One of the most popular web series from India, Rocket Boys, dropped its second season. The much-awaited season has got everyone speaking about it, as, unlike several other shows, season 2 of Rocket boys has done justice to its predecessor.
India is one of the scientific hubs of the world. The country produces an immense number of science professionals who work in corporations all across the world. The Indian film industry has often tried to utilise the same professional background for its characters as well and tried to give it a cinematic touch. While the effort has worked on several occasions, it has also fallen flat a few times.
Here is a list of Indian actors who pulled off the roles of scientists with flair:
Shah Rukh Khan
A still from Swades.
Superstar Shah Rukh Khan starred in an unusual film for the time in the early 2000s, Swades. This was Ashutosh Gowarikar, right after delivering a super hit with Lagaan, trying to give a sneak peek into the lives of rural India, with one of the finest actors at the helm of affairs.
Shah Rukh Khan played the iconic character of Mohan Bhargav in the movie. Bhargav is an America-based NASA scientist, who returns to India for a vacation. After getting distressed by the situation of the Indians, he decides to stay back and work for the betterment of his people.
The film was an instant hit with the critics and has become a cult classic in today’s time, but it failed to draw audiences to the theatre at the time of its release.
Hrithik Roshan
Hrithik Roshan played the role of a scientist in the Krrish series
In the earlier part of his career, Roshan was mostly known for his good looks and dancing chops. However, the first time he showed some serious acting talent was with Rakesh Roshan’s Koi Mil Gaya.
An ambitious movie, it dwelled on the issues of Aliens and fantasy, which at the time of its release was not a very popular concept amongst Indians, given the dearth of such movies.
Hrithik Roshan hit it out of the park with his performance as a specially-abled character named Rohit. While he does not play a scientist in that movie, his character goes on to develop as one in the coming parts of the franchise.
R. Madhavan
A still from Rocketry.
Acclaimed actor R. Madhavan released his most ambitious film named Rocketry in 2022. The movie had been in production for several years, and after sudden changes in the production, the actor himself had to take up the responsibility of directing the movie. Madhavan played the role of Nambi Narayanan, who is an Indian aerospace scientist who worked for the Indian Space Research Organisation and contributed significantly to the Indian space program by developing the Vikas rocket engine.
The movie was screened at the Cannes Film Festival and was a commercial and critical hit.
Rajinikanth
Rajinikanth as a Chitti – The Robot.
Shankar is known for making movies that are visionary and operate on a large canvas. 15 years ago, he was on a golden run as far as commercial success was concerned. His companion in this journey was superstar Rajinikanth.
One of the movies the duo worked on during this period was a movie that created havoc at the national Box Office, named Enthiran or Robot in Hindi. Rajinikanth was seen in a double role in the movie, one of his characters was playing a scientist, who creates the ‘other’ Rajinikanth’, the robot.
The movie became a huge satellite hit and it even had a sequel in the form of 2.0.
Dev Patel
British Actor Dev Patel essayed the role S. Ramanujan.
A biographical drama starring British actor Dev Patel was made on the life of celebrated Indian mathematician, Srinivasan Ramanujan. The movie stars the journey of a poor boy from Madras to becoming one of the most renowned scientists in the world.
The movie chronicles the life of the Indian mathematician through his conversations with a Professor at the Trinity College, named G H Hardy.
The movie opened to positive reviews and was hailed for the story-telling and the subject they touched through it.
Vidya Balan
Vidya Balan was praised for her acting in Shakuntala Devi.
Vidya Balan hit it out of the park with her performance in a 2020 Hindi Biopic of ‘Human Computer’ Shakuntala Devi. Balan played the titular role of the Indian mathematician in a story which is narrated by her daughter Anupama Banerjee, played by Sanya Malhotra.
The movie was praised for being feminist in the truest sense of the word and not diluting the story with other unnecessary elements. Vidya Balan’s performance went down as one of the best acting roles from the year 2020.
