Isro scientists, kin watch 'The Martian'

Science fiction thriller, a fitting treat for brains behind India's Mars mission

After having been screened at the International Space Station for astronauts there, the critically acclaimed Ridley Scott science fiction thriller - The Martian - made its way to Bengaluru on Thursday.

­­­­Coinciding with the first anniversary of the insertion of Isro’s Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) into the Martian Orbit on September 24 (Mangalyaan), the movie was screened specially for Isro scientists and their families at the PVR Cinemas here. The
Fox Star Studios’ special screening was viewed by top Isro scientists and their families at 7 pm. The movie is slated to be released on October 2.

The Martian is about an astronaut stranded in Mars and his struggle to survive on the red planet. Ridley Scott, the director of the movie and his team who were excited with the prospect of watching the movie with scientists, had planned to come down to Bengaluru, but could not make it owing to time constraints. Fox has planned a video on Isro’s successful mission and the anniversary of Mangalyaan.

The Martian is about an astronaut - Mark Watney (played by Matt Damon) - presumed dead after a fierce storm and left behind by his crew on Mars. A statement by Fox Studios says, “But Watney has survived and finds himself stranded and alone on the hostile planet. With only meagre supplies, he must draw upon his ingenuity, wit and spirit to subsist and find a way to signal to Earth that he is alive.” The statement says, “Millions of miles away, NASA and a team of international scientists work tirelessly to bring ‘The Martian’ home, while his crewmates concurrently plot a daring, if not impossible, rescue mission. As these stories of incredible bravery unfold, the world comes together to root for Watney’s safe return. It is based on a best-selling novel.”

The novel, The Martian, was penned by Andy Weir and the film has retained the name of the novel. Weir began writing science fiction in his 20s and published the work on his website for years.  Weir, who was born and raised in California, the only child of a particle-physicist father and an electrical-engineer mother, is best known for his first published novel ‘The Martian’. He wrote the book to be as scientifically accurate as possible and his writing included extensive research into orbital mechanics, conditions on Mars, the history of manned space flight and botany.