Rocket Boys Web Series Review: Jim Sarbh, Ishwak Singh Are Charming As Beloved Physicists Who Changed India

Available
On:
SonyLIV

Duration:
40
Minutes/8
Episodes

Language:
English
&
Hindi

Plot:
Rocket
Boys
follows
two
extraordinary
men,
Jehangir
Bhabha
and
Vikram
Ambalal
Sarabhai,
who
created
history
while
following
their
passion
for
science
and
built
India’s
future.

Review:
Rocket
Boys
begins
with
Dr
Vikram
Sarabhai
and
Dr
Homi
J
Bhabha
amid
a
heated
discussion
about
the
creation
of
nuclear
power
and
atomic
bombs
for
India.
At
the
time
India
was
at
war
with
China,
and
Homi
believes
having
nuclear
power
would
save
India
from
further
attacks
from
other
countries.
He
needs
the
signatures
of
the
other
committee
members
to
pursue
the
government
and
back
his
research.

However,
other
members
of
the
scientific
community
are
against
the
idea.
Dr
Vikram
Sarabhai
believes
that
nuclear
power
would
be
used
for
something
worse
like
Hiroshima
and
Nagasaki
bombings
which
he
refuses
to
support.
During
the
argument,
he
decides
to
quit
the
Indian
Science
Congress.

We
are
then
introduced
to
Homi
and
Vikram
from
22
years
ago
when
they
first
met
in
India
and
started
working
on
their
dream
to
build
a
rocket
and
explore
atomic
energy.
The
makers
through
the
eight-part
season
one
proceed
to
explore
how
the
two
renowned
physicists
become
close
friends
and
built
the
country’s
future.

Directed
by
Abhay
Pannu,
Rocket
Boys
gives
an
incredible
chance
to
see
these
iconic
people
from
Indian
history
that
we
didn’t
get
a
chance
to
learn
much
about
in
school.
While
the
show
does
explore
their
personal
life
and
the
implications
of
their
relationships,
it
does
not
take
away
their
accomplishments.
The
audience
will
get
a
chance
to
see
a
rare
glimpse
of
the
Indian
scientific
community
pre
and
post-independence,
along
with
some
of
the
noteworthy
names
like
APJ
Abdul
Kalam.

Rocket
Boys:
Release
Date
And
Time
Of
Jim
Sarbh,
Ishwak
Singh’s
Anticipated
SonyLIV
Series

One
of
the
things
that
does
impact
the
viewing
experience
is
the
lack
of
sub-text,
dated
information
of
when
these
incidents
took
place.
Years
for
some
of
the
biggest
moments
in
history
are
mentioned
including
the
independence
in
1947,
however,
with
the
story
expanding
through
decades,
it
is
hard
to
keep
track
of
it
all.

The
first
five
episodes
of
the
show
proceed
smoothly
through
the
early
years
of
their
career,
as
they
try
to
follow
their
passion
and
explore
things
in
their
personal
life.
But
the
makers
rush
through
and
showcase
only
the
important
post-independence
and
Indo-China
war
moments
in
the
last
few
episodes.
While
the
cinematography
is
basic,
the
direction
keeps
the
audience
engaged
with
interesting
twists
in
the
leading
men’s
lives.

Jim
Sarbh
plays
Homi
with
such
charm
and
admiration,
it
is
hard
to
take
eyes
off
him
when
on
screen.
Ishwak
Singh
also
stands
his
ground
with
similar
wit
and
passion.
Some
of
the
best
scenes
in
the
show
are
in
the
beginning
when
they
spend
the
most
time
together.
Their
chemistry
is
also
what
keeps
the
audience
glued
to
the
screen
in
the
second
half
of
the
show.
Both
the
actors
have
shown
their
skill
set
through
different
stages
of
these
characters
and
Jim
continues
to
prove
he
is
one
of
the
under-appreciated
actors
of
Bollywood.

Sarabhai
and
Homi’s
professional
and
personal
friendship
is
at
the
forefront
of
the
show,
while
in
the
second
half,
the
screenplays
also
showcase
their
emotional
bond
with
other
characters
which
has
influenced
some
major
decisions
in
Indian
history.
Dibyendu
Bhattacharya
who
plays
Raza
Mehdi
and
KC
Shankar
as
Vishwesh
Mathur
turn
out
to
be
some
of
the
most
interesting
characters.
On
the
other
hand,
the
female
characters
do
not
get
much
screen
time,
which
is
understandable
given
there
weren’t
many
female
scientists
at
the
time.
However,
Regina
Cassandra
played
by
Mrinalini
Sarabhai
and
Saba
Azad’s
Parvana
Irani
have
given
a
delightful
performance
that
makes
up
for
it.

The
Great
Indian
Murder:
Release
Date
And
Time
Of
Richa
Chadha,
Pratik
Gandhi’s
Thriller
Series

Overall,

Rocket
Boys
is
as
much
about
the
country
as
it
is
about
their
passion
for
science.
The
show
gives
the
new
generation
a
chance
to
see
the
India
that
grew
with
the
help
of
a
talented
and
small
scientific
community.
The
show
is
unmissable
for
the
leading
performances
as
well.