Meet the actors who played memorable characters in films and web series based on Indian scientists and achievers

Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer has been the talk of the town ever since it was released. The movie depicts a certain part of the life of Julius Robert Oppenheimer, who is known as the father of the atomic bomb. While the American physicist deserves the spotlight, there are many Indian movies and projects that highlight the lives of some of the Indian geniuses. Here is our list…

Oh boy!

Ishwak Singh and Jim Sarbh in Rocket Boys

If we speak about the presentation of Indian physicists, Dr Vikram Sarabhai and Dr Homi Bhabha on screen, then it’s probably Ishwak Singh and Jim Sarbh that come to mind. The actors’ accurate portrayal of the scientists on screen is hard to remove from people’s memories.

Rocket science

R Madhavan in Rocketry

The movie was based on the life of Indian aerospace engineer Nambi Narayanan, with R Madhavan portraying him on screen. Madhavan transformed himself into the character so well that he once posted a picture on Instagram of him and the real Nambi Narayanan, and it was hard to distinguish the reel one from the real one.

Mission accomplished

Akshay Kumar & Vidya Balan in Mission Mangal

The film is based on India’s first interplanetary expedition, the Mars Orbiter Mission, and has characters loosely based on real-life scientists who were involved in the mission. Akshay Kumar plays the role of Rakesh Dhawan, the scientist and Mission Mars director, who was based on real-life scientist Subbiah Arunan. Vidya Balan was seen as Tara Shinde, who was a scientist and project director. Her character is loosely based on Ritu Karidhal Srivastava, Deputy Operations Director of India’s Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM), Mangalyaan.

Flying high

Suriya in Soorarai Pottru

For people to deal with highly priced flight tickets, Captain GR Gopinath came up with a low-cost airline, Air Deccan. He was the real-life inspiration behind Nedumaaran Rajangam, aka Maara, played by Suriya in the Tamil movie Soorarai Pottru. Suriya received the National Award for the best actor for the movie.

Human computer

Vidya Balan in Shakuntala

Named as a human computer, there is hardly anyone who would not have known Shakuntala Devi and her talent. In the movie Shakuntala, Vidya Balan played her onscreen. Vidya smoothly tapped into Shankuntala Devi’s flamboyance, quirkiness, and love for mathematics.

Calculated risk

Hrithik Roshan in Super 30

Hrithik Roshan played the real-life character Anand Kumar, a mathematics educator best known for his Super 30 programme, which he started in Patna, Bihar, to teach underprivileged students to prepare for entrance to the Indian Institute of Technology.