ISRO’s PSLV-C62 mission encountered a technical anomaly on January 12, 2026, leading to a flight path deviation and the loss of 16 satellites. While cinema dramatizes space as a heroic race, here’s a closer look at the films, regional and Bollywood that have done their bit to show ISRO on-screen.ISRO launched the PSLV-C62 from Sriharikota today, This marked a milestone moment in the history of the country’s evolving presence in space science and technology. Latest reports have suggested that the mission has failed owing to a deviation observed during the completion of the PS3 stage. While ISRO’s real-life attempts and achievements continue to spark pride, Indian films, regional and Bollywood has long depicted this on the silver screen, using space on both scientific and emotional levels.Let’s take look at Bollywood films that have captured India’s space dreams with elements like patriotism, science and human emotions.
‘Mission Mangal’ (2019)
This film tops the list as Bollywood’s direct tribute to ISRO. It was inspired by the historic Mars Orbiter Mission called Mangalyaan. It showed how a team of determined scientists achieved the impossible with limited resources. The movie resonated deeply with audiences for its realistic portrayal of ISRO’s work culture, women scientists, and India’s cost-effective innovation. It featured an ensemble cast of Akshay Kumar, Taapsee Pannu, Kirti Kulhari, Vidya Balan, Sonakshi Sinha, Nithya Menen and others.
‘Swades’ (2004)
Though not esentially a space mission film per se, ‘Swades’ does begin at NASA, where the protagonist, Shah Rukh Khan’s Mohan Bhargava is shown as a project manager. The film subtly connects India’s scientific potential with the global space research, pushing the idea that Indian minds are central to global technological progress. The film showed that advancement lies in bringing knowledge back home. The film also starred Gauri Joshi, Kishori Ballal, Makarand Deshpande and Rajesh Upadhyay.
‘Rocketry: The Nambi Effect’ (2022)
The film is based on the life of ISRO scientist Nambi Narayanan, ‘Rocketry’. It explored the personal cost behind India’s space success and shed light on the early days of India’s space programme tackling issues like espionage allegations, and the resilience of scientists who laid the foundation for missions like PSLV. With PSLV-C62 in focus today, this film feels especially relevant as a reminder of the struggles behind every successful launch. It starred R. Madhavan in the titular role and Simran alongwith Rajit Kapoor, and Meesha Ghoshal.
‘Tik Tik Tik’ (2018)
While originally a Tamil film, ‘Tik Tik Tik’ gained pan-India acclaim through its Hindi release. It was one of India’s first attempts at a space disaster thriller, imagining an Indian space station and astronaut-led rescue mission. The film marked a shift toward genre-driven space storytelling in Indian cinema. It starred Ravi Mohan, Nivetha Pethuraj, Ramesh Thilak and Arjunan, among others.
‘Antariksham 9000 KMPH’ (2018)
Another regional gem, this film focused on satellite communication failures and astronaut missions. It presented space as a high-stakes arena where Indian expertise saves the day. This depiction aligns closely with ISRO’s real-world reputation today. It starred Varun Tej, Aditi Rao Hydari, Lavanya Tripathi and Rahman among others.
With missions like PSLV-C62, Chandrayaan-3, and Aditya-L1, India’s space journey is no longer aspirational but it is authoritative. Go to Source
