Not Just Rocket Science

Actor R. Madhavan on donning many hats for Rocketry: The Nambi Effect, keeping his swimmer son grounded and why South Indian cinema is thriving

- Suhani Singh

Besides having acted in Rocketry: The Nambi Effect, you are also the film’s producer and director. How did you juggle so many roles?

Making this film was not a rational or financially viable decision. But all that did not matter to me or my funders because we had met this man called Nambi Narayan. We heard his story. It was all-encompassing. I took on the mantle of writing the film simply because I understood the subject the most. There are few engineers in the acting fraternity who’d understand the extent of his achievement and contribution to the country. He is a rocket scientist, a genius and also a patriot.

Was it tough to make audiences understand or interested in rocket science?