Exclusive | R Madhavan: Proud moment as Rocketry received National Award around Chandrayaan-3's landing

R Madhavan. Pic/Instagra, Rocketry

The 69th National Film Awards were declared on Thursday at a press conference by the jury at the National Media Center, New Delhi. R Madhavan's film, Rocketry: The Nambi Effect, won the Best Feature Film award. It was based on Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) scientist Nambi Narayanan.

Reacting to the National Award win, Madhavan, who played the lead role, shared with Mid-Day exclusively, "I feel very honoured to receive this prestigious award for winning the best film. This film is very close to my heart as it was my directorial debut as well and I dedicate it to the real hero, Nambi Narayanan, who inspired me with his courage and resilience. I thank my team, my co-stars, the Jury, and my fans for their constant support and love."

The actor further added, "This is a historic and unforgettable moment for me as Rocketry: The Nambi Effect received the National Film Award around the same time as the successful landing of Chandrayaan-3 which was a proud moment for the whole nation."

Rocketry: The Nambi Effect was directed, written and produced by R Madhavan. It was India's official selection for its world premiere at the 75th edition of the Cannes Film Festival. The film was screened during the Palais des Festivals and received a standing ovation. The Hindi version of Rocketry: The Nambi Effect had a cameo by Shah Rukh Khan. Suriya was seen in the Tamil version. Rocketry: The Nambi Effect also starred Simran.

Madhavan, who played Nambi Narayanan, the ISRO scientist who was charged and arrested for espionage in the 1990s, for allegedly selling scientific data to Pakistan, underwent a major physical transformation. To depict his transformation from age 29 to 79 authentically, the actor 'broke his jaw' and replaced his teeth to show his character ageing. He also gained weight and shed the extra kilos in a couple of weeks as the character's later years were filmed first.

The film highlighted Narayanan's early years at ISRO. It showed his journey from being a promising scientist who landed in jail to receiving the honour of Padma Bhushan, India's third-highest civilian award, in 2019.