Science fiction. What comes into your mind when you hear this? A spaceship? Super cool graphics? Oh! Maybe you are thinking of The Matrix series. Perhaps the Avenger movies. But wait! Did you think of any Indian Sci-Fi movies? No? Why not? Does the genre of sci-fi not exist in our country? Or are we lacking something technology-wise? Why does the Indian audience not talk about Indian science fiction?
YOOF is here to share something interesting about this lost or perhaps unfound genre of science fiction in India. Our country is the birthplace of some of the greatest pieces of literature. We have stories that capture the imagination of everyone who reads them. We have the epics like Mahabharata and Ramayana. We have amazing scientist-novelists like Jayant Narlikar who have written many science fiction stories for kids.
Now talking about the movies, this genre seems non-existent in the Indian big screens. Yes, there have been some movies like Koi Mil Gaya in the past that gained huge popularity. But at the end of the day, both critics and viewers compare all Indian movies to the big Hollywood projects. Not only are our movies ridiculed but most people believe that we simply cannot make good movies in the genre. In this article, we take you through some of the best science fiction movies and shows, from our motherland.
Android Kunjappan Version 5.25 (2019)
This Malayalam movie is one hilarious take on the relationship between humanity and robots. An engineer leaves a robot with his aged father to take care of him. You heard it right. And there is more, the old man shares animosity with the metal chunk his son calls Kunjappan.
Though many people might not call this an actual science-fiction movie, we believe that it dealt with robots in the Indian context very well.
Starring some of the finest actors like Soubin Shahir and Suraj Venjaramoodu, this movie brings robots closer to home. With a light heartedness and a beautiful village backdrop, this might not be a traditional sci-fi movie but is still fun to watch.
JL50 (2020)
If time travel has ever been your thing, this short web series will intrigue you beyond anything. Starring Abhay Deol, Pankaj Kapur and Piyush Mishra, the web series is probably something that Indian movie makers have never tried before. Director Shailender Vyas takes a deviation from the routine Hollywood science-fiction tropes and that is appreciable.
A plane wreck is found in northern West Bengal. CBI officer Shantanu ,played by Abhay Deol, begins to suspect that this wreck might be of the plane JL-50 that went missing some 40 years ago. The clue lies in the only two surviving people from the wreck: the captain and a passenger. While Shantanu deals with his divorce, he is deeply invested in JL-50 that has caused quite a wreck in his life.
It is an unconventional story, which some may like and some may not. But, we suggest you give it a shot as the show unravels some time travels.
OK Computer (2021)
Have you ever watched an eccentric and wacky sci-fi show that not only makes you burst out of laughter but also intrigues you ? OK Computer is that show. It is absurd and weirdly it makes sense too. Do you get it? Created by Pooja Shetty and Neil Pagedar, this six episode show has created a whole new genre under sci-fi. It is part comedy, part action and part mystery.
In the year 2031 a self -driving car kills a human. Detective Saajan Kundu and Robot Activist Laxmi must work together to catch the killer and bring him to justice. The show has holograms, weird robots with funny names, technology that seems extraordinary. There are robot laws and there are anti-robot communities!
The show doesn’t shy away from exploring the most bizarre ideas and that is its strength. Do not miss it if intelligent comedy and sci-fi interest you.
Cargo (2019)
Cargo is light years apart from any typical sci-fi film you might have watched. It has an absorbing story, hilarious moments and mainly a unique concept. Director-writer Arati Kadav shows her prowess in world-building, crafting a very captivating tale set in space. The performances by Vikrant Massey and Shweta Tripathi work out brilliantly. Despite a tight budget, Cargo flies majestically on the screens.
The movie is set on a spaceship, Pushpak 634A. A demon called Prahastha, played by Vikrant Massey, works on this spaceship for the Post Death Transition Services. He is assisted by an astronaut played by Shweta Tripathi. Wait, it gets more fascinating. This demon and astronaut recycle dead bodies for their rebirth! Though rebirths and spaceships have been used excessively in sci-fi movies, Cargo deals with those concepts differently. It gives the whole process of rebirth a procedural touch which plays out very well.
