Rocket Boys Season 2 Review: Jim Sarbh-Ishwak Singh Series Shines in Moments But Pales in Comparison to Predecessor (LatestLY Exclusive)

Rocket Boys Season 2 review: The SonyLIV series recreating some of the most landmark steps in the history of India in Rocket Boys gives it the finesse that it flaunts. Many of us aren't aware of how things happened, how we got our space research station or the nuclear program. The first season superbly portrayed these through a very affectionate friendship between Homi Bhabha and Vikram Sarabhai at the forefront. That piled up hopes in the second season immensely; some were dashed and others fulfilled. It's the ratio between the two that's concerning here. Rocket Boys Review: Jim Sarbh And Ishwak Singh's Bonding As Homi Bhabha-Vikram Sarabhai Is The Highlight Of This SonyLIV Series.

Homi Bhabha (Jim Sarbh) is going pillar to post to get funding and approvals for India's first atom bomb. The changing head of the country doesn't help his case much. Vikram Sarabhai (Ishwak Singh) is hitting roadblocks a lot with unsuccessful launches and the Government's fund restrictions. But that doesn't deter them from their determination. However, a few things happen which threaten to derail India's space and nuclear progress, including a supposed CIA-conspired death.

What's thrilling about this series is it narrates the tale of how India became a superpower in terms of its space and nuclear program. How the foundations were laid. The second season gets enough room to build on that excitement and succeeds in delivering at times. It just fills you with a sense of pride because these technologies were built at a time when India was fighting hostile neighbours, going through major political upheavals and was under constant surveillance by the US. Even the opposition to the bomb sounded rational when then PM Lal Bahadur Shastri (Vijay Kashyap) puts forth his resentment towards it.

What remains as its biggest asset is the non-melodramatic or chest-thumping way of narrating the story. These men were geniuses and their contributions to India's progress are enough to create the hype. The writers maintain the same subtlety here as well. It celebrates Bhabha and Sarabhai's but also humanises them. Now that's an art every biopic maker in India desperately needs to learn from!

However, the chinks in the armour show up a lot earlier than expected. It is heavily inclined towards Bhabha this time while Sarabhai's arc is all about his failures at home and work. In fact, the latter's opposition to the bomb is not explored well and sounds more like a whimsical demand. It almost makes him seem like someone who is against making India a military superpower which is not the case. The series itself shows him writing to Indira Gandhi requesting her to use the bomb for peaceful purposes. Ironical yes, but it also shows his intention. This part of the character is very poorly explored.

The friendship between them which was so enjoyable and aspiring in the first season is hardly there. The second season starts really slow and almost threatens you to bounce off from here. And then Nehru's demise puts things in motion and the series picks up pace, only to slump again.

A few of the instances seem quite odd as well. Sarabhai is aware of the mole in the team and yet doesn't restrict his access to important stations at BARC. Well, Mathur (KC Shankar) is a fictional character with no real-life reference just like Reza (Dibyendu Bhattacharya). Guess the creative liberty went a little too far.  Rocket Boys Season 2: Hrithik Roshan and Saba Azad Share Intimate Moments in Front of Cameras at the Premiere (View Pics).

The characters still refuse to age!

Watch the trailer of Rocket Boys season 2

Performances, as always, were great. Sarbh continues to be phenomenal as Bhabha. He brings a certain amount of warmth and confidence on screen which perhaps comes from playing one of the architects of India's future. Ishwak Singh brings calmness to the series. He plays Sarabhai with utmost sincerity. KC Shankar's Mathur is brilliantly evil while Dibyendu Bhattacharya is just fantastic.

Yay!

-no theatrics

-thrilling instances

-great performances

Nay!

-fails to maintain the flow

-odd unexplained instances

- age-defiance

Final Thoughts

Rocket Boys season 2 doesn't match up to its predecessor but there are moments that fill you with pride and respect for these two geniuses. Rocket Boys Season 2 streams on SonyLIV.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 16, 2023 02:15 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).