Director: Akarsh Khurana
Cast: Taapsee Pannu, Abhishek Banerjee, Supriya Pathak, and Priyanshu Painyulli
Platform: Zee5
Rating: 2.5/5
Actor Taapsee Pannu's latest movie Rashmi Rocket is a watchable sports drama that works mainly because of her sincere performance but doesn't quite reach its potential. The Akarsh Khurana-helmed movie revolves around the life of a gifted athlete, who brings glory to the country with her achievements on the track, and highlights what happens when she fails a 'gender test'. The basic plot is as hard-hitting as it gets and tackles an issue that has rarely (if ever) been addressed by commercial cinema. Its impact, however, is diluted by the middling execution.
Shaky start
The initial portions of the movie move at a sluggish pace and tend to test the viewer's patience. Taapsee's romantic exchanges with her love interest, which should have brought out the softer side of her personality, feel rushed. The makers could have explored their dynamics a bit more to make their chemistry feel more organic. Rashmi Rocket, however, picks up when the action shifts to the track. The makers do a good job of highlighting her professional and personal struggles, something that the team behind the mediocre Toofaan failed to do.
Shifting gears
Rashmi Rocket plays out as a courtroom drama post the sequence involving a gender test. Taapsee takes a backseat in these scenes as the focus shifts to Abhishek Banerjee, who plays the quintessential underdog lawyer. The courtroom scenes are watchable but feel a bit too predictable beyond a point. This dilutes the climax's impact.
Missed opportunity
The mother sentiment has always been a pillar of commercial cinema. Rashmi Rocket tries to highlight this aspect through the character played by Supriya Pathak. These scenes, however, fall flat as they haven't been fleshed out too well.
Taapsee gives it her all
Taapsee is the heart and soul of Rashmi Rocket and gives it her all. The actor emotes with her eyes in several sequences and brings out her character's vulnerability the way she had done in Pink, which established her as a star in Hindi cinema. Abhishek shines in the courtroom sequences. His natural dialogue delivery makes his work all the more relatable. Priyanshu Painyulli, who rose to fame with Mirzapur 2, is strictly okay in a role that does not really give him a platform to showcase his abilities. Supriya tries to elevate a one-dimensional character. The rest of the cast serves its purpose.
Musically sound
Music is an integral part of a film about the underdog. Chak De !, for example, featured the iconic title track that attained cult status, This is exactly where Rashmi Rocket triumphs as it features a couple of memorable songs. Zidd arguably is the pick of the lot as it highlights the protagonist's undying spirit. Ghani Cool Chori too hit the right notes and caters to those fond of 'desi' numbers. The background score, however, feels too generic. The technical aspects have been handled with a decent amount of competence.