"O Rama, son of Kausalya"
"The sun is about to rise in the eastern skies"
"Please wake up in our hearts anew"
"So we can perform our daily duties due as divine rituals unto You"
"Wake up within us, o' Govinda One whose flag has an emblem of Garuda"
"Cast aside your sleep to bestow Your Grace and solace as the universal force"
[invocation to Lord Vishnu at dawn]
"O' Lord of the universe One with lotus shaped eyes"
"Lord's body blended from midnight blue to His consort Lakshmi's vermillion hue"
"Lord of the Venkatam hills will forgive our trespasses"
"Praise be to the Lord of Venkata Mountain"
"He who is the Lord of all Gods 4 faces, 6 faces and 5 faces as avatars"
"You are the crown jewel Protector and Savior of all"
"O' Lord, attached immensely by bonds of love of your devotee"
"With your Grace and Divinity I beseech you to protect me"
[Prayer to Lord Vishnu]
We should learn how to be responsible only from you, ma!
I am expected to be a good mother, great wife and dutiful daughter-in-law
But none of you will lift your little finger for me
3 hours since I woke up No time for even a sip of water
One of you could have offered me coffee, right?
Subtle hint from your mother you should've got coffee from home!
My dear Einstein husband, I got that
Amma, you know how much I missed your lamenting sessions
Divert your anger on my sari and burn a big hole
I'll have a good excuse then not to turn up for the wedding today
Give me your hand
- Show me your bangles - Amma!
I'll pickle you to pieces
I'm so patient only because my son-in-law is here
I've promised the bride's family 100% attendance from our side
If you ditch me today, that's it
I won't give a damn for our family dignity and dance like a woman possessed, mind you!
- You never know, she may do it - Amma, please
I'll leave immediately after my lecture
- Promise - Wait at the college bus stop
I'll pick you up at 12 We must be home by 2:00 p,m
'Or else our imp of a daughter will bring the roof down'
Sir,,,?
My dear son,,,,tea!
Do you have an iota of responsibility?
Try to be part of this family at least once
This is one of our close relative's wedding At least be punctual for the wedding feast!
Every single member here expects a special invitation
[Holy chant]
Isn't it ages since we attended any function as a family together?
My relatives have forgotten the very fact I am married
As if he remembers he is married either!
He is busy night and day romancing with his rockets
Fine, I am destined to be wedded to a scientist
My children are a few notches worse
Why did you leave out your son-in-law?
Sometimes I wonder if he is a rocket scientist or an astrologer!
He shifts your granddaughter from our bed and sleeps with this almanac instead of me-
'Finished your prayers?'
Does it mean whoever works in NASA isn't bothered about our nation?
If you were at NASA, by now we would be
,,,living in the lap of luxury, bungalow, fancy car, beefy body guar-
Who is saying 'no'?
Your Elizabeth is still the headhunter at NASA!
Just nod your head we can leave tomorrow
I didn't mean it like that
Okay, forget all these creature comforts
We have to attend a family wedding today
Can't you fulfil my desire at least 1 day?
Is that so? What kind of desire?
Tell me clearly what desires you want me to fulfil?
- Go on - Geetha
Bring back your imp's cradle here
- Why? - I think it may come in handy!
Shankar, I'll spank you
Hey! You are saying I can still launch rockets from home?
Go ahead, but those rockets will only be firing blanks!
Shame on all of you, yuck!
I'm going to the temple
Don't jinx it! How many times I've told you to say 'I will be back'?
Today is an important day for you, right?
Take care See you soon
I'm going only to the temple nearby You think I'm off to Mars or what?
Mars is sure to have less pot holes than the roads in Trivandrum!
Uncle, today I intend seeing the KVD-1 engines assembly
Arun, haven't I told you it's inauspicious to call a person when he is stepping out?
That too, a special day for him
[Holy chant]
'Bless Nambi Narayanan and his family'
'Navakeralam'
'Nambi Narayanan sold the secret of rocket for millions'
Hey Geetha!
'Ten'
'Nine'
'Eight'
'Seven'
'Six'
'Five'
'Four'
'Three'
'Two'
'One'
'India on its very 1st mission to Mars put into orbit a satellite'
'With a price tag less than it costs to make a Sci-Fi movie in Hollywood'
'Credit to a large extent for this recent spectacular achievement'
',,,goes to ex-ISRO scientist'
'Mr Nambi Narayanan'
'This special interview is anchored by none other than'
'Star extraordinaire of Tamil cinema True to his name, shining like the sun'
'Our most favorite hero Mr Suriya'
Why the hell shoot on a Friday night when I would rather be partying?
Looking at this 'fossil', I can forget returning to Chennai tonight
Hey!
Large or small?
Even before the show?
You saw that fogey's beaming face? We will still be here when the sun rises!
Aiyo! Make it a large then
'I was planning to show off in front of my friends'
'Looks like he won't let me attend my reunion'
'I will sneak in and pretend to touch up Suriya sir's face'
'Quickly click a snap without anyone's knowledge'
'What the hell are you doing, guys?'
'I had to beg and beseech'
'To get Suriya from his shoot in Trivandrum, for this interview'
'If you ask him for a selfie'
,,,making an ass of yourself and humiliating me, I'll trample you
'Try to finish the shoot and send him back to his shoot at the earliest'
Can we begin?
Sir
2 seconds
Quickly
Over
Sorry?
Your 2 seconds are over
Sorry, sir
You will know the value of a second much more than any of us
We'll start immediately
Keep the tight close only on Suriya sir
The arrangements are excellent I hope all this is worth the effort
'This old man is torturing us'
Sorry, sir Sorry,,,sorry
'Please, sir Sorry,,,sorry'
Forgive me for asking, sir
If you think this interview is such a futile exercise
Why should we do this?
Why did you come here?
Why did I come?
No one else in our country should go through what I had to endure
The people responsible for this crime should be brought to justice
This country may have given up on the likes of me
'But we cannot be like that, Mr Suriya'
Because I still believe in the goodness of our people
And the integrity of this nation
That's why I'm here
We share the same faith and trust in you
Our immense respect for you has brought us here tonight
Roll it,,,roll it
Your guru
Your mentor
I've heard of Vikram Sarabhai's unshakable faith in you and your work
So can we start this interview from your interaction with him?
Wow!
Not reducing my entire life to that spy case and scandal
Thank you for doing the due diligence on me
'You are right'
Vikram Sarabhai
He was more than a mentor He was like a father to me
And as his spoilt, adamant son I used to enjoy going wild in ISRO
[indistinct muttering]
Hey quiet!
Nambi, please
Coming 1 day before the test and claim the experiment isn't working is foolishness
If this can ignite here, for sure it will ignite in the upper atmosphere also
Kalam, nothing will change just by you staring at it
Let's call it off
'Call it off?'
Is this some dance drama?
Start and stop according to our whims and fancies
6 nations are jointly observing us
Some American scientist said something
You concur and now chew my brains on it?
Just reset it
Pump
Little more mixture please
Carbon connectors
Great! Thank you
Ignite
Five
'Four'
'Three'
'Two'
'One'
Kalaam!
Look! It worked
It didn't work, sir
The vacuum valve was closed
Normal atmospheric pressure inside the bell jar
Increase the volume!
- Your nose is bleeding - Hey!
Give me a heads up so I don't suffer a heart attack!
So 'Deepavali', the festival of lights in our office once more, eh?
Sir, this morning will be special with the kind words he blessed us with
Nambi, you seem to have had your usual breakfast of 'pongal' and 'vada'
With an extra dose of temerity today?
Sir, you are only paying for the brilliance
Temerity comes free!
I know that only too well
As long as you are here there's no shortage of temerity!
But if you had shown even a glimpse of brilliance
By now one of you would have been in the Ivy League
Our institution has even offered to cover all expenses magnanimously
The extent of your magnanimity and magnitude of our talent
,,,will be known when the time comes
Dear Lord, wonder when that right time is
Only You know!
Sir, I know it too
You can see for yourself
What's that?
So the rumors are true?
'Where Miss Doubt exists Truth is her shadow', sir
The proof is in your hands Read the letter
Nambi
Do you realize what an incredible honor this is to our institution and our nation?
If it was any other student, by now he would be floating on air
But this is no big thing for Mr Nambi, right?
I don't believe doing anything in small measures, sir
'Why should Nambi go to Princeton now, sir?'
'I need this man here, sir'
But I just don't understand his obsession with liquid propulsion, sir
He is fixing selling price of ghee before buying the cow!
We have barely understood solids He is jumping to liquids too soon
Sir, let's for a moment forget when, where and if I'm going anywhere
'Just answer this question'
What are we trying to achieve here?
What is our current and end game?
Where is ISRO headed?
Nambi, don't start your sermo-
I'm not sermonizing, Kalam
I'm merely stating facts Just hear me out
Developing solid first then liquids and finally cryogenic
Who stipulated this protocol, sir?
We have no choice but treat these 3 stages as mutually exclusive
Any rocket we build that does not orbit in Space
,,,is just a firecracker on 'Deepavali' night
We need to use these rockets to launch satellites commercially, sir
In the years to come, we should also have a share in this trillion dollar market
That's the seat of prestige and power
Then we never again have to beg any nation for resources and funds
'That should be our only goal'
ISRO should follow that aim, sir
Because as long as I am here
I will never allow India even in rocketry to crawl at the pace of a bullock cart
What, Kalam?
Quite a full-fledged sermon actually!
But what he says makes sense, right?
Nambi
I want to clarify a doubt
You have phenomenal faith in liquid fuels
Is it as promising as you make it out to be?
Isn't the application quite limited?
I knew you would ask me this
Nambi, no,,,no
According to James, All World Missile & Rocket Catalog
Almost 19 missiles have already been powered by liquid fuel
'Now that you have mentioned missiles to him'
'Now he won't listen to a single word of mine'
Fine, sir
Guess I have nothing left to say
Nambi, congratulations
ISRO's 1st ever export to the Ivy League!
All the best
Nambi, tell me
You've been given admission into solids
How will you switch to liquids?
Just leave that to me, sir
'Professor Luigi Crocco'
'In the field of theoretical aerodynamics and rocket propulsion, a revered name'
'His was the best of the brains behind the Apollo launches'
'If I could just get to do my thesis under him'
'Definitely we can achieve our liquid propulsion dreams'
'Come hell, hail or brimstone I will make this dream come true'
Fluid flows
Now,,,this is what we will be discussing today
So this behavioral pattern inside the shock tube is due to
,,,the upstream flow of fluids
Downstream, sir
Excuse me
Sir, this behavioral pattern is only possible
,,,when the fluid is flowing downstream in the shock tube
Great!
Now we and Ascher Shapiro have to learn from an Indian rookie
And your name is,,,?
Sir, my name is Nambi Narayanan
So, Nambi
Let's say you are right
I am only human
I can make mistakes
But are you saying Ascher Shapiro's textbook is inaccurate?
Yes, sir, it's inaccurate
Oh! Well, then
Why don't you write to Ascher Shapiro?
Tell him to correct it
According to YOU
He will be very glad to hear from you, Numbu
Okay, sir
'Maybe I'll just do that'
Thank you for your suggestion!
What's so funny?
Hey Neil
- Hey Neil! - Sit down, sit down
- How is Janet doing? - She's fine, thank you for asking
- Good - Neil, this is Nambi
'A freak who wants to study liquids under Professor Crocco'
And I would like you to meet another freak
,,,who put 3000 tons of explosives under his ass
Just so he would go take a piss on the moon!
Sir, it's such an honor to meet you
Oh! It's an honor to meet you too, Nambi
By the way, Nambi, the old man has stopped taking any new students
He's right
Professor Crocco rarely comes to the campus anymore
His wife is really sick She is bed-ridden actually
Nambi, it's one thing to be under Crocco
It's a whole new deal getting him to approve your thesis
Take a look at my illustrious friend here
A celebrated student of Crocco's for 8 years and counting
',,,who is as cuckoo as Crocco!'
Thank you, you jerk!
Now I need another frigging beer
I'll help you
Excuse me
One more, my friend
I need to go pee
You were quite a hero today at the campus
Did you really end up writing to Shapiro?
Yeah, I actually wrote to him
My name is Yuri
I am an exchange student from Russia, Aviation Sciences
Nice to meet you
Nice to meet you, Yuri
I'm Nambi
I am into solid fuels as you know, but I want to shift to liquids
Oh! Really?
Well, if you need any help just let me know
I will do that
I actually do
Do you know where Professor Crocco lives?
[door bell rings]
I'M NOT HOME!
There
Lovely cup of tea
Just a little bit It's good for you
Just to wet your lips
Okay,,,good girl
No?
Good morning, sir My name is Nambi Narayanan
I'm from India
I'm here on a full scholarship for the solid fuel program
But I want to study desperately liquid fuels under you
Sir, I've read all your papers
Especially the theory on the relation between
Thermodynamics and fluid kinematics
What a lovely piece of work, sir
Sir, I've sent you many applications
But I can understand why you didn't reply to me
Are you serious?
How did you find me? Who gave you my address?
A Russian,,,Yuri
You are wasting your time My hands are full
What you're asking for is impossible
Goodbye!
Sir, you know
For us Indians who have to walk for 2 km to get 3 liters of drinking water
And use it between the two of us for 3 days!
'Nothing is quite impossible'
What are you doing?
Did you just follow me back in?
Look at you! You brought the mud into the house
Oh great! Then just another clean-up job for me
- I don't believe it - I'm sorry, sir
I don't know who you are but you have some nerve!
I really don't have the time
You ought to know I've quit going to the campus
And stopped taking on students
My life is all about her now, okay?
Alright, my darling
Have some breakfast, yes?
'Let's do it'
Sir, I totally understand and appreciate what you are saying
But please, may I make a suggestion?
Sir, you don't have to leave the house at all
I will take care of all your household duties
Indians are very good at that, sir
Sir, I'll do your shopping for you I'll buy your provisions for you
I will take care of the garden and wash the utensils and the clothes
And on top of that I'll clean the house
You know that way you'll get some quality time with ma'am and-
In your spare time you could help me with my thesis, sir
It's a win-win for both of us
And I make the world's best omelets!
Nambi, how did it go with Professor Crocco?
- Are you on? - I am so on!
That's great!
By the way, can you help me with these stability configurations?
Sure, no problem
But I need something in return
Can you teach me how to make an omelet?!
Nambi, I'll get Ken and Beth to take you through
,,,at the liquid test facility to configure the parameters
Okay, sir
'Dear Mr Nambi Narayanan'
Thank you very much for your letter
You are the first one to point out the printing and syntax error in my theorem
In this version of the book
I am surprised that it went unnoticed by the professors thus far!
But all the same I assure you it will be corrected
Thank you for pointing it out and I wish you all the very best
In your future endeavors
Mr,,,Numbu!
From Ascher Shapiro
You have a lovely day, sir
Hey, sleeping beauty!
Hi!
Haven't seen you guys for a while
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy
Who is Jack?
Are you serious?
You know when you laugh you remind me of my son
His eyes also start smiling before his face does
Exactly like yours
I have no idea you are married
Yes, you see in India it's very difficult to have a son without a wife!
'Of course'
I think it is incredible what these guys have achieved
Forget the moon! At this rate we will be orbiting Pluto in no time
I never thought a specific impulse of 435 was even possible
- Correct - The Russians are done for!
All they can do now is drown in their own fine vodka
Right, guys, we are going to split now
- See you later at the bar - Okay, bye
What happened to you?
They were just joking
Yankee dickheads!
Getting frisky over 435
Poor bastards are going to lose their hard-on
,,,when they come to know about the KVD-1 engines
252 of them
With the specific impulse of 4 fucking 61!
Just lying there in our facility
As far as interplanetary travel is concerned
Americans have no clue what's in store for them
Seriously?
A specific impulse of 461?
You're kidding, right?
Right
Forget I said anything
Hey, Yuri
Yuri
Yuri, listen
Can I ask you something?
Are you really just an exchange student?
Are you here only for Avionics?
[Russian] Yesli ya skazhu
Ty umresh'
I ya umru
What does that mean?
If I tell you
You will die
And I will die!
Let's get some coffee, Nambi
So she's saying that-
You can go back to the University
She's done with you, she is swapping you for an Indian husband!
Don't push it
Sicilians are very jealous people
In the 4 years since her stroke
She has never smiled
Well! You are welcome
But you know, we Indian husbands are like that
We always make our woman smile
You know about our population, right?
Meena,,,?
Aiyo! Sorry, I fell asleep
- Where are you going? - Did you just come in or going out?
Shall I make coffee for you or-
How is Shankar?
Do you remember you have a son?
Of course I do and I remember a lot more
How was your flight?
Our very first imaginary story!
'Isn't this Superman animated cartoon'
'A really thrilling clash?'
Sir,,,sir,,,?
What if we introduce a reverse shock wave
,,,into the active combustion chamber of the engine to determine instability?
'Sir, this can help us fix'
',,,the stability problem in the Moon Rover as well'
'What do you think?'
'So what we do is'
We introduce a controlled instability in the active combustion chamber of the engine
'In the form of a reverse shock wave'
'And observe that wave before instability sets in'
- Right - Let me explain how that is done
We have the pressure inside the active combustion chamber which is P1
We separate that with another chamber
With an inert inactive gas and put that as P2
',,,which is at a slightly higher pressure than the active combustion chamber'
And we separate the 2 chambers with a membrane
'Now,,,when you start ignition'
The flames will come, burn the membrane
And therefore the higher pressure from P2
',,,will move into the active combustion chamber'
'If the engine becomes unstable'
'Then we know that the stability margin'
',,,is between P1 and P2'
'But if the engine can handle that'
'We know that we have to increase the pressure in P2'
'And keep doing that till instability sets in'
Brilliant! But that would be an insane amount of variables
Insane, yes
But impossible, no
'And it's much better than blowing up actual engines before we get it right'
'Impressive!'
'Now this is a breach of rules'
You are supposed to be here for 3 years And you've only done 10 months
Sorry, I can't let you go
Here
My dear, I have some bad news
You've just lost your Indian husband!
And we, our domestic help
O' Mother Goddess!
Go
I'm going to miss you so much
You take care of yourself, okay?
Thank you
'This is Crocco'
Get me Eugene Scott
There you are
'This ought to be a 'dream come true' for you'
'I suppose you must be very good'
Because it is not that often Crocco recommends a student!
Thank you so much
And it's such a pleasure to meet you, Mr Scott
But I must tell you, Mr Nambi Narayanan
That you are in for some real hard work and dedication
Your commit has to be absolute
- Yes, sir - Come
- Everyone has been so excited - I'm sure
This is a very interesting phase of our exploration
Let me introduce you to someone
A brilliant mind and a fellow American, mind you
Barry, this is Nambi Nambi, this is Barry
- Hello - Barry Amaldev
All the best Barry, take over
- I'll see you around here - Okay, bye
I knew you were coming in today
And I figured you must be missing your filter coffee from back home!
- So much! - I made you some
Well, my wife made you some
Enjoy
Oh my god!
'Amme Bhagavati'
This is reminding me of home so much
- I bet it does - Yeah
You know, getting a NASA fellowship in 3 months is pretty big by itself
- Thank you - On top of that
I have never heard Professor Crocco ever recommending a student to work here
You must be the real deal, Nambi!
Well, it's quite the privilege and as is this coffee
But you know the,,,fellowship money helps
I am sure it does
It's going to be a privilege to work with you, Nambi
For a man with talents like yours you are in the right place
Thank you so much
'NASA's offer is too good to be true'
Isn't it a fantastic deal?
At least now do you realize your husband's true worth?
The salary my father, maternal uncle, paternal uncle, my whole family
,,,can earn in 5 years
Will you get in just 1 year?
No
In 1 month!
Whaaat?!
What do you say?
Want to settle down here?
Shall I accept NASA's offer?
If you can't notice a cow in broad daylight what is the use of being able to see?
How can you lose such a golden opportunity-
'Hey Nambi'
'Hi Meena'
Hi Elizabeth, still with the solids?
Yeah, but I can't wait to get into liquids with you!
Let's go back to India
- Huh? - Yes
We can't burst crackers here to celebrate 'Deepavali'
Or decorate our porch with 'rangoli' for 'Pongal', India is any day better
Is that so? Look at me and tell me that's the only reason
- Look into my eyes - Let's go back
You mean it? Why this change of mind?
- Tell me,,,real reason - Let's go back to India
'Bastards!'
They are trying to poach my best scientist again
Nambi is very special to us, Satish
You are right, sir
We can't afford to lose him for any reason whatsoever
I think I should speak to him
Call him
- 'Hello,,,?' - I truly understand, Nambi
This is a lucrative offer way beyond the imagination of any Indian scientist
This is NASA, Mr Nambi
The most coveted playground for any scientist worth his salt
I trust you understand what an honor this is!
It's true
Also
Compared to the salary they are willing to pay you
What we are offering is peanuts
I understand
And doesn't stop with a generous pay check
There's a high end vehicle
Housing allowance and an annual paid vacation for you and the family
Nambi
You are an extraordinary scientist
No doubt whatsoever
And I respect that
So whatever decision you take I will accept it wholeheartedly
Presidential offer would be the final formality
And you should have it in 2 days
'Nobody ever refuses the President, Mr Nambi'
'Take your time'
I know
It's a tough call
Tough,,,my foot!
I have only one answer to the question, 'ISRO or NASA?'
He said I couldn't refuse the Presidential offer
So I just ended up refusing him!
Welcome back, my blue-eyed Princetonian
'Nambi'
I insist you continue your research in liquid fuel propulsion
Go around the world to all the liquid test facilities
And study their progress
'And stay updated'
Only then, when we get the required funds
,,,we don't have to be digging for data
I agree but-
NASA is out of question now
Russians and Chinese won't allow even a fly into their facility
That leaves Europe
What is sir waiting for?
'I'm so glad to see you, Nambi'
'I feel like I have a little bit of India here with me'
'Yeah, there was one night in Bombay'
'I was relishing the local food on the beach'
'Good on the eyes Great on the palate'
By the end of the night, I didn't know from which end I was whistling louder
And when I was a colonel in the city, I got to meet Jamshed Tata
I mean what a visionary that man was!
That man gave India her 1st computer center
3 years ago
I'm so impressed that you know about all this
Most people in India are not aware!
'It was our mistake, back then'
'Breaking you up into India, Pakistan'
What do you know? The Domino effect goes on
Now you've got Bangladesh
Oh! I'm,,,I'm sorry
Am I hogging the conversation?
Yes, my love, you are
Sorry, India does that to him!
Oh! There's no need for apologies, Mrs Cleaver
I think it's quite a compliment
You are very sweet, sir
Okay
Okay then, enough,,,enough about me
Why are you interested in the Rolls Royce hydraulic systems?
Sir, India is at a very nascent stage of rocketry and we can't afford
,,,the kind of technology we need
'We heard so much about your equipment and the plant'
'At the Rolls Royce hydraulic factory I just had to see it for myself'
'Sir, I was in France just a month ago'
'And we were just content reading about the hydraulic systems'
'And now, I'm here'
'Seeing the testing of fluids with such complex system of gauges'
'This is incredible!'
As is this food Thank you so much for it
You are very kind
We really wish you could have stayed for New Year
Food and extra day's stay are luxuries that ISRO can ill-afford right now
So how long was your tenure in India?
Well, it was long enough
,,,for the imperialist guilt to weigh heavy upon my heart!
I've often wished there was something I could do
,,,in my own small way to make amends!
I don't know about then
But I do know of a way now
Colonel Cleaver
It's a well-known fact
,,,that European rocketry program is on a slow burn
Because the U,S is undertaking all your rocketry responsibilities
Which also means that the hydraulic plant and all the equipment I saw today
,,,will all be rendered useless and dysfunctional
Because you'll have to move the plant
And what a tragedy that will be!
But what is the setback for you
,,,could transcend 10 years of research for us in India
So I want to make an outrageous request
Give us the hydraulic plant and all the equipment
'I know as a nation'
We can't afford to pay you a dime
But we will forever be indebted to you!
You do know what you are asking for is
400 million pounds worth of equipment
Even as I said it, I realized how ridiculous I sounded
I'm so sorry
Please forget I asked
On the other hand, darling
He isn't asking for the Kohinoor!
Oh!
The lights are out
Come
You will enjoy this
Excuse me
This is so spectacular
I've never seen something like this
It is indeed an outrageous request
I'm surprised you had the audacity to ask
Though it's not a remotely worthy compensation, Nambi
It will be an honor to give you all the equipment for free
As is in with my power to grant
Now what's not within my power is bearing the cost of shipping it to India
Much though I would like to oblige
You must make those arrangements
My dear boy
I don't know what to say
This is spectacular This is wonderful news
Oh! Save it, Nambi
It was probably built from money procured from India!
You know this is such wonderful news
I can't wait to tell Vikram sir about it
Why don't you give him a call? Give the old man a ring right now
I think it's very late at night there
I'm leaving by the early morning flight
I would like to see his face in person when I tell him this wonderful news
But thank you so much
'Thank you'
£400 million worth of equipment for free?!
I can't believe it, man
- It's amazing! - Sir
I don't believe doing anything in small measures!
On a serious note, Nambi
You know, your obsession, your passion, perseverance
Your anger, your impatience may one day dangle like a sword of Damocles!
But these very same qualities will place a crown over your head too
Whatever happens don't ever relinquish your vision
I'll be there for you every step of the way
'Prominent Indian scientist Dr Vikram A Sarabhai'
'Chairman of Indian Space Research Organization'
'As well as the Atomic Energy body was found dead at Kovalam Palace'
'A Govt tourist hotel in the Southern state of Kerala'
'He was 52 years old'
'Dr Sarabhai'
'Son of a textile millionaire and friend of the-'
'Flight 147 from London to Trivandrum will be landing in 25 minutes'
'Cabin crew, please prepare for arrival'
Sarabhai's death was not only a setback for Indian Space Research
It must have entrapped you in a huge void too
You stood forlorn, losing your mentor
To find another cheerleader like Sarabhai to trust you blindfolded
To support your crazy, lofty dreams
It would have been really tough to find a replacement in ISRO
Mr Satish Dhawan
Vowed to support you in every which way
He promised Sarabhai
Did he keep up his word?
After Vikram Sarabhai's demise
I could no longer be the privileged one at ISRO, showing off my temerity
I found a good friend and guide in Satish sir
But even that was a tiring relationship
Because I had decided to build a liquid fuel engine on my own
His lack of resources and my impatience proved to be an explosive combination
'What have you done for the impurities in the water?'
- We've installed a filter - Guys, this is muddy water
The mud will get deposited in the filter
If that happens?
- As time progresses - Calibration will keep varying
'Five-four-three-'
- This is about to explode - 'Two-one'
Stop it-
'Nambi, would you like a cup of tea?'
Looks like only this hot tea listens to your ideas!
Sir, is everyone jobless in the fabrication department?
All they do is flash their teeth!
Get lost, man!
Sir, if you cannot provide me with effective and decent resources
Please accept my resignation because I cannot work like this
- Calm down, Nambi, relax - How can I relax, sir?
Everybody is blaming me for the failure of the liquid fuel engine
But the truth of the matter is I failed because of you!
Are you done?
I know you are being 'drama king' because of a bee in your bonnet
Be upfront about what you want to say
Sir, the world is making 60-70 tonne engines
We are crawling on the ground with 600 kg toy cars!
It isn't rocketry, sir This is puppetry
Nambi, beggars can't throw banquets!
Tell me what we can do with the limited budget in our hands
Our budget may be strained Is there any constraint on our brains?
Time to sell our brilliant minds to convert loss into gain
What are you trying to say?
Sir
For their Ariane rockets, SEP in France is developing Viking, a liquid fuel engine
It's a mega project that requires 100s of scientists and man years
We offer them our mental manpower
And in the process, first hand pick up their technology for liquid fuel engines
It's a barter
But are the French our uncles or brothers-in-law to agree to this?
Sir, it's okay if they don't agree But what if they do?
If they agree, am I an idiot to stand in the way?
You have my hearty blessings
In that case, sir, please sign your blessings on this contract
I've already spoken to the French
We have a deal
But this is a bloody good deal!
So what else do you need?
Learn French and be willing to live in France with their families for 3 years
52 scientists who are prepared to put their nose to the grindstone
'8 months to learn French?'
'This is not rocket science'
Nambi, it took me 8 years to learn English!
I like that!
Good,,,now
How do you say 'Good morning' in French?
Bonjour
Correct
If any of us speaks a word of French while we are in France
Then we will all lose our jobs
And be sent back to India with a hole in our pocket!
How would you say this in French?
That's right
When we are in France
Zip your lips
Keep only your eyes and ears open
No one should know that we know French
'Gentlemen'
There is more to this mission than meets the eye
It may seem ordinary but we have a lot to achieve
I hope all of you have read the project report
And memorized the objectives
'In order to build our own liquid engine'
'First we need to understand the intricacies of their engine'
While in France
We will do our best to rotate everyone of you in all the departments
'Gentlemen'
'Vernon is a very small town in France where everybody knows everybody'
'We have to be very careful'
'We already have our people in these departments'
Tank gauges, pressurization systems
Control elements Thrust chamber assembly
But we need to fill our people into regulators
Stage systems
Gimbal actuator systems and mainly command module systems
We need to figure out how to turn these reds into greens
Nambi, many tests are being aborted half way through
[Malayalam] We don't know whether it is because of the pressure variation
Or if it is the malfunction of the pressure gauging senses
Nambi, we need the analysis and end data of these test failures to find out the reason
And there's only one place where we can find all of this
- R-C-D - Bloody deal!
RCD is one place they don't even let us walk past, forget about getting in
I don't know how you will manage this, Nambi
Because we need to know what is being discussed in RCD for our know-why
Otherwise our mission is kaput
Enough, don't keep repeating it like a broken record
'Nambi'
Remember what the French taught us when we visited the Monet museum
Take a few steps back and look at the painting from a distance
Only then we can appreciate its true beauty
Yes, but what does that have to do with our discussion right now?
Nambi
Viking engine has got a low upper stability margin
- What are you saying? - Yeah
The system is designed to have an operating pressure of 52,6 bars
A system like this should have a stability margin
,,,of at least 5 bars more than that
How much can the Viking handle?
Like if the pressure goes up by even 2 bars
When I set eyes on a beautiful girl
And go gaga over her
Viking will vibrate faster than me
'Height of self respect! He takes a royal dig at himself'
- Nambi - Hey!
- Let me introduce you to- - Hey!
Barry! How are you doing?
- Good to see you, man - You jerk!
After all that filter coffee last time
You couldn't bother to say a proper goodbye, huh?
I'm so sorry-
He is part of the advisory committee for the Viking engine
Oh! He is part of the advisory committee?
Guys, this is Barry He is from the U,S
Part of the advisory committee for the Viking engine
Oh! Congrats, man
Hey, so how come you didn't tell them
,,,that the upper stability margin of the Viking engine is so low, huh?
I think the alcohol is getting to him
Okay, I tried telling you
I promise I won't say 'I told you so' later on
So tell me, how long have you been here?
Ah, not for long
Just here to observe and assist if necessary
Are you assisting? Good
What were you saying about the stability margin?
Michelle, I was saying that the-
Upper stability margin of the Viking engine is a little too low
A little bit of change in the operating pressure and the engine
,,,will vibrate or worse still totally explode!
No,,,no, that's not possible
Actually it's quite possible because you are assuming
That your fuel is as pure as the French wine!
But if it turns out to be a cheap American knock-off
The engine will be drunk before you can say 'santé'
Is that your Indian sense of humor?
What if I prove it to you?
- Shall we begin? - Yes
Param, start
Perfect!
Smooth running
That will be the operating pressure we designed it to be
Yes, but what about the stability margin, huh?
Param
Increase
Stop it Stop the engine!
Hey! But an engine like this should be able to withstand this easily, huh?
Without a reasonable stability margin
,,,you are vulnerable to high risk failures, guys
Param, some more
Nambi
- You see my point? - Yes
Yes,,,yes, stop the engine
If that stand explodes, it will cost us a million pounds!
It won't explode now
Another 0,2 bars and then the fireworks will begin!
Engine is giving our expert belly dancer a complex about her hip-shake!
Param, increase it
Stop! Stop the engine please
Param,,,Param,,,Param
'Stop,,,stop'
Michelle, I've done this before
The Ariane deserves a much more reliable engine
I know that you have placed orders for the mass production of the spare parts
But if I were you, I would think twice before putting my name on those contracts
But the rest is up to you
Hey! Come on, guys, let's go
Poor thing! That girl is even more shaken than the engine!
I know you long enough to know that you are obviously doing this for a reason
But I don't know what it is
So I have to fall in the trap and ask you
Can you fix this?
God's sake, Nambi
This is 'yes'
And this is 'no'
What does this mean?
[French] Thank God! Someone finally asked
Yes,,,yes, I think I can do it
But I need all the information and data on the test failures to be able to do that
[whispering]
The one place where all the relevant information
,,,can be given to you is the RCD
Would you be able to make time for those meetings?
Yes, I guess I can do that
But, Michelle, my schedule is very packed
Very busy
We'll work around your schedule
What happened, Param?
I think what you can do is rotate all my men in all the departments
So that they can fill in for me when I am at the RCD
Easily done
The committee meets tomorrow at 9
But, Nambi, all I have is about 60 days to fix this
Can you do it?
Yes, yes, yes! Yes, I can
- I can try to fix it - Thank you
I've heard of a mountain being dragged by a strand of hair
But you accomplished this Herculean task, Nambi
Okay, you managed to get inside RCD
How will you increase the stability margin of that damn Viking engine?
Hail Professor Crocco!
I swear!
Devious wiz!
You've already solved it, right?
The problem is in the orifice
All we have to do is increase the diameter of the injector passage
And the stability margin will shoot up
Nambi, you are THE man
Thank you, but there is only one guy who can do this precise job
- Our man Unni? - That's right
We have to bring him here at the earliest and finish the job
Only then everything will be within our circle
Nambi, we are talking about ISRO
He will be here in a year or two, if we rush it!
He has to come here within 15 days
We have no other option
We won't get a better opportunity to finish this mission victoriously
'Sir, the ruckus you created to get me here'
Like smearing the bull's butt with 'chunam' paste
,,,to make it run faster in a rekla race
ISRO created history driving me up the wall, sir
Given the chance
The Governor would have dropped me bag and baggage at the airport
So you understand how important your work here is, in France, Unni?
- Yes, sir - The whole mission depends on you
How's everyone at home, Unni?
Fine, sir
My son wasn't keeping very well
- Aiyo! - But he's fine now
I told my wife I'm going to France and she said
'He who can't catch the rooster on the roof claims he's catching a glimpse of paradise'
On my way back, she asked me to buy 1/2 kg onions, sir
So are you ready to take on the French, Unni?
The lime paste has already been smeared on my butt, sir!
Just watch me sprint!
That's my man!
'Nambi, call for you on line #3'
Hello?
'Unni,,,?'
'Can I talk to Unni?'
'I have been trying to reach him for a long time'
Sorry, Unni is not here
I am Nambi Narayanan here
Can I take any message?
Oh! Nambi sir,,,Nambi sir
I am Unni's father-in-law speaking
'I have been trying to reach him in this # for the past 2 days'
'The most tragic event has befallen us'
'Unni's 3 year old son'
',,,has passed away, sir'
O' Mother Goddess!
'We are waiting for him'
Please send Unni home as soon as possible, sir
His wife is heart broken and inconsolable
Nambi sir?
'Nambi sir?'
Sir, I am at a loss for words I don't know what to do
'I know this is the most unbearable tragedy for you'
But there's a hitch, sir
It will take at least 15 days for Unni to reach Trivandrum
Why, sir?
'Sir, try to understand what I'm about to tell you'
Even if I move heaven and earth
,,,to organize Unni's papers and tickets for him to fly will take minimum 4-5 days
By which time you would have finished all the rites
Instead if Unni stayed here for 8 days and completed his task
We will be able to complete a key project of our mission, sir
He is indispensable to us now
This will be a great service on his part to our motherland, sir
So I request you to allow-
'Whaat?!'
'Are you mad or what?'
Didn't you hear a word of what I just told you?
His one and only son is dead, sir
Sir,,,sir
You don't have to give me an answer right now
I understand your trauma, sir
I'll call you in a short while
'Consult your daughter and let me know your decision, sir'
Thank you, sir
'Sir, 1 minute'
'Before you tell me your decision I need to explain something to you'
If Unni leaves now without completing his task
The blood, sweat and tears of 52 scientists for so many years
ISRO's investment and resources will go down the drain
And take many more years to retrieve our position
'Sir, wait'
'Don't push me into a moral dilemma'
'I cannot dream of asking my daughter to do this'
To the best of my ability
I will try and,,,take good care of her
'You do what you think is best, sir'
Thank you very much, Nambi sir
You never let me pay for any of the gifts I buy for my family or my son
I feel a bit guilty, sir
Don't worry about all that
All you have to do is finish your job
Sure, sir
Excellent!
Unni, you've got a call from home
Someone from your house wants to talk to you
Can't you hear me? You've got a call from India
GET IT INTO YOUR HEAD EMERGENCY CALL FOR YOU
COME
Nambi-
When?
Unni
You knew about this 15 days earlier
But you didn't tell me
You saw me buy clothes and toys for my son
You came shopping with me and you even paid for it!
Then-
How is it even possible for a man to be this inhuman?
I did everything knowing fully well what I was doing
I had no choice, Unni
Even if you had gone back home early you couldn't have changed anything
But everything here would have got ruined
You succeeding in this mission unfortunately became my cruel duty
I'm ready to apologize to you
But I know very well you will not forgive me
No one should be in my shoes, Unni
'But if it did again to me I will do exactly what I did now'
What happened?
Unni's son died and Nambi didn't tell him
Are you done?
Got everything off your chest?
This is not to reconcil-
I do not want to see your face ever again in my life
Unni,,,Unni!
- Nambi, why ddi you do this? - Did I ask you for advice?
And even if I ask you don't give it to me
I am not here to get a character certification from you
Or win a popularity contest
We are here on a mission
It's to our credit if we complete it properly
And if any of you have a problem you can go back home today
I can finish this mission without any of you
Go now
Get to work
We don't have time
There isn't much of a difference between your lie and the truth you hid
You lied
You hid the truth
But you did it purely for the welfare of our nation and development of ISRO
I can understand that
But despite all these sacrifices
The first liquid engine that India made
,,,took a very long time, right?
Nearly 8 years
Though we went to France and got a detailed training with their scientists
As usual we didn't have the funds to build our own liquid engine
Finally they sanctioned Rs 1 crore to build 1 engine
I built the engine in 60 lakhs
'But the test stand required to test my engine cost nearly 100 crores'
'1 billion!'
'So we had no choice but to go to France and test my engines on their test stand'
'Without external help we wanted ISRO to finally launch its own satellites'
'We knew how important the success of this engine hinged on it'
'So we were all extremely tense'
- Param, the pressure system's good? - Good to go
All the best, Nambi
Thanks, Michelle
[French] I have a feeling this will crash and burn in less than 45 seconds
Of course it will but the question is, which second?
- Want to bet? - Yes
42 seconds
I hope everything goes well today
At least our engine should fire
Even though Viking runs for 135 seconds
I'll be happy with at least 90
Lord, allow it to run for 135 seconds
I'll ensure the 135 scientists in ISRO will climb up Tirupati and tonsure their heads
Just 135 seconds
I'll make 135 kg of 'laddu' with pure Indian ghee
'Out station, this is Control'
'Weather condition okay'
'Clear to fire'
Roger, copy that
'Ten'
'Nine'
'Eight'
'Seven'
'Six'
'Five'
'Four'
'Three'
'Two'
'One'
[praying fervently]
106-107-108
Hundred and-
130-131-132
133-134
Thank you Thank you so much
You should congratulate Nambi It's his birthday as well
Thank you Congratulations
My God!
My God! What have you done, Nambi? I'm so proud and happy for you!
Thank you
For all those back home who thought we are here for the wine and women
This is a tight slap on all their faces
You have proven them wrong Nambi Narayanan can be trusted to deliver
You are the man!
VIKAS! It is a strange name for an engine
So is Vikram A Sarabhai
Nambi, I have to fulfil my vow of tonsuring the heads of 135-
Vik-A-S
Trust you to come up with such an apt name!
[French] Thank you so much for your assistance
This would never have been possible without all of you
Thank you
Did he just rattle in French?
He did indeed
Very fluent French, in fact!
Vikas engine was a noteworthy turning point for ISRO
Even after 25 years
Vikas engine has not failed even once
ISRO's magnificent achievement
Launches and missions might have failed
But Vikas engine
Not once
Not even once has it failed till date
None of ISRO's significant missions will travel in space without our Vikas engine
This is a truth that cannot be concealed or contradicted by anyone
What an astounding achievement, sir
Thank you
But you don't do anything in half measures
Then your next aim
Cryogenic engines
Yes, despite the number of solid and liquid fuel engines we had
Without cryogenics stage
,,,in the satellite launch market we wouldn't have made a name for ourselves
At that time I was the head Chief of Cryogenic Unit
We didn't have the time to make a cryogenic engine
'Deciding to import the technology from other countries, we issued tenders'
And in this 'groom matching' quest all the expected countries applied
'American and French offers weren't feasible for us'
'On the other hand'
'Russian economy was drowning'
'And on that drowning ship was an engine that I was very familiar with'
The KVD-1 engines
[Russian] How the eff does he know about the engines?
Were you aware that he knows?
How would I know?
Sir, how do you know about the KVD-1 engin-
Hey! Easy
How do you know about KVD-1 engines?
Oh! Please don't worry about that
I also know
That you have 252 engines
All I am asking for is
4 engines and technology transfer
[Russian] What the hell!
He knows that too
He probably knows the color of our innerwear too!
Be careful dealing with him
Nambi
You are a dangerous man!
This is extremely classified information
How did you get access to it?
[Russian] 'If I tell you that, you will die'
'And I will die!'
Listen, don't worry about it
That's all the Russian I know!
Okay, let me be honest with you
Our country is in shambles right now
Our economy is in danger
At Glavskosmos we really need this deal
So here is what we do
Do not mention the names in the contract Just say that you need an engine with-
With a specific impulse of 461!
Yeah,,,that
And I will do my best
I'm sure you will
- Sir, may I come in? - Yes, Nambi
Have you started training your replacements?
I'll start in a couple of days, sir
Did you go through the Russian contract?
Hmmm, I went through it
Are we making a mistake again?
14 years ago we could have bought this technology from France
For 10 million
But then too, in the favor of being too premature we let the deal go
And today France is asking us 10 billion for the exact same technology
I rest my case!
Okay
The Russian quotation is exactly 1⁄4th that of the others
First class technology
But
On account of being the cheapest they will be disqualified
I know, sir
But I think I have a solution
Just leave it to me
Thank you
[Russian] Why are the Indians being so generous?
What do you mean?
For a meagre extra hardware they are paying much more than its worth
- Should we be worried? - Nothing to worry
Too desperate to broker this deal we didn't realize the value of what we had
But Nambi did and he's just being fair
That is why we love the Indians
There's no balance in this world
Why?
Don't rub it in
She's coming
Be brave and speak with your mouth open
Understood?
- Mr Nambi - Hi
So what are you thinking about so deeply?
I was just thinking how
,,,my wife would love a saree in the color of your dress
This is her favorite color
I'm sure she misses you very much
I'm sure she does
Thank you
Ma'am, I would like you to meet another brilliant rocket scientist from ISRO
Mr Param
Nice to meet you, Mr Param
[incoherent muttering]
Goodbye
Goodnight
Sir, only you understood your 'pleased to meet you'
There's no balance in this world!
Sir, we should stop sniffing around here We'll find you a bride closer to home
Impossible
Sir, everything is possible
Impossible!
How does he land up wherever we are?
'Mr Barry'
Gentlemen
Nambi
What are you guys doing here?
You know usual Govt work
But seriously
Am I following you or you following me?
It is definitely me who is trying to follow you and that's not easy!
- You are an exceptional man, Nambi - Thank you
You know what? I want to show you something
Come with me
I want to ask you something
You know the work done at NASA benefits the whole world
From artificial limbs to heart pumps
Road safety to improved tyres
Our contribution really hasn't made the world a safer place for humans
But I always wondered
Humanity would have been better served
If you worked in NASA
Instead of what you are doing now
No offense
But could you imagine?
What all you could've accomplished with the absolute best resources
Completely at your disposal
So I'm curious
Why did you say 'no' to NASA's offer, Nambi?
Yeah
Yeah, I know
There should be a photograph of you in the Oxford dictionary
Right next to the definition of the word 'Patriotism'
So,,,uh
- What are you doing here in Moscow? - Me?
Oh! You know
Usual Govt work
What happened?
What is the emergency?
I don't know if you are aware, but-
USSR as a nation will cease to exist tomorrow
The Americans, who are as it is, pissed off
That you haven't awarded the contract to them
But given it to us instead
,,,are taking advantage of the prevailing situation
And claiming that Russia is in violation with MTCR
By selling the cryogenic engines to India
When did a cryogenic engine become a weapon of mass destruction?
And that too with a 500 kg payload?
When have Americans ever played fair?
I suspect they have an eye on all 252 of them
And they are claiming that India is using the KVD-1s to develop the ICBM
And if we go ahead with this contract
They will impose heavy punitive sanctions on us
We are sorry, Nambi
This will stop us from competing in the satellite launch markets
And push us back by decades!
We are so close
[Russian] I just got a call from Kremlin
We have to make this happen
We have to help the Indians
What do you mean?
The Indians have always been good to us
And this man Nambi has been very kind and fair
We can't let him down
The Kremlin has ordered me to see if we can help him out
What do you suggest we do?
Nambi, do you have an idea how we can work it out?
Yes
We actually do
Technically, all 4 engines are ready for delivery
The deferred payments were for India's convenience
What if we expedite the payments?
Will you be able to handle all 4 engines in one go?
That's great idea, Nambi
I can get the team here to comply
This will be a win-win
You guys win
I get screwed
Do you really think I am that stupid?
Okay, look
I can pick up the engines wherever in Russia
And deliver them anywhere in Russia
But I can't take them out of the country
What do you say, Mr Nambi?
Can you handle shipping?
Professor Rao, there's no way Ural airlines will do it for less than 90 lakh rupees
Nambi, is there no limit to your demands?
I just got the payment for the engines released in full
Now you want another 90 lakhs for Ural airlines?
Where will I go for the money?
How many times do you want me to go to the PMO?
'Sir, I'm not asking 90 lakhs for myself'
Ask our Grand National airlines
Why didn't they live up to their promise?
We wouldn't be in this dilemma now, right?
'Now we have no choice but to go with Ural airlines'
Sir, at this moment, our need is more than theirs
Because if the Russians don't give us the cryogenic engines
The Americans certainly won't oblige
'The French will take advantage of our plight'
'And sell it to us at 5 times the cost'
That will be the end of India's cryogenic dreams forever
Okay, give me some time, sir
- Phone from PM's office - 'Americans are not making our lives easy'
Nambi, 1 minute
Yes, sir
'The fund has been sanctioned'
Okay, sir
'Congratulations, Nambi Your fund has been approved'
'Now go, get us those bloody engines'
Thank you so very much, sir
I'll definitely bring
Thanks, Kalam
- 'May I speak to Nambi?' - I'll patch you on to Nambi
'Sir, patching your call'
- 'Kalam' - Nambi?
As far as solid fuels are concerned, my work is over
Now it is time for you to take us to the stars
Kalam
I don't believe doing anything in small measures
How are things at the DRDO?
Going smooth, all well
But I miss the fun we had working together
Anyway all the best
Bye, Kalam
Thank God! That's all taken care of
So we are all set
Can you promise the engines will be delivered on time?
I cannot promise that we will even be alive 2 hours later!
That's the state our country is in
The only thing I can promise is that I'll try my best
Since I'm the one flying you out you can pay me once the job is done
We will fly from Krasnoyarsk to avoid attracting any attention
Americans are definitely going to keep an eye out for us
The Americans will be looking out for flights leaving for India
What are your suggestions?
I think we should fly to Karachi
Re-fuel and then fly to Trivandrum
Karachi?
The Americans would never imagine
,,,we would take rocket parts to our hostile enemy nation
And the Pakistanis would never search a Russian aircraft
Brilliant strategy!
That's a great idea
While we are at it let's get the engines drunk
Drunk? What do you mean?
Dismantle them
Hide them in the vodka crates
Another good idea!
The Americans know
They are on their way here
We have to leave
What do you mean 'leave'? 2nd consignment is just taking off
I need the nozzle assembly kit of all the four engines
As well as some parts of the 4th engine I'm not leaving without that
[Russian] Give me the damn radio!
Nambi, you and your colleagues have to leave now
Or your lives will be in danger
Official orders from your chairman ISRO
[Russian] Sven, hold the take off
What about the rest of my parts?
Rest of the 3rd consignment?
There's no TIME!
Think about your families
Wow, sir!
Only in cinemas we are heroes, sir
What an inspiring life!
Holding the engine in one hand and your life in the other
You've made the impossible possible
What an adventure!
This sounds,,,James Bond like a spy thriller to me
- Thank you - The next 3 years
Even after the retirement of U R Rao who supported you
You did not stop with your efforts to reach your goal
With no manuals or guidance
You were assembling the cryogenic engines
But before your cryogenics dream could come true
Your dream turned into a curse
'Am I right?'
'There is free-for-all chaos that has started in Kerala'
'The case has been handed over to us'
'Look into the preliminaries'
Right away, sir
'Give me one more day I'll make him cough up everything'
'Are you out of your mind?'
'Entire media is in front of the police station from this morning'
Shift him to Latex guest house immediately
Okay, sir
Move aside
'Sir,,,sir'
Move,,,make way
Hello, sir
How are you?
I'm fine, who are you?
Why have you arrested me? Which department are you?
We'll tell you, sir
Hey! Get a cup of tea for sir
How did a man of your stature stoop to this level, sir?
This case is absolute nonsense
I have been ordered to interrogate you
But just as a formality we have a few questions to ask
All that's fine, sir
But why did they arrest me like a common criminal, sir?
That too outside a temple?
Somebody pushed me Pinned my neck down with his knee
This is not the way, sir I'm an ISRO scientist
- Sorry, sir - This is not acceptable
I apologize on their behalf, sir
It's just that, some of these officers just don't know how to behave
You aren't hurt, right?
No
Please ask me whatever question you want
I have to go back home My family is waiting for me
Thank you
Sir, who is this Mariam Rasheeda?
- Mariam, who? - Rasheeda
Mariam Rasheeda?
I don't know Was she working in ISRO?
Let him go
What do you think you are doing, man?
Brainless or what? Is this how you behave with a scientist?
CONTROL YOURSELF!
I'm sorry, sir
Are you okay?
Sir, I wish to apologize on his behalf
He's always like this
Sir, the thing is, we need information about this woman Mariam
And why you sold rocket technology to Pakistan?
- This is all we want - Sir, I don't know
And if we don't get this information-
We'll bury you alive in this guest house
We are shedding our blood and sweat to protect our nation
'And you think you can sell our nation for a few quick bucks?
Bloody traitor!
Now that you've had a good bath
- Let's start our prayers - Wait
Look here
Let's not waste each other's time
Come to the point
You met that Maldivian woman and you slept with her
You got caught in a honey trap
And to get out of it you sold our country's secrets
This is the sequence of events
You had better confess and we'll go easy on you
So while you are at it, why don't you make me to confess about the Bofors case?
And the share market scandal also?
He's funny, eh? Good sense of humor
I think we should show him our sense of humor
O' Mother Goddess!
[Malayalam] 'This case' is getting serious'
'Big heads will roll We should be careful'
Traitors don't deserve to sit!
Fine
I won't sit
But you are wrong
Because I was never in Madras on the 24th of January
WHERE THE HELL WERE YOU?!
That is none of your business!
Who do you think I am, huh?
You think I don't know this telephone is a recorder?
You assumed I would repeat everything you say
And you would record it and use it as my confession?
What do you take me for,,,a fool?
I am a Rocket Scientist!
Scientist?
You will know as time goes by what you should and shouldn't say
We are just getting started
Where were you on the 24th of January?
'I met N,,,Nrambi Narayan'
'In a hotel room'
'Forget about a confession'
'This man won't be alive until tomorrow at the rate you are going!'
BP is low
Heart rate is off the chart
'We have to revive him immediately'
Get up
Sir, this is Nambi Narayanan I came to hand over this case to you
Hello, Mr Narayanan
I am P M Nair from the CBI
Thank you for telling me your name and department
The three others before you didn't tell me anything
Like some tea?
'Please sit down'
Gopal, sit down Drink tea before you go
- No, it's okay - Please sit down
Have a cup of tea with us
How are you doing?
- Sir- - Yeah, please come
Sit,,,sit here
Rajashekar, please sit here
Fauziya, please sit
Mariam
Sir, I just came to hand over the case, I am leaving
- Sit down, Gopal, please - No, it's okay, sir
Gopal, sit down
Mariam
Do you recognize
,,,this man?
Yes, sir
He's the bastard
,,,who threatened to put ice on my private parts, sir
Sir, she's lying
- Damn you! I'll break your bones - Quiet,,,quiet!
Will you stop talking to her in Malayalam? She only understands English
Are you saying you do NOT recognize her?
'No, sir, somebody else put her in this situation'
Sir, he said he would rape me in front of my daughter
'If I don't do as he said'
- How dare you! - Quiet, Gopal
- You know whom you're talking to? - Gopal, sit down
QUIET, GOPAL! Sit down
Mariam?
You know him?
Yes
'Where have you met him?'
Actually I have never met him, sir
I just heard his name once
My arrest was done and the inspector showed his pictures to us
And we were,,,trained to say his name
Nam,,,Nambi,,,Nambi Nara-
Is that what you were doing?
Reading off a board during the confession?
Yes, they were holding it for us to read
I'm sorry, sir I have to go
GOPAL!
I need to speak to Mr Narayanan alone
We were beaten and tortured to say your name in this case
We had no option
We are very sorry
Sorry
Have some tea please
Not to worry
Relax, drink your tea
[saucer clattering]
3rd degree?
What do you think?
If they hadn't called a doctor in the middle of the night to revive me
I wouldn't be sitting here in front of you
CBI is already on to the case
They had no business questioning you
Questioning me?
They weren't here to question me
They wanted to beat a confession out of me for a crime I didn't commit
What confession?
That I sold rocketry secrets to Pakistan for 9-
I'm not recording you
If I need to record you I'll let you know
That in return for sleeping with one of these women
I sold my nation's rocketry secrets to Pakistan it seems
And they paid me $9 lakhs for it
And this deal happened in Hotel International in Chennai
On the 24th of January it seems
And,,,?
And all of this is a lie
How can I sell technology to Pakistan that our country does not possess?
And the designs I allegedly sold to Pakistan are available
In any book store anywhere in the world for a mere sum of Rs 200
You can't build a rocket engine with all those so called facts
Sir, this is Rocket Science
52 scientists worked in close collaboration with French scientists for 3 years
And it still took us 16 years to build our own rocket engines
And
Today is the first time I have met these 2 ladies
And
They have their facts completely wrong
On the 23rd of January I was attending my friend's funeral
And on January 25th, it was my granddaughter's first birthday
On 24th, the day in question
I was not in Madras
I was in Trivandrum in ISRO
If you want, you can check the vehicle log books
I'll try and get to the bottom of this as soon as possible
Meanwhile for your safety I need to move you to judicial custody
I just have one last question
As innocent as you say you are
Why has no one from ISRO come to your aid?
Nobody has even come and seen you so far in jail
Why?
I don't know, sir
Maybe scientists are strange people!
They know exactly how to react when a rocket fails
Maybe they don't know how to react when a man collapses!
Hey! A visitor is here to see you
Wow!
What timing!
If someone had asked me who would have been my 1st visitor in jail
I would have never guessed it would've been you in a 1000 years
How are you doing, Mr Unni?
Congratulations, Mr Unni
The state you were yearning to see me in
I am standing right in front of you fulfilling your wish!
Beaten, disheveled and in soiled clothes
Broken spirit
Family humiliated
Career in shambles
Look, I've peed in my pant
No bladder control
And on top of it all
Branded as a traitor
But you know what?
What you went through because of me
You are justified in seeing me in this state, rightfully so
And for Mr Unni
I am willing to stand here for as long as you want
Feast your eyes
How I would extract revenge for what you did to me
,,,is something I have thought of every single day in my life
Because you lack basic human kindness
Temerity from head to toe
A mean, law unto yourself, selfish son of a bitch
'Monster even'
But even then, in my worst dreams
I couldn't have imagined seeing you like this
But whatever you are, Mr Nambi Narayanan
From my unfortunate personal experience
I know
You just cannot betray our nation
It is a shame beyond words no one visited you in jail so far
Now that I am here
Tell me what needs to be done to get you out of here
Because in this room
If you think you are the only patriot here
You are making a mistake once more
'Sir, please do something'
They are beating appa in jail and asking him unrelated questions
Sir, why-
Sir, they are trying to coerce sensitive information from him
'Who is head of cryogenics research?'
'Who sanctions TOT deals?'
I don't know why they need to know all this
I don't know how much more Nambi sir can take, sir
Does anybody in ISRO know what to do?
- When can we meet appa? - Sir, please do something
When can we go and meet appa?
We can go anytime
Take a few clothes and some home cooked food, okay?
I've packed food for him
I'll just get his clothes
Sister, can you make a cup of tea for me?
Whatever happens we cannot take her to jail
[door bell rings]
'I seriously don't know where to begin, sir'
The sheer audacity and the absurdity of filing such a case on him shocks me
It's mind boggling, sir
I'll show you
Apart from Nambi Narayanan there are 5 others in this case, sir
'Rajashekaran, a Glavskosmos agent'
'He was working with the Russians'
Surendran
'Expert metallurgist with Cryogenics department at ISRO'
Fauzya Hassan Maldivian citizen
'She came to India to admit her daughter in school'
'Along with her friend Mariam Rasheeda'
Mariam Rasheeda
'35 year old Maldivian citizen'
'She sparked the entire chaos'
'And the common link between Surendran, Rajashekaran and L D Gopal'
'And finally L D Gopal'
'Kerala police'
'Responsible for the initial arrests'
'Likely due to a personal grudge against these women'
'It is true these women met L D Gopal, Surendran and Rajashekaran'
'Some favors were offered'
'Some taken'
'Some denied'
A small regional newspaper published one of these indiscretions
Media blew it up into a circus and the frenzies followed
'Kerala Police is setting right the authority within their department'
'Using this case to their advantage'
Like bursting crackers on a non-Deepavali day
Intelligence Bureau Department totally unconnected poked its nose too
Their agenda seems dubious
'And finally Kerala political parties'
Jumped into the arena to settle their long standing feud
End result is
'In effect, a hastily concocted despicable case with inexplicable motives'
And what is more baffling is as far as espionage, spying
And transfer of rocket technology to Pakistan is concerned
Forget Nambi, sir
There is not even an iota of proof to implicate any of the others in this case
'These are the facts I have established in my investigation'
'Mariam Rasheeda had never met Nambi Narayanan before'
They met for the first time in my presence in custody
'We were beaten and tortured to say your name in this case'
As reported by IB on January 24th
Forget Hotel International
Nambi Narayanan was not even in Chennai
He was in Trivandrum on that day in ISRO
'If you want you can check the vehicle log books'
'All of them were tortured and confessions were coerced'
Except for Nambi who withstood all the torture meted to him
And till the end confessed nothing
'I visited Nambi's house to inquire, sir'
'Which by the way, IB and the Kerala police have not bothered to do till date'
'This isn't the lifestyle of a man who was offered 9 lakh US dollars'
So everybody else is lying?
And your father didn't commit any crime
Do you believe he is innocent?
Sir, kindly step out
I need to talk to you
Please come
Come, sir 2 minutes
Leave right now, sir
Where have you come and whom are you maligning?
What gall to deride my husband to ME!
I want you to leave, sir
It's a very self-respecting family, sir
I am suspicious of the time frame this case has been foisted on Nambi
'Because here are two things that have come to light from my visit to ISRO, sir'
One
45 days back, India launched her first remote sensing satellite
And stupefied the world
Therefore in the multi-billion dollar satellite launch market
India proved she is a powerful contender
Two
Only recently India imported from Russia cryogenic technology and engines
Thereby enabling ISRO in comparison to other agencies
,,,to launch satellites at a much lower price
America tried its best to stop this deal, come what may
What seems highly suspicious
3 men who were arrested were working in the cryogenic department
Is this simply a coincidence?
Or our bigger concern is
To get ISRO completely out of the commercial satellite market
And stop ISRO from competing at any cost
Was it a diabolical well-planned conspiracy?
What is more cause for anxiety, Nair
If Nambi Narayanan, the man touted to be the next director of ISRO
,,,is as innocent as you claim
Then who dragged his name into this case?
'Who is trying to destroy Nambi Narayanan?'
This incident forced you to be imprisoned for 50 days
And the Maldivian women lost 2 years of their lives in jail
Top officer of Kerala police was suspended
The Deputy Director of IB who was in charge of this case
Retiring prematurely
And settled down with his family in USA
And Chief Minister of Kerala was dismissed from his seat of power
Many questions still remain unanswered
But the only silver lining of solace is
After numerous appearances in court
Enduring the torture and 50 days in jail
You were finally granted bail
And you got your freedom
Is that 'solace'?
Please
Just wait here Please understand
Please
Pa
Appa!
Where is Meena?
Where is she?
Huh?
Meena
She couldn't handle the brutal way people treated her, appa
HUH?
Meena?
MEENA
Meena
Hey!
Meena
What is the matter, dear?
Meena,,,?
Hey!
I'm back
Look at me
I'm back home, dear
Aiyo!
'Shankar Geetha,,,?'
Meena rushed out that way
Alright, pa
I'm fine, go check on her
"Who poisoned my milky white life with such venomous spite and strife?"
"Who dispersed my dreams so lofty that touched the skies high & mighty?"
[Malayalam] We need to take her to a senior psychologist
She is in a state of deep shock like she has seen a ghost
Sir, I don't think your wife believes you are actually back
Don't worry She will recover soon
"My heart yearns to beat no more at this torturous twist to settle a score"
"Won't this be a nightmare that will vanish into thin air?"
"Can't tomorrow bless and bring a dawn with a new beginning?"
"Like a meteorite drilling a deep crater"
"My life has fallen into depths of despair"
"This pain is a torment unimaginable"
"My breath feels choked; indefinable"
"In this mirage that made no sense I searched for my life's essence"
"I spent every minute of the day like a walking corpse wasting away"
"Will this darkness dissolve for clear skies to (r)evolve?"
"Will my life be a dead end always sullied and stained?"
"Will my life once again bloom dispelling this grief and gloom?"
"Can't this be a dream best forgotten that will fade into oblivion?"
"Can't tomorrow envelop a dawn of fresh hope?"
"Like a meteorite drilling a deep crater"
"My life has fallen into depths of despair"
"This pain is a torment unimaginable"
"My breath feels choked; indefinable"
'Although Nambi Narayanan is out on bail'
'It is unlikely he will be reinstated in ISRO'
'As per the new case Kerala police has filed-'
Narasimhan
Let's talk outside
Nambi, don't be silly
'They can't manufacture an evidence and put you in jail'
Narasimhan, if I do go back to jail
I don't want my family to be left in the lurch
As it is, they are going through hell
It has to be written someday
"Won't this be a nightmare that will vanish into thin air?"
"Can't tomorrow bless and bring a dawn with a new beginning?"
"Like a meteorite drilling a deep crater"
"My life has fallen into depths of despair"
"This pain is a torment unimaginable"
"My breath feels choked; indefinable"
'Appa'
I know for the past 6 months you've been through hell
And we cannot even begin to imagine all that you've faced
Do exactly what you want
Nobody can stop you and we'll totally understand
But let me share two points
One, the need to prove your innocence to the world
And the frenzy is embedded only in you
And secondly
God forbid, if something happens to you
This family will always be known as traitors to the nation forever
And I don't think as a family we'll be able to live with that either
By the way
Here's the will you asked your lawyer to draft
Appa
Are we not better than this?
Arunan
Let's call the cryogenic department
I want to know what the progress is
'I want regular updates'
'If I get a chance to work on this project again'
'I want to be completely prepared'
Why is it so empty?
After Rajashekaran, Surendran and you were arrested, there was panic in the ranks
They opted for a transfer to other departments
Few of them left Trivandrum to join ISRO in other cities
How many are left?
A fraction!
How strange!
Why does it look like nobody has been here for months, huh?
What are you looking for?
Where are the nozzle assembly kit and the other engines?
- Nambi, they were never delivered - What?!
'You were the single point contact for this project'
Without you, the foundation collapsed!
Forget the 3rd consignment
Parts of the 2nd consignment have still not been unloaded
'I am the one who told Arunan not to tell you anything'
India was once the greatest nation in the world for science and technology!
Who would believe it ?
Look at us now
Like a blind man riding a horse!
Yes
Someone rightly said
India never lost to her invaders
We sacrificed ourselves with our own swords
And handed our nation over to them on a platter
Begging and beseeching other nations for technology and parts seems to be our fate
Every time we risk our lives and strive we end up cutting our noses!
But, Param, other nations engage our brilliant minds and overtake us
Listen
Why blame those who left?
Instead of focusing our intelligence on research and earning name & fame
,,,who in his right mind will want to be indulging in street fights like us?
Even if our scientists are being used
Still other nations do everything internally, it is domestic
Totally indigenous
And that's exactly what we need to do too
First we make our Vikas engine completely indigenous
And then doesn't matter what it takes
We make our cryogenic engine completely indigenous
Perfect!
That will only take us another 20 years!
- Is that okay? - So be it, so what?
At least things will be at our own pace after that
More importantly, we will have all the control
I'm afraid we don't have any other choice, Mr Unni
What if I tell you, we can make the world turn speechless in amazement?
That I have the mother of all indigenous ideas
Will you believe me?
What?
The Mars Mission
What if I tell you that if we focus on indigenous production
We can achieve this mission at a fraction of what other agencies have spent on it
Are you prepared to believe me?
Mr Genius
We just concluded we won't have cryogenic engines for the next 20 years!
You were here, right?
What if I tell you, to succeed in Mars Mission
We do NOT need a cryogenic engine will you believe me?
We can just do it with solid and liquid engines
I firmly believe so
It is 100% possible
Not telling us this earlier, what if I tell you
I want to launch a rocket up your ass, will you believe me?!
5-4-3
You know how ridiculous and eccentric you sound, right?
Is that so?
Uncle, being the 'king of eccentricity' how can this be new to you?
While ISRO was still floundering with solids
,,,when you wanted to pursue liquids it was eccentric to say the least
Asking for £400 million worth of equipment for free in Scotland?
Bizarre!
Carting our scientists to France
And ending up building a better engine than the French themselves?
Smuggling the cryogenic engine from Russia from under the nose of Americans?
Uncle, if anybody should understand the power of being eccentric
,,,who else but you?
So why stop now?
Okay
What do you have in mind?
So what if we don't have the cryogenic engine?
Our Vikas engine runs for 180 seconds
So if the Vikas engine can be increased to enhance thrust, that will do
I swear, trust me
We can launch a satellite around Mars
That too, as indigenous as it can get!
With our Indian Almanac!
Bravo!
Are you serious?
'Amme Bhagavati' This is unbelievable!
And of course the rest is history!
Arunan became the Project Head of Mars Mission
With the modified Vikas engine and the science behind the Indian Almanac
We accomplished the near impossible in the very first attempt
What an achievement, sir
But during that period you were under severe duress
On one side you had to save your job you regarded as your heartbeat
And the other, a fight to prove your innocence
You were fighting this singlehanded
4 years, 75 court hearings, 3 lawyers, 5 petitions
And the millions spent
It would have taken a huge toll on you and your family for sure
Am I right?
Please come,,,welcome
I'm so happy to see all of you
Such a pleasant surprise, I didn't expect to see the entire family
The bride's family is boasting of being a family of doctors
But are we less by any standard?
We have rocket scientists in our family, huh?
We'll be there
Madam
Too soon, I think we rushed it We shouldn't have come here
'Hey Mariam!'
Where are you?!
[mobile ringing]
Hello?
One sec
Mama, it's for you
Appa
Who is it?
Who?
Hello, Nambi Narayanan
Yes
Thanks
What happened?
What is it?
It's over
The case
It's over
[many other mobiles ringing]
The Supreme Court has declared that I'm completely innocent
Meena,,,Mee-
Hold this
Ma'am
Meena, you don't have to cry anymore
This is your victory
You are the only one eligible to revel in this moment fully, dear
I was waiting for the verdict
I've finally earned the right now to tell you how sorry I am
Forgive me
I wasn't a good husband
How sorry I am I wasn't a good father
How sorry I am I always put my work before you and the family
Look at me
You always believed in me unconditionally
No matter what, you defended me
You stood beside me
I don't know how to thank you, Meena?
Meena, forgive me, dear
Please forgive me
No,,,no,,,no, let me speak today
Please listen to me
Listen
I don't know if being a good husband from now on will set right the past
No matter what happens
I will always be beside you
I want to live for you
Only for you
Meena, you've done enough
Now it's time for you to be the queen
And let me serve you for the rest of my life
Let's go, dear
I want to go home
Call for the car
Is Meena okay?
Murali, I'm so sorry
Don't apologize
We are so blessed you got this wonderful news in my son's wedding
Please take care of your family
Alright
Let's go
I take leave
So
Supreme court cleared your name and pronounced your innocence
If it is decided to pelt a dog and kill it
,,,all that is required is to label it a rabid dog!
In the same way the intention was to
,,,prevent you from holding your head high
Defaming you as a traitor will do the trick
That's the reward you got!
The despair and distress brought about by this case
Even 24 years later your wife is still traumatized
And hasn't recovered
You have paid a heavy price for it
You sued for a sum of 10 million as compensation
But more than a decade later
You have been granted only 1 million!
Is this compensation of any value to you?
Do you think so?
What do you mean?
I may be too old, weak and senile to spend or enjoy all that money, Mr Suriya
But I want every single paisa of that compensation
Because unless I get that money
The sword of suspicion hanging as 'traitor' over my family won't vanish
And after sacrificing all this, I will not allow that infamy
I am not fighting this only for myself
How many people like me in this nation?
How many, Mr Suriya?
Those punished for being a patriot-
I must fight for their cause
I will fight till my last breath
I will fight
To offer words of solace
I'm totally at a loss
Not as an actor or hero
As an ordinary citizen
As a human being
I want to do this for you
To do this on behalf of our entire nation
I don't know if I have the right or eligibility
But I can't be without doing this
Nambi, sir
On behalf of our people
I ask forgiveness
For the way we treated you
For all the due honors we did not shower on you
I ask forgiveness for everything
Please forgive us
Sir, I understand your good intentions
And I am grateful for it
But please don't make this grand apology
If you offer an apology ever so magnanimously
And I accept it
It will create a false sense of closure
But it doesn't fix or change anything
I can't come to terms with that and so I cannot accept your apology
Mr Suriya
If I am innocent
Then isn't somebody else guilty?
The question is 'who'?
A befitting answer has to be found for this question of mine
If those who have dedicated their lives for their nation's progress
,,,are not respected or cherished
No such nation has become a superpower in our annals of history
At the same time
May be a few would have tried to destroy me with that spy case
But there were many, many more
Without an ounce of fear
,,,who stood by my side and fought to establish by innocence
That's why like I said in the beginning
I have complete faith in the goodness of my people
And the integrity of my nation
Anyway
For your goodness of heart
Thank you very much
Jai Hind!
'For ISRO to successfully integrate a cryogenic engine in its launch program'
'It was a struggle for more than 15 years'
'Because of Nambi Narayanan's arrest'
'India was unable to participate in the satellite launch market'
',,,which led to the other players benefitting immensely'
'Success of missions like Chandrayaan and Mangalyaan'
',,,would have been impossible without Nambi Narayanan's Vikas engine'
'Vikas engine is at the heart of every launch of ISRO till date'
'Continues to be a historical fact'
'I congratulate today'
'All ISRO scientists'
'On this historic occasion'
'As you are trying to do something which has not been done before'
'It is a leap into the dark'
'Humanity could not have progressed'
',,,if we had not taken such leaps into the unknown'
'And space is indeed the biggest unknown out there'
'We have gone beyond the boundaries'
',,,of human enterprise and imagination'
'India, in fact, is the only country'
',,,who has succeeded in its very first attempt'
'These are all accomplishments'
',,,that will go down as landmarks in history'