A photograph of a group of unassuming women scientists who were part of India’s Mars Orbiter Mission went viral in 2014. The image stoked curiosity about these women at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). Chennai-bred and now US-based filmmaker Radha Bharadwaj was equally curious and contacted ISRO, wanting to make a feature film on these women. Radha has to her credit two feature films — pyschological drama Closet Land and a mystery titled Basil, both international productions.

Four years later, as Radha works on the postproduction of her film titled Space MOMs, she is fighting a battle. The recent announcement of Akshay Kumar and R Balki’s co-production Mission Mangal, directed by Jagan Shakti, Radha has alleged, is based on the screenplay that she had shared with Atul Kasbekar’s company in 2016.

In the light of the ensuing legal tussle between the two, Radha Bharadwaj shares details of her film.

Edited excerpts:

What prompted you to focus on the women scientists?

The idea of making a feature film focusing on women engineers of ISRO’s successful Mars Mission occurred to me in 2014. But I had been wanting to make a film celebrating India, for several years. Living in the West, I was concerned at the incessant negative portrayal of Indians in Western media and entertainment. I was more concerned to see that some Indians were starting to buy into this degrading perspective of themselves and their culture. Self-loathing is the sad residue of colonialism, and some among us have never decolonised their own minds.

I had been following ISRO’s Mangalayaan project. When it succeeded against formidable odds, on September 24, 2014, my idea crystallised in one fell swoop. There were many aspects to the Mars Mission, but I decided to focus on the women engineers. I’m an Indian woman who’s had it with the degrading depictions of Indian women prevalent in international media and entertainment. Our men are depicted as violent rapists; our women as meek, oppressed victims. I wanted to show the world another portrayal of Indian womanhood — ordinary on the surface, but strong-willed, ambitious and brilliant. This vision from 2014 stayed intact. The process of finding finance took time.

How receptive were ISRO and its women to the idea of this film?

I read up everything I could about the Mission. I worked hard to find like-minded people who could introduce me to ISRO. That happened and ISRO notified me in February 2016 that they would support the making of my film; they put me in touch with several women engineers and with their former chairman, Dr Radhakrishnan. They were supportive and down to earth; it struck me how each of the women was at the same time ordinary and extraordinary. That revelation became a big part of my script. I learned how rooted they are to our culture and heritage. And how much that heritage has given them strength to complete their mission. I consciously recall their example as I prepare to take on the Bollywood Goliaths. I remind myself that if one’s actions and intentions have been pure, even underdogs can prevail.

Radha Bharadwaj on the sets of the film, with DoP Palani Kumar   | Photo Credit: By arrangement

Tell us about your cast and crew.

I chose to not have stars in my film. I wanted the story of the mission, its everyday women and men, to be the stars. I chose artists like Mahesh Dattani, dancer Ananda Shankar Jayant, and theatre artists like Bhavna Pani, Swati Das, Pallavi Arun, Pranava Singhal, Jayant Dwarkanath. With the exception of two cameos — a British TV reporter and an American one — my cast and crew are Indians based in India. Even the above-mentioned Westerners are living in India. Carnatic classical singer-composer Sreevalsan J Menon is composing the score for my film. I raised money in the U.S., and also invested my own money in the film.

Radha Bharadwaj with Mahesh Dattani   | Photo Credit: By arrangement

When was your screenplay completed?

I registered my screenplay with the U.S. Copyright Office in 2016.

There are reports that you had given the screenplay to Atul Kasbekar in 2016 with a non-disclosure agreement. What happened following this and when did you hear about ‘Mission Mangal’?

I parted ways with Atul Kasbekar’s company shortly after I learned that Vidya Balan had read my script. We heard rumours in September that Vidya Balan was going to star in her own film about the women of Mangalyaan. We asked Kasbekar about it but he claimed not to know what the movie was about, even though his team negotiated Balan’s deal. We eventually read about their movie in the press like everyone else.

When can we expect the theatrical release of your film?

I would like to get Space MOMs released throughout India early next year. But I think that Mission Mangal’s mad dash to get into production, along with their avalanche of publicity, is an attempt to damage the distribution prospects of my film. They’re sending a not-so-subtle signal to distributors to not buy my film because their big blockbuster on the same subject is on the way. But I’m convinced that if people learn about my film, they’re going to want to see it. My film is an unabashed celebration of my heritage, and I’m not under the same corporate pressure that Bollywood is under to dilute my message with political correctness. I’m a woman celebrating other women, and my film bears that unmistakable point-of-view. After seeing my film, Indians of all backgrounds are going to walk out of the theatre with a great sense of pride. My film will touch people’s hearts and inspire them. It will have a particularly strong impact on young girls.