulnerable side.

Expectations from Season 2 of the web series were naturally bigger. Shefali Shah returned as DCP Varthika. Some of the faces from Season 1 were also in this series, like Rasika Dugal.

Delhi Crime 2 focuses on the crimes committed by the much-feared “Kachchha Baniyan” gang.

Senior citizens living in gated communities are their target. The reason for their name is their dress while committing these crimes. All the members of this gang are dressed only in underclothes.

Additionally, their bodies are smeared with oil. As a result, it is difficult to catch them during a chase.

Season 2 of Delhi Crime is directed by Tanuja Chandra, with Richie Mehta as the creative head. Tanuja Chandra highlights an important class issue through this “Kachchha Baniyan” gang.

The director makes a strong statement on the injustice done to the underprivileged tribes and the prejudices attached to them. The show also addresses the disparities in society and how it leads to such crimes.

The aspect of social discrimination is reflected through Tillotama Shome playing Lata Solanki. Her character is used to make a point about how no one is a born criminal.

As Varthika, Shefali Shah took off from Season 1. She continued her winning form with a performance that adds to her versatility.

Rocket Boys

As the title suggests, Rocket Boys is essentially about India’s two eminent scientists: Dr Homi Bhabha and Dr Vikram Sarabhai (Jim Sarbh and Ishwak Singh in the series). This web show looks at the journey of India’s nuclear and space programme.

Director Abhay Pannu spans his story across three decades starting from the events of 1942.

A young Sarabhai is forced to return to India on account of the war in Britain. He has an ambition of sending rockets into space someday. With this in mind, he joins Homi Bhabha’s atomic research unit.  A deep bond develops between them.

With a story like this, it is easy to get into the zone of jingoism but thankfully, Abhay does not commit that mistake.

Instead, he focuses more on the distinct personalities of the two scientists. While Jim Sarbh as Homi Bhabha is more of an extrovert, Ishwak as Sarabhai is more of a calm-going man.

The juxtaposing of these two qualities makes the screenplay more riveting. Their journeys and the dreams of making it big are well captured by the director.

The Rocket Boys series does not confine itself to just science. It also looks at the politics of those times. The technical departments of the film did a fantastic job of recreating that period.

Both Jim Sarbh and Ishwak live their parts. Jim in particular does a swell job of capturing the madness of Homi Bhabha.

The women characters are thankfully not relegated to the background.

Regina Cassandra brings an old-world charm and her scenes with Ishwak are wonderful to watch. Saba Azad as the lawyer brings a certain fire to her part.

The Great Indian Murder

The Great Indian Murder is based on the book The Six Suspects written by Vikas Swarup, who also wrote the book Q&A, which was later made into Slumdog Millionaire. The book explored the different aspects of our society like the rampant corruption that runs through all the systems.

Vikas Swarup used the mode of investigative thriller to highlight this issue. For those who have not read the book, the story focuses on the murder of a playboy called Vicky Rai.

He is the spoiled son of a politician in Uttar Pradesh. He gets embroiled in a murder case. but thanks to his social status, he comes out scot-free.

Vicky throws a party to celebrate his acquittal in which he gets killed by a gunshot. Six guests are arrested on the grounds of suspicion.

Tigmanshu Dhulia adapted this story and did a good job for the most part. The best thing about his direction is his use of each character. Each one of them reveals a different side of our society.

My favourite one is the track by Shashank Arora. Though a thief, he has inherent decency in him and Tigmanshu did a very good job of exploring it.

The trajectory of his role has an emotional touch. His love for Vicky Rai’s sister and how he goes out of the way to help her leaves the viewers emotional.

Another track worth mentioning is that of Raghubir Yadav. His split personality gives the series some of its best moments.

The scenes where he plays Gandhian are very amusing. Tigmanshu takes several jibes through his character.

Needless to say, Shashank and Raghubir Yadav are the best performers in this ensemble.

Tigmanshu also made it effective by using the Rashomon approach. There is a lot of back and forth and the events keep on changing. Still, the tightness of the script makes sure that the audience does not get bored.

An underlining theme of the show is the manipulation of evidence for political mileage.

The Great Indian Murder web series has its share of flaws too. For example, Paoli Dam playing the actress is given a strong beginning but midway through, she disappears.

Also, the tying up of some subplots could have been better. Apart from these, it is a binge-worthy series.

Gangubai Kathiawadi: A Solid Spectacle With A Beating Heart

Over the years Sanjay Leela Bhansali has become synonymous with telling stories on a larger than life canvas. His last three films Ram Leela, Bajirao Mastani and Padmavat are good examples of that. This larger than life canvas has also backfired in films like Ranbir Kapoor’s Saawariya but there is no denying the artisticness of Bhansali irrespective of whether you agree with his storytelling or not.

In Gangubai the director takes up a gritty real life story and narrates it with his trademark dramatic touch. The result is a largely satisfying film which touches upon a very important topic. He is also aided by the supremely talented cast led by his formidable leading lady. Alia Bhatt sinks her teeth into the role and comes up with the best performance of her career but more on that later.

The story of Gangubai is set in the 60’s and is inspired by a chapter from S Hussain Zaidi’s book Mafia Queens of Mumbai. With the help of the cinematographer Sudeep Chatterjee Bhansali immediately transports you into the area of Kamatipura. The plot is divided into three chapters. First you have Ganga being brought into the streets of Kamathipura and sold by her lover Ramnik. Ganga had aspirations of becoming a Bollywood heroine and Ramnik used that to his advantage and coaxed her to run away from home under false pretences. Seema Pahwa plays the brothel owner Sheela Masi. It is good to see the actress taking a break from her usual mother roles and doing something different, she is delightfully evil.

Much like the other four thousand woman of Kamatipura Ganga has no other option other than to make a living there. She gives up all hope and in a heartbreaking scene we see her standing in the front of a brothel, leaning on its door and seducing men by calling out to them in whispers. From here we see the character transforming into a fire brand go getter who gradually climbs up the ladder. She wears her past proudly on her sleeve, for example there is a scene in the later half where she introduces herself to Jim Sarbh’s character as Gangubai the prostitute. The interactions of Gangu with the supporting characters and how that shapes up her life also form an important part of the story. One of the most important supporting characters is that of Ajay Devgan’s Rahim Lala. He is a Muslim gangster who is a huge pillar of support for Gangu along with being her rakhi brother. Ajay is in smashing form and brings his trademark swagger.

There is a line in a film which says Gangubai wasn’t Mahaan but she wasn’t a devil either. This perfectly sums up the approach that Sanjay Leela Bhansali has taken. Early on in the film we see Gangubai freeing a girl from a prostitute house and sending her back home. This is done with a certain political purpose as we get to know later. There is also a scene where she sets up the marriage of a prostitute daughter with a son of a Muslim Tailor Afshan ( Shantanu Maheshwari); here also there is a reason why she does that. In these scenes we can see the shrewdness that Gangubai has learnt from the harsh circumstances that she has gone through. At the same time there is a genuine empathy that she has for sex workers, there is a reason why she wants to become to become the madam of Kamathipura. The reason is she wants to improve the lives of the sex workers. This comes out perfectly in her stunning speech at Azad Maidaan. Bhansali does a splendid job in bringing out these two shades.

Gangubai’s love story with Afshan also gives the film some of its best moments. Their romance is subtle but yet heartwarming. The two love songs Jab Saiyaan and Meri Jaan have been perfectly used by the director. They don’t come across as speed breakers. Out of the two my favorite one is Meri Jaan. You wish that Gangubai had a happy ending with Afshan.

Another track worth mentioning here is the friendship between Gangubai and Kamili played by Indira Tiwari. Their on screen bond is a treat to watch. There is a strong emotional scene between Gangubai and Kamili when the latter is on the verge of dying. It is a scene which is highly moving.

The scenes between Ajay Devgan and Alia are also good to watch but you wish there was little more of Ajay. The same goes to Vijay Raazi’s Rajyabhai. He plays an opponent to Gangu. Their rivalry is fun to watch but Vijay Raaz comes across as underutilized after a point.

As I earlier said Alia sinks her teeth into the role. Since the release of the teaser there has been a certain talk about alternate casting but once you see the film you realize why Sanjay Leela Bhansali stuck to her.

The best thing about Alia’s performance is the authority that she brings in her voice when the character makes the transition from being a helpless prostitute worker to the madam of Kamathipura. Her comic timing in the lighter bits is also too good. In short this is truly an award winning performance. Out of the supporting cast Indira Tiwari and Shantnu stand out the most.

The music of Gangubai mostly works but the one featuring Huma Qureshi could have been done away with. The song Dholida isn’t too high on lyrics but it still highly watchable thanks to Energetic performance of Alia. The second part of the song makes more of an impression.

The one area where the movie falters is its pre-climax and climax, Gangubai’s conversation with Jawaharlal Nehru could have been more impactful, in the sense she should have been talking to him with more humility. Also the climax where a swarm of people are cheering Gangubai stretches a little too much.

Watch Gangubai for its leading lady and the importance of its real life story.