Rocketry: The Nambi Effect (2022)

Madhavan: Nambi Narayanan

Photos 

Quotes 

• Nambi Narayanan : Insane, yes. But impossible, no.

• Nambi Narayanan : [after being told he has made his advisor's wife smile for the first time in years]  We Indian husbands are like that. We always make our woman smile. You know about our population, right?

• Nambi Narayanan : I'm going only to the temple nearby. You think I'm off to Mars or what?

  Meena Narayanan : Mars is sure to have less potholes than the roads in Trivandrum.

• Nambi Narayanan : For us Indians who have to walk for 2 km to get 3 liters of drinking water, and use it between the two of us for 3 days, nothing is quite impossible.

• Nambi Narayanan : I'm going to the temple.

  Meena Narayanan : Don't jinx it. How many times I've told you to say 'I will be back'?

• Professor Chockmark : [lecturing in class]  So this behavioral pattern inside the shock tube is due to the upstream flow of fluids...

  Nambi Narayanan : Downstream, sir.

  Professor Chockmark : Excuse me?

  Nambi Narayanan : Sir, this behavioral pattern is only possible when the fluid is, uh, flowing downstream in the shock tube.

  Professor Chockmark : Great. Now we and Ascher Shapiro have to learn from an Indian rookie. And your name is?

  Nambi Narayanan : Sir, my name is Nambi Narayanan.

  Professor Chockmark : So, Nambi. Let's say you're right. I'm only human. I can make mistakes. But are you saying Ascher Shapiro's textbook is inaccurate?

  [the professor tosses the textbook onto Nambi's desk] 

  Nambi Narayanan : Yes, sir, it's inaccurate.

  Professor Chockmark : [sarcastically]  Oh, well, then, why don't you write to Ascher Shapiro? Tell him to correct it, according to you. He'll be very glad to hear from you, Numbu.

  Nambi Narayanan : Okay, sir. Maybe I'll just do that. Thank you for your suggestion.

  [Nambi gives back the textbook and leaves the classroom] 

• Nambi Narayanan : [after being asked to wait for 2 seconds]  Your 2 seconds are over.

  Self (Guest Appearance) : Sorry, sir. You will know the value of a second much more than any of us. We'll start immediately.

• Nambi Narayanan : So how long was your tenure in India?

  Col. Cleaver : Well, it was long enough for the imperialist guilt to weigh heavy upon my heart. I've often wished there was something I could do in my own small way to... to make amends.

  Nambi Narayanan : I don't know about then. But I do know of a way now. Colonel Cleaver, it's a well-known fact that European rocketry proram is on a slow burn because the U.S. is undertaking all your rocketry responsibilities. Which also means that the hydraulic plant and all the equipment I saw today will all be rendered useless and dysfunctional because you'll have to move the plant. And what a tragedy that'll be. But what is a setback for you, could transcend 10 years of research for us in India. So I want to make an outrageous request. Give us the hydraulic plant and all the equipment. I know as a nation we can't afford to pay you a dime. But we'll be forever indebted to you.

  Mrs. Cleaver : You do know what you are asking for is 400 million pounds worth of equipment.

  Nambi Narayanan : Even as I said it, I realized how ridiculous I sounded. I'm so sorry. Please forget I asked.

  Mrs. Cleaver : [turning to Col. Cleaver]  On the other hand, darling, he isn't asking for the Kohinoor.

• P M Nayar : Why has no one from ISRO come to your aid? Nobody has even come and seen you so far in jail. Why?

  Nambi Narayanan : I don't know, sir. Maybe scientists are strange people. They know exactly how to react when a rocket fails. Maybe they don't know how to react when a man collapses.

• Nambi Narayanan : So are you ready to take on the French, Unni?

  Unni : The lime paste has already been smeared on my butt, sir. Just watch me sprint.

• P M Nayar : [referring to police who had interrogated Nambi]  They had no business questioning you.

  Nambi Narayanan : Questioning me? They weren't here to question me. They wanted to beat a confession out of me for a crime I didn't commit.

• Alexander Dunayev : Nambi, you are a dangerous man. This is extremely classified information. How did you get access to it?

  Nambi Narayanan : If I tell you that, you will die, and I will die.

• Nambi Narayanan : If someone had asked me who would have been my first visitor in jail, I would have never guessed it would've been you in a thousand years. How are you doing, Mr. Unni? Congratulations, Mr. Unni. The state you were yearning to see me in, I am standing right in front of you, fulfilling your wish. Beaten, disheveled and in soiled clothes, broken spirit, family humiliated, career in shambles. Look, I've peed in my pant. No bladder control. And on top of it all, branded as a traitor. But you know what? What you went through because of me... You are justified in seeing me in this state, rightfully so. And for Mr. Unni, I am willing to stand here for as long as you want. Feast your eyes.

  Unni : How I would extract revenge for what you did to me... is something I have thought of every single day in my life. Because you lack basic human kindness, temerity from head to toe, a mean, law unto your self, selfish son of a bitch, monster even. But even then, in my worst dreams, I couldn't have imagined seeing you like this. But whatever you are, Mr. Nambi Narayanan, from my unfortunate personal experience, I know, you just cannot betray our nation. It is a shame beyond words... no one visited you in jail so far. Now that I am here, tell me what needs to be done to get you out of here. Because in this room, if you think you are the only patriot here, you are making a mistake once more.

  [they shake hands]