Director Akarsh Khurana and his team take generously from real-life events, juxtapose them for as long as it’s convenient, and then tweak the story to create a delicious product for consumers.
during the courtroom sequence Rashmi Rocket, the judge tells the lawyer for the troubled runner that he doesn’t know whether to irritate or be influenced by his arguments. One feels the same after seeing director Akarsh Khurana’s cosmetic ode to the players.
It stands out as yet another example of the ‘please-all’ kind of cinema that is set to raise an important female-centric issue, but at the same time, while minimizing impact, is in line with mainstream goals.
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The film follows the arduous journey of an athlete Rashmi Veera – from a village in Kutch to an Asian champion – before being banned due to high amounts of male hormones in her bloodstream, and subjected to a humiliating gender test.
The setting is disturbing because apart from a generous grant from Gujarat Tourism, there doesn’t seem to be a compelling reason to set the film in the state. The story of Nanda Periyasamy seems to have strayed from its roots and the disconnect is hard to miss. Obstacles in young Rashmi’s way appear staged until the scene shifts to the National Sports Facility, where the runner climbs despite jealousy and nepotism.
Khurrana and his team of writers take liberally from real-life events in the lives of athletes like Dutee Chand and Shanti Sundararajan, juxtapose them for as long as it’s convenient, and then narrate the story as a platform for consumers in the name of consumers. Transforms to make delicious products. creative freedom.
Despite the disclaimer, you can’t ignore the apparent shadow of Dutee Chand’s case Rashmi Rocket. She was disqualified to participate in the women’s section after several tests conducted under suspicious circumstances. She successfully fought against national and international bodies for the violation of her privacy and human rights, and returned to the track with enthusiasm.
Borrowing flesh and emotional core from news stories, the writers venture into the fictional domain… While Dutee has come out of the closet and reportedly faced social stigma due to it, Rashmi follows the path of heterosexual love and motherhood. Even a basic internet search will tell you about the effect of high testosterone on the female body, but there is hardly a scene where Rashmi is shown struggling with it. Not even acne!
It hurts as the film forces its protagonist to play gender roles defined for her for centuries. It almost turns absurd when a pregnant Rashami takes to the track. Of course, pregnant women can participate in competitive sports, but common sense tells us they don’t settle early in their careers, even after winning at least three golds.
Just as high testosterone levels do not guarantee female athletes an unfair advantage, motherhood is no barometer to prove that having a girl is enough. The producers speak loosely, but nonetheless choose to associate their budding protagonist with motherhood, perhaps to make it good entertainment for a larger audience. Or does it have something to do with the Gujarati environment?
However, amidst rough conditions and stock background music, Taapsee Pannu runs a controlled race as Rashmi. Instead of wearing a surge of hormones on her sleeve, she tries to internalize his attitude and anguish. Despite the limitations in writing, as the film progresses, she does not hide behind aviator sunglasses and shows that there is more to Rashmi than the Rabari tattoos.
While the track and field sequences are not consistently convincing, Akarsh handles the courtroom segment well, and makes the second half engaging. Jealousy and nepotism are predictable but observable in Sangh’s approach; The media is also cursing. Dialogue writers Kanika Dhillon and Anirudh Guha keep these lines conversational, as when Rashami’s lawyer and her husband discuss her violent streak during a dinner table chat, they effortlessly take us beyond the athlete’s physical features. .
Similarly, a short, almost silent conversation between Rashami’s ardent mother (portrayed by Supriya Pathak) and the athlete’s mentor and well-wisher, played by Akash Khurana, touches a gentle melody.
Supporting actors Priyanshu Painyuli, Abhishek Banerjee, Supriya Pilagaonkar, and Varun Badola also easily go on the baton, but Khurrana seems to have forgotten Rashami’s father’s mantra. He relies less on effort, focuses more on results.
Rashmi Rocket is currently streaming on ZEE5. streaming on
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