- R Madhavan’s directorial debut, Rocketry: The Nambi Effect, will have its world premiere at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival 2022. Five other Indian films will also be screened at the festival this year.
Rocketry – The Nambi Effect is a retelling of Shri Nambi Narayanan’s life story as it unravels in an interview by the celebrated superstar and Badshah of Bollywood, Shah Rukh Khan, on a TV program. Like many great minds, Nambi is also deeply flawed, his genius and obsession earning him enemies and detractors, thus making him a compelling modern protagonist.
Beyond serving as a treatise for the vindication of quiet achievers in society, the film also challenges the audience to take up the responsibility of recognising, and celebrating the special contributors, whether it be a Nambi Narayanan or a teacher educating poor kids, soldiers at the border, doctors serving in remote villages, or volunteers helping the needy. It also raises a powerful question – why aren’t we standing up collectively to defend our innocent and powerless against the hegemony of the powers that be? For every Nambi, there are thousands of silent achievers fighting for justice.
These stories need to be heard. It starts with Nambi, but he’s just the beginning.
Apart from Rocketry, five other Indian films, in various languages, will also be screened at Cannes 2022, which is set to begin on May 27.
The other Indian films, to be screened at the film festival are Malayalam film Tree Full of Parrots (directed by Jayaraj), Hindi-Marathi bilingual Dhuin (directed by Achal Mishra), Mishing film Boomba Ride (directed by Biswajeet Bora), Hindi film Alpha Beta Gamma (directed by Shankar Srikumar), and Marathi film Godavari (directed by Nikhil Mahajan). According to the release, while Rocketry will be premiered at Palais K, the other movies will be screened at the Olympia theater.