'Rocket Boys 2' review: Perfect tribute to India's science odyssey
What's the story
An intriguing story, captivating performances, stunning visuals, powerful music, and controversies that added hindrances to India's growth in science - Rocket Boys 2 is about all of these.
Directed by Abhay Pannu, it stars Jim Sarbh and Ishwak Singh as Homi Bhabha and Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, respectively.
Here's our review of the series which is jointly backed by Siddharth Roy Kapur and Nikkhil Advani.
Plot
Story of independent India's growing years
It is based on Bhabha and Sarabhai's lives who shaped India's future in the field of science. The prequel focused on Bhabha-Sarabhai's friendship and India's early days in science from the 1940s to the 1960s.
In the sequel, Pannu has shown India from 1962 to the 1970s, tracking the country's progress with science and conspiracies hatched against it by the US's espionage agency, CIA.
Casting
A team of young actors set the ball rolling
The makers have got on board a young team of actors including Regina Cassandra, Saba Azad, Arjun Radhakrishnan, and Charu Shanker.
While seasoned actors such as Rajit Kapur and Dibyendu Bhattacharya have also been cast, every actor is a perfect match for the character they have played. No one went overboard with their acting and shined bright in their respective characters.
Detailing
Full marks for aesthetics, art direction
In the first season, Pannu shot in real locations, including the IIST building in Bengaluru, to make everything look authentic. His knack for authenticity continues in the second season.
The series is set in the early 1960s to 1970s. From the costumes to the sets, minute attention has been given to the art direction and aesthetics. It sure does take you back in time.
Representation
Staying true to facts
Yes, Pannu has taken some creative liberty with the characters of Raza Mehdi and Vishwesh Mathur, still, the narration of the series and events are largely true to history.
When directing a project that's based on real-life incidents, it is important to not play with facts. And Pannu has proved that he has gone into every detail to stay close to reality.
Direction
Pannu aces direction, dialogues, and screenplay
He won Best Director and Best Screenplay awards for Season 1. With the second, he is set to pick up the awards once again.
From its well-written dialogues to its crisp screenplay and impressive direction, Pannu has maintained the magic he created with the first season.
He has also used original video clips from the past in many scenes that add to the experience.
Screen time
The story doesn't lag; apt screen time for each episode
Rocket Boys 2 has a total of eight episodes, about 45 minutes in length. The screen time is ideal for a series. At no point will it make you feel that it's dragging; rather, it keeps you hooked till last.
Pannu has proved that a detailed story can be told within a limited time frame, without having to miss out on anything.
Music
Powerful theme song that's goosebumps-worthy
Rocket Boys is a series that runs high on patriotism. The patriotic feelings double up with the powerful theme song by young composer Achint Thakkar. The background score also adds to the drama that the series has to offer.
For the unversed, Thakkar also composed the superhit theme song for another SonyLIV Originals series, Hansal Mehta's Scam 1992 starring Pratik Gandhi in the lead.
Verdict
A binge-worthy series you shouldn't miss
Pannu and his team returned to the screens after a year; Season 1 dropped in February 2022. There were a lot of expectations from the show, and Rocket Boys 2 has successfully lived up to each one of them and how.
The well-directed series gets a stunning 4.5 stars out of 5. It is a must-watch series that takes us back in history.