Rocket Boys is set to retrace the accomplishments and dwell deeper into the personalities of Indian nuclear physicists Homi Bhabha and Vikram Sarabhai, their journey to achieving greatness and writing pages of history.
Created by Roy Kapur Films and Nikkhil Advani's Emmay Entertainment, Rocket Boys aims to take us back to the era, showcase Bhabha and Sarabhai's love for physics and space, and also about their trials and tribulations to put India on the map of the space program.
While Jim Sarbh plays Homi Bhabha, Ishwak Singh portrays the role of Vikram Sarabhai in the series. In separate conversations with Firstpost, the actors, Advani, and co-producer Siddharth Roy Kapur discuss bringing the story of two to the fore, their learnings from the show, and why it is a 'simple, human story, and not a science show.'
What was it about this story set within India’s space programme that made you say yes to the project? And how was your prep like?
Singh: It was a great experience working on the series, and certainly, a lot of prep was involved to play Dr Sarabhai. For this was a man of science, principles, and ideology, also a Gandhian. He’s well-read, travelled the world. As I tried to find out more and read about Sarabhai, I read such beautiful about some very influential people. All that stayed with me when I was preparing, and allowed me to make choices as a performer. And to be honest, it is difficult to say I have cracked the character or know him now as a person through my prep because I can only imagine, and moreover I am still trying to find him. Rocket Boys changes everything for me.
Sarbh: There was no trigger point, it was straight away a yes for Rocket Boys. As for the prep, Abhay [Pannu, director] and I have put humongous effort into the show. We have fought, argued, and I have driven him crazy by often saying let's rewrite the scene. I used to feel something is missing, and we would redo, think over, and come back to it again. The biggest takeaway from playing this part was Homi Bhabha’s quality of interest in things, and an absolute lack of fear to put the time and work into making those things happen. He was a great leader, but also knew how to be irreverent and funny at times. We have tried our best to achieve that balance. [Laughs] Last year for me was all about Rocket Boys, either shooting or prepping. I did a lot of things in between but the leftover was all about this.
Advani: The actual credit goes to Siddharth Roy Kapur and the team at Roy Kapur Films. They saw the potential in the story. It was a concept pitched by writer Abhay Koranai. See, these were the two men who changed the way we live in this country primarily because of their goals and dreams. It was a story to be told. Their conflicts, trials, and tribulations, as well as some passive parts of their life. So all of this was very fascinating to me. A lot of credit should be given to Kapur for identifying those ingredients of this show and Abhay Pannu in putting it all together, who has done an impeccable job.
While we are heading beyond action and romance in our films and shows, there is definitely a dearth of good content in our country. Is there a trick to make science/ physics entertaining?
Kapur: The reason behind a successful film like Mission Mangal was that they were was really able to make the whole space program exciting and entertaining for the viewers. However, sometimes with science stuff, the audience can often get defensive because it might across intimidating if it is heavily detailed. So we knew it was important to talk about these two men as normal human beings who did not have any idea that down the line, they would become such big figures, you know, the way we see them today as such iconic personalities. The idea was to humanise them, and not treat them as a great people. Even science can be dramatic and exciting.
Advani:
I think I want to take this opportunity to tell your readers that they will be sorely disappointed if they take Rocket Boys as a science show. It is a story about renaissance men, their women in life, their relationships and their failures.
They were young men with lofty ambitions, goals ahead of them, and they were chasing those dreams, some of those which faltered. At its heart, this is a very unique and human story.
Rocket Boys is regaling an important chapter in Indian history, but what happens if the accuracy gets questioned?
Singh: The series is pretty factual, well-researched, and accurate. The Sarabhai family was involved, and they have seen the show as well. I, from the side, has made sure to read up and get my hands on all the literature that was available on Dr Sarabhai. I have performed it with utmost honesty. As much as I believe, I have delved a lot of myself in my prep, the makers knew far more. Have full faith in the writings and vision of the producers, and of Abhay Pannu.
Sarbh: It is not for me to decide that. You play your best to play the character, and you rely on the fact that the directorial team has done the appropriate research and has got all the facts right. Besides, Mallika Sarabhai has seen the series. Also, I know the science stuff was checked by many modern-day scientists, the historical accuracy is based on careful research, so now I just have to come on set and play the character. You can’t worry about all these things.
Advani: I think the victory of Rocket Boys lies in the fact that it does not take itself too seriously. We are talking about men who are on the poster stamps of India. But at no point, you will feel that the show is becoming too self-consumed. They are just living their life, they are falling in love, they are falling out of it. They are supporting each other even while conflicting. It's quite a period story told in a very humble way.
At times when Bollywood is criticised for subtly pushing nationalist causes and celebrating patriotic feats with biopics and period dramas, it is tricky to look at a biopic with a fresh perspective. Do you think Rocket Boys would give us a new angle?
Singh: I see Rocket Boys as a very inspiring and human story. The very first thing I was thought in theatre was, “If you feel it, the audience will feel it too." The show inspired me to go back to places, took me back to my high school textbooks. I wanted to know what did I miss, the science is so interesting. The show is simple, fun, and wants to portray Dr Sarabhai and Homi Bhabha's love for science, who managed to do so much with limited resources when the country was just learning to stand on its feet. I say it’s a human story because it will actually move you on a personal level. I am sure everyone will have something to take back home with this series.
Kapur: Ya, so with Rocket Boys, we have tried to be as authentic as possible. And I think you are right when you say that sometimes films can get jingoistic the way we portray our heroes and national events but you know they also become less entertaining because then it is a very one-dimensional piece. What we tried to do with Rocket Boys is we have shown them as ordinary men of their time with their flaws and eccentrics. All the things that make them human, so pure in their love for their young country, they are part of the freedom struggle as well, they have seen the country being born, and while their visions may differ, they both are patriots in the best sense of the world and just want the best for their country. There is a difference between patriotism and nationalism, and I think it is always best to be patriotic, and I am talking completely from the prism of entertainment, it sometimes becomes boring when it goes down the nationalistic part.
Sarbh: Ahaa! I don’t know about that. But there are good versions and bad versions of everything, even with patriotism. And I think these characters were not concerned about anything other than doing something for their country. Here you have two privileged people who came from affluent families and also had support from Jawaharlal Nehru and JRD Tata, but they didn’t squander this privilege. They used all of this formidable intelligence and resources to create things for a greater good. That is truly an inspiring story no matter how one looks at it.
Rocket Boys will release on SonyLIV on 4 February.
from Firstpost Bollywood Latest News https://ift.tt/NsPLep3iF
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