Rashmi Rocket is a film about an Indian female athlete who aims to run over the ban, jealousy & the politics within the Indian Sports Association. Rashmi, played by the enigmatic Taapsee Pannu, is shown as a young girl who is a natural at running. The movie begins with Rashmi being arrested by the police, followed by the backstory of how it all began.
Many heartwarming moments are shared between young Rashmi and her father (Manoj Joshi) who allows her to be herself from a very young age. This makes Rashmi fearless and confident and she is ably supported by her mother Bhanuben (Supriya Pathak).
The ‘fauji boyfriend’ Gagan Thakur (Priyanshu Painyuli) makes a good pair with Rashmi. He always has a smile on his face & is always supportive of Rashmi’s dreams & decisions, no matter what! He is a military captain and also a track and field trainer and the moments where he is helping Rashmi train are really encouraging & heartwarming to watch.
The lawyer of the prosecution, Ejaz Qureshi (Abhishek Banerjee), performed his character extremely well with a little Indian dramatic touch in the courtroom. He conveyed the untold story of female athletes with a deep confidence and belief in them. The character’s dedication to his client and the actor’s conviction in the role makes the movie stronger.
Coming to the music, most of the songs in this movie fit the context and the one at the end acted as a motivator for the audience. The dialogues are on point and very relevant to a social cause. “Har jeet parinam hai, ladna hamara kaam hai”, is what Rashmi’s father taught her when she was young and she carried that teaching with her even in the toughest of times. The unconditional support of her fiance made an already-strong Rashmi unbreakable.
This movie is for all those female athletes who were wronged by any sports associations and the court of law for having higher testosterone levels than the norm. It raises a question for everyone out there: is hormone level a qualification for being a female? It might not be a problem for others but it is used against female athletes very often and that is portrayed fantastically in this movie.
Gender testing is questioned throughout this movie. A female is tested based on her build and if she runs faster than others, there is something wrong with her. The inherent jealousy among fellow teammates is also depicted and what happens in extreme cases is shown. It has taken insights from the real-life case of Dutee Chand whose life followed a trajectory similar to that of Rashmi. The end of the film is of particular importance.
I would also like to take a moment to light on the physique Taapsee has achieved for her role as Rashmi. It is visible in the way she carries herself on and off the track in the film and it’s commendable for it shows the commitment she had towards her character.
Rashmi Veera is called Rashmi Rocket for a reason. The name ‘Rocket’ was given to her by her dad and she kept proving to be worthy of it up until the end! Directed by Akarsh Khurana, Rashmi Rocket is now streaming on Zee5.
