Rocket Boys

Spanning three crucial decades (1940-60s) in the history of India, the story chronicles the life of three great men responsible for launching India's space and nuclear programs respectively: Dr. Homi J. Bhabha, the architect of India's Nuclear Programme, Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, universally acknowledged as the Father of the Indian Space Programme and Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, the pioneer of modern Indian aerospace and nuclear technology. The season traces the journey of Bhabha and Sarabhai coming to terms with the challenges facing a young, independent nation and their friendship, sacrifice and determination.

Rocket Boys (2022-present) is an Indian national-television historical biographical drama series created by Siddharth Roy Kapur and Nikkhil Advani and produced for SonyLIV. Set across three decades of the 1940s to 1960s, it follows physicist Homi J. Bhabha (Jim Sarbh), architect of India's nuclear programme, and his younger collaborator Vikram Sarabhai (Ishwak Singh), who is remembered as the father of the Indian space programme. Their friendship is tested as they struggle to build advanced science institutions in a young, newly independent nation with few resources and uncertain political backing. Supporting principals include Mrinalini Sarabhai (Regena Cassandrra), Saba Azad as Parvana Irani, and Rajit Kapoor as Jawaharlal Nehru, while Arjun Radhakrishnan appears as A. P. J. Abdul Kalam. Each stretch of the story is built from concrete obstacles: funding negotiations, bureaucratic resistance, rival institutions, and the demands of a country eager for modern achievement. The tone is earnest, patient and quietly hopeful, with a measured pace and a reverence for craft. Fans of The Crown and Chernobyl will find resonance in its blend of historical texture, personal sacrifice and nation-building ambition. The series runs two seasons across sixteen episodes, with a second season that drew stronger audience response.

• Chernobylbiographical drama about scientists building national programs, friendship under pressure, postcolonial nation building
• The Crownperiod drama with real historical figures, nation building, and personal sacrifice
• The Imitation Gamebiopic-style drama about a mathematician's wartime codebreaking and personal struggle
• Hidden Figuresbiographical drama about a scientist's life, ambition, and institutional obstacles

Created by

Siddharth Roy Kapur, Nikkhil Advani

Release Date

2022-02-04

Episode runtime

45 min

Rating

8.8 / 10 (31)

What is Rocket Boys about?

Rocket Boys dramatizes the friendship and ambitions of Homi Bhabha and Vikram Sarabhai as they build India's nuclear and space programs in the decades after independence.

What is Rocket Boys like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Rocket Boys as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.

Is Rocket Boys violent?

No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Rocket Boys.

Which shows are like Rocket Boys?

Shows with a similar feel include Chernobyl, The Crown, The Imitation Game, and Hidden Figures.

How long is Rocket Boys?

Rocket Boys: 2 seasons, 16 episodes.

Is Rocket Boys still running?

Yes, Rocket Boys is still running.