Submit your Article

The year is 1994. The camera zooms down on a residence in a quiet neighborhood somewhere in Kerala. Without cutting to another scene, the camera gets into street view and enters the house where a small but evidently happy family is discussing its plans for the day. A few verbal exchanges follow between the characters before the camera and, still without cutting, the shot moves to find the main protagonist—Nambi Narayanan.

The meticulousness of the long opening shot showing the close bonding between Nambi’s family and his humorous nature are representative of the entire film. Actor R. Madhavan, who plays the main character of Nambi, is the Swiss knife in the movie “Rocketry: The Nambi Effect” which he also writes, produces and directs. Rocketry is a biographical drama dedicated to Nambi Narayanan, a scientist at the Indian Space Research Organization, who was wrongfully accused of espionage and made a villain by the media. The movie was filmed simultaneously in Hindi, Tamil and English languages with different actors in different versions. I watched the Tamil version on Amazon Prime.

 The day we are introduced to Nambi Narayanan and his family is the darkest day of their lives. Nambi and the Narayanan family head out to their respective works, completely unaware of the trouble brewing around them, only to find that the family’s name has been dragged through the soil by the allegations against Nambi. They are scorned by their own relatives, shouted at by random passersby and even physically abused while Nambi is forcibly taken into custody like a criminal.

In custody, Nambi is given three-degree to make him confess to all the allegations against him. But the determined Nambi stays put despite the excruciating torture and humiliation. Nambi’s unrelenting passion for his work and his nation is the entire theme of the film which uses different timelines to tell his story.

The timeline of Rocketry spans from 1969 when Nambi is accepted as a graduate student in Princeton University to 2019, when he receives his Padma Bhushan.

We see Nambi transition from a young, carefree student with the ability to play around with words and make people instantly like him, turn into a battered and bruised man, wearied by the conspiracies against him. But he never tires and never loses hope. That is how Nambi is able to exonerate himself, and go on to develop the Vikas rocket engine and also help India with its first successful Mars mission.

Although Rocketry is a biographical film meant to tell the audience about the heroics of Nambi Narayanan, it does not turn him into a superhero. Nambi—highly talented, quick-witted and passionate—is as human as the rest of us. R. Madhavan excels in portraying the real life hero on screen with utmost conviction and honesty.

The film’s script throws around a lot of science and tech, which would probably make a lot of sense to astronomy geeks, but is not overwhelming for the normal audience as well. This is what I love about R. Madhavan’s filmmaking. He does not overdo anything as an actor or a director. In fact, this debut director has the maturity of someone seasoned at directing films for decades.

Rocketry’s runtime of 2 hrs 37mins feels deserving of Nambi’s story. The cast and crew sync with the Nambi’s story and each takes upon themselves the onus of telling it to the world. The film also features cameo appearances in an important role by Shahrukh Khan (Hindi and English) and Suriya (Tamil) which shows the support the medium-budget film got from the Indian film industries.

Who should watch it?

Even for those not very interested in science and history, Rocketry is a serious drama that can be enjoyed by anyone who loves a good film. Also as Amazon Prime is stingy with its new releases, Rocketry is probably the best new film there is to watch on the OTT platform right now.

Rating: 4 stars

Genre: Biographical drama

Director: R. Madhavan

Actor: R. Madhavan, Suriya

Run time: 2hrs 37 mins

I always say I won’t read another love story when I’m done with one. Then when I’m swamped with work and need a light read, I’ll pick up yet another one. A love story doesn’t require me to think too much about the characters and be consumed by their problems. These are what I want to read when I don’t want to invest too much mental energy in a story. But the thing is, all love stories are the same. And halfway through these books, I’m exasperated and a little mad at myself. 

I have a few problems with romance novels. First, it instills a clichéd idea of romance: that it’s all about candlelit dinners, stargazing, and elaborate confessions of love. Second, it’s too trope heavy. Boy meets girl, they don’t like each other, but there’s a lot of sexual tension between the two that they both try to quash before eventually discovering they are perfect for each other. Throw in some mental hang-ups, misunderstandings or reservations on either side (that get sorted out in dramatic ways) and you pretty much have any love story ever written. I don’t like character portrayals in romance novels either. I find them sexist. Love stories are also predictable and cheesy. 

‘Book Lovers’ by Emily Henry is the third Henry book I’ve read, after ‘You and Me on Vacation’ and ‘Beach Read’. Both were immensely hyped on social media specially Bookstagram and BookTube. I enjoyed reading them. They were fun while they lasted. 

‘Book Lovers’ is about Nora and Charlie, who work in publishing. Nora is a literary agent and Charlie is an editor. Nora isn’t fond of Charlie, especially after he bluntly rejected a book by one of her favorite clients, Dusty. Then, Nora’s sister, Libby, plans a trip to Sunshine Falls and the two bump into each other at the small town where, surprise, romance ensues. 

I didn’t hate ‘Book Lovers’ but I was disappointed by it as it had nothing new to offer. It felt like a rehash of one of the many love stories I’ve read over the years. I also cringed in many places—when Libby refers to Nora as ‘sissy’ and when Nora says, ‘Tonight, can I just have you, Charlie?’ There are plenty of other such stupid dialogues and instances that made my eyes roll far back into my head. 

Nora is a strong woman. She’s raised her sister all on her own after their mother passed away. She’s gotten them out of debt and made a name for herself in publishing. There’s nothing she can’t do and nothing that she wouldn’t do for Libby. But, like the female protagonists of most love stories, her steely exterior is a façade for her loneliness. It takes a man, Charlie in this case, to make her tune into her feelings. The romance genre thrives on this trope. ‘Book Lovers’ had so much potential with its interesting setting but it ended up being another average romance novel.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58690308-book-lovers 

Three stars 

Fiction

Book Lovers

Emily Henry

Published: 2022

Publisher: Penguin Random House

Pages: 377, Paperback 

I read ‘The Chalk Man’, C. J. Tudor’s debut novel, during the Covid-19 lockdown. It was just the distraction I needed to get my mind off the real-life horror we were facing at that time. Tudor’s writing was smooth and she was great at weaving in twists and turns in an otherwise simple narrative. I don’t usually read horror but The Chalk Man had me interested in the genre. I especially wanted to read more of Tudor’s works. I bought two of her other books on a whim: ‘The Taking of Annie Thorne’ and ‘The Burning Girls’. I read The Taking of Annie Thorne and now I’m wondering if I should exchange The Burning Girls for something else at the bookstore. Thank God Ekta Books grants me that privilege. 

Don’t get me wrong, the book wasn’t a complete waste of time. It just wasn’t very interesting. If you watch horror movies or read such books, you’ll easily be able to tell how things will eventually unfold. The scenes also feel a bit clichéd. The book seems to have been written on a template—there are familiar acts and incidents. It’s all very déjà vu-ish. I mean, does horror always mean black bugs scuttling about, entire rooms painted with blood or big writings on the wall? Do things always have to be outlandish to be spooky? The plot was promising but the author stuck to the usual route of jump scares with creepy dolls, giggling children, and dark dungeons.   

The Taking of Annie Thorne starts with the disappearance of an eight-year-old girl. She returns two days later, but she isn’t the same person. She smells peculiar and her eyes have a menacing glow. Twenty-five years later, her brother Joe returns to the small mining town of Arnhill in Nottingham and takes up a job as a teacher at the local school. Joe is a heavy gambler and is running away from debt collectors. But that’s not just it. He is forced to return home when he receives an email saying, ‘I know what happened to your sister and it’s happening again.’ 

Readers have compared Tudor’s works to Stephen King’s. So, here’s the thing, if you have read King’s books, you know exactly what to expect. Maybe King’s books are Tudor’s templates after all. Initially, as the dialogues are witty, Joe comes across as daring and charming but, after a while, when everything he says comes with a punchline, it feels scripted and fake. Joe becomes a fictional character rather than a person who is actually going through all the things mentioned in the book, a person you feel like you know, and that kills the joy of reading.

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/list_book/40490762-the-taking-of-annie-thorne 

Two and half stars 

Fiction

The Taking of Annie Thorne

C. J. Tudor

Published: 2019

Publisher: Penguin Books

Pages: 358, Paperback

Reading slumps are real. There are times when you have read a really good book and are so caught in that timeline and place, you can’t immerse yourself in another story. Or you have had a bout of bad luck and have been picking up one terrible book after another only to shove them back on the shelf halfway through. No matter how hard you try, you just can’t seem to get back in the game. There are some books that can rescue you at times like these. Sit back with a cup of tea and one of them and you’ll find yourself recharged in no time. 

Atlas of the Heart by Brené Brown

‘Atlas of the Heart’ uses science-backed facts and research to teach us how to embrace our emotions and use meaningful language to build deeper connections with others. Brown explores over 87 human emotions and offers us tools to express and understand them. It’s a book for those who want to understand and be in more control of their emotions. Brown keeps reminding you, with impactful examples, that you must be your authentic self and embrace your vulnerabilities to truly master your emotions. The book is big and heavy with thick glossy pages but the good thing is the design is interactive with photos, graphics, and entire pages of contemplative quotes and questions. 

The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy

The book, in Mackesy’s words, is a “small graphic novel of images and conversations over a landscape.” The story is really simple and saying anything at all would be giving too much away. ‘The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse’ is essentially a tale of friendship and courage that is comforting to read. It gives you a lot to mull over. The artwork is super fun to look at and you might be inspired to try and replicate it. You can also use the book as a journal of sorts as it has a lot of space for you to jot down your thoughts or stick some post-it notes (if, like me, you too hate the idea of scribbling on books). 

The Comfort Book by Matt Haig

Matt Haig is an empathetic writer. His stories strike a chord and make you feel seen and heard. ‘The Midnight Library’, a fictional story about the choices that shape our lives, was such a heartwarming read. It was the best book I had read in 2020 and since then I have gone back to reread many of its passages. ‘The Comfort Book’, on the other hand, is non-fiction. It’s basically Haig’s reflections on the ups and downs of life and there’s a lot of wisdom there. There are positive affirmations, quotes, thoughts on food and books and anecdotes of inspirational people—it’s all very heartwarming. Also, the chapters or sections are short and you don’t have to read the book from start to finish. Just dip in and out and be charmed.