R Madhavan’s ‘Rocketry’: The Nambi Effect’ takes over Silicon Valley

Rocketry’: The Nambi Effect

Vidya Sethuraman
India Post News Service

Madhavan has taken on the most challenging venture in his film career – to script, direct, produce and play the titular role in ‘Rocketry: The Nambi Effect’. Released worldwide on July 1 in six languages, ‘Rocketry’ is the biopic of Indian Aerospace Scientist S. Nambi Narayanan, who led the Indian team of scientists in developing a sophisticated liquid-fuelled rocket engine, dubbed the ‘Vikas Engine’.

Team Rocketry embarked on an exciting 12-day promotional tour across the US. R Madhavan’s directorial debut Rocketry: The Nambi Effect has been making the headlines ever since its announcement was made. Rocketry team organized a press conference and community meet up at University of SiliconAndhra on June 7. Madhavan shared that after working on the script for seven months, he showed the script to Narayanan for final approval. It took me another one-and-a-half years to put the whole script together about this really incredible man, his unbelievable and fantastic journey about Padma Bhushan Nambi Narayanan”, the actor recalls.

Rocketry’: The Nambi EffectMadhavan was joined by ISRO Scientist Padma Bhushan Nambi Narayanan, whose life was the subject of the film. Madhavan plays a former rocket scientist at the Indian Space Research Organisation in the film (ISRO). Narayanan, the chief of ISRO’s cryogenics branch, was wrongfully charged with espionage and imprisoned in 1994. In 1998, the Supreme Court dropped all allegations against him. The movie also reveals Narayanan’s working relationship with Dr APJ Abdul Kalam and his friendship with Vikram Sarabhai.

The picture, which also stars Phyllis Logan, Vincent Riotta, and Ron Donachie, with special appearances by superstars Shah Rukh Khan and Suriya will be released internationally on July 1. The film recently premiered at Cannes Film Festival 2022, and will soon hit the theatres.