In between the gimmicky jugaad philosophising and meaningless sub-plots, Mission Mangal manages to devote some time to space technology. The 133-minute movie finally gets some fuel as the Mangalyaan probe blasts off into space and eventually enters Mars’s orbit.
A rocket takes off in the beginning and fails. Another soars and succeeds in a moving and rousing climax. In between is a lot of space debris. Mission Mangal reserves its final gimmick for the end credits. The voice of our Dear Leader floats in to score the winning knock after the groundwork has been laid out for him. The Mission to Mars began during the reign of Manmohan Singh and orbited into Mars after Narendra Modi was elected prime minister. And yet, it is Modi’s voice that wafts over the photographs of the mission’s real members – a final joke in a movie that wasn’t meant to be a comedy.
Its Really an Awesome Movie.