“Mission Mangal” Review: Ambitious In Conception & Outstanding In Execution

Mission Mangal, featuring Akshay Kumar, Vidya Balan, Sonakshi Sinha, Taapsee Pannu, Nithya Menen, Sharman Joshi and Kirti Kulhari on its ensemble cast, is one of the most awaited films of the year.

It is about a bunch of ISRO scientists who contributed to the Mars Orbiter Mission, India's first interplanetary expedition. Directed by debutant filmmaker Jagan Shakti, Mission Mangal enters theatres amid huge expectations of the audience.

Here is my take on the film. Read on...

What Mission Mangal Is About?

Mission Mangal starts off in 2010, when a team of scientists at ISRO, led by Rakesh Dhawan (Akshay Kumar), fails to launch GLSV Fat Boy into outer space. The failure is said to have taken India’s space mission back by five years. It was a technical glitch overlooked by the watchful eye of program director Tara Shinde (Vidya Balan) which led to the fiasco.

But instead of indulging into any blame game, Rakesh takes responsibility on his own. Resultantly, he is shunted over to the Mars Mission, which is unlikely to happen. But Rakesh and Tara take up the challenge and set out to make the impossible mission possible.

They put together a team of junior scientists from ISRO and start working on the Mars Mission with an aim to launch it into space within 24 months. Will they achieve the impossible and unthinkable?

Is Mission Mangal Worth Your Time & Money?

Driven by an ensemble of incredible performances, Mission Mangal delivers a must-see experience. The movie has Akshay Kumar, Vidya Balan, Sonakshi Sinha, Taapsee Pannu, Nithya Menen, Sharman Joshi, Kirti Kulhari and Vikram Gokhale reprising important roles in it.

Of the formidable star cast, the one actor who most stands out is Vidya Balan. Balan was last seen in Tumhari Sulu (2017), and it is so good to see her show her magic once again on the screen. Her character is written exceedingly well, but she makes it even more likeable and interesting with her charm and simplicity.

Akshay Kumar, who plays the role of Rakesh Dhawan, does his job well. He fits into his character to the tee. Since Mission Mangal has a long list of actors, the team of writers fails to do full justice to each and every character.

Taapsee Pannu and Kirti Kulhari’s characters seem half-baked, though both actresses try their best to leave an impact. Sonakshi Sinha is good in her part and so is Sharman Joshi. Nithya Menon also gets into the skin of her character pretty well.

Seasoned actor Vikram Gokhale as ISRO head plays his part with complete honesty.

Mission Mangal marks the directorial debut of Jagan Shakti who has previously assisted R. Balki on several films. He tells a heart-warming story about perseverance and triumph in the face of adversity. Despite being sci-fi, the director keeps his storytelling as simple and easy as possible, making it comprehensible even for a person who has zero interest in science.

Sleek VFX is the highlight of the film, making it a joy to watch visually. A strong musical background is another plus point the film boasts of. The climax is nail-biting and thrilling. It keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout. You know what is going to happen, but you yet don’t want to blink your eye and miss anything important.

Final Verdict

Mission Mangal is a complete family-entertainer. You should not miss taking your kids along as you go out to catch the film. It will pique their interest in science and inspire them to dream big. The Jagan Shakti directorial does not try to push many artistic boundaries, but it successfully tells a story that each one of us needs to know and be proud of. I am going with 4 stars.

Movie Credits

Banner: Cape of Good Films, Hope Productions, Fox Star Studios
Director: Jagan Shakti
Cast: Akshay Kumar, Vidya Balan, Sonakshi Sinha, Taapsee Pannu, Nithya Menen, Sharman Joshi, Kirti Kulhari, Vikram Gokhale
Runtime: 133 Minutes
STARBIZ Rating: 4/5

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