When it comes to fiction, there’s no dearth of heroes on our screens. Spies, soldiers, cops, superheroes, knights, warriors, and even gods - the list is endless. This is why every time there’s a documentary that chronicles the lives of real people from our past or even our present, we can’t help but get excited. On top of that, when it's on a subject that can keep the entire family glued to the screen, it's pure *chef's kiss*
Streaming service Discovery+ is doing exactly that, with their new documentary ‘India’s Space Odyssey’, which celebrates India’s inspiring journey of space exploration over the last six decades. Not only does the show pay homage to the founding fathers of India’s space programme Dr.Homi Bhabha and Dr.Vikram Sarabhai, it also celebrates India’s ‘do more with less’ spirit, which is clearly evident from the way ISRO has evolved over the years.
The narrative starts right at the beginning, shortly after India gained her independence, and the Cold War had just started. In a way, and the show does tackle this, the Cold War acted as a catalyst for the progress for space exploration as both the United States and the Soviet Union were vying for supremacy in that field. Lucky for us, India decided to remain neutral during that time, which allowed the country to collaborate and share knowledge with both American and Russian scientists.
Now, in the 21st century, after multiple successful space missions, India has already earned a special place in the space race. The Mars Orbiter Mission or Mangalyaan is a living example of how India can do so much with so little. The upcoming Gaganyaan missions, the second of which plans to launch a three-member crew to space, is also on the horizon. But what about everything that happened in between? That is exactly where this show shines brightest.
The collection of individual incidents that led to ISRO being what it is today, has been well documented in this show. Whether it’s India’s unique geographical advantage that led to establishing a small fishing village in Kerala as the first launch site, or India moving closer to the USSR due to America’s support towards Pakistan during the 1971 war, or the tragic and mysterious deaths of Dr. Homi Bhabha in a plane crash and Dr. Sarabhai in his bedroom on-site, India’s Space Odyssey covers it all in great detail.
And if all of that wasn’t enough, check this - the Hindi version of the show is actually narrated by popular actor R. Madhavan! So what are you waiting for? This week, when you’re trying to figure out what everyone in the family can watch together, give Discovery+ a shot. Their programming is the textbook definition of 'edutainment', which is exactly the kind of wholesome viewing families need time and again.
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