Speaking in fluent Sanskrit, S Somnath, chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), explains how the Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) became a reality at a fraction of the cost that it took to make the film Martians. In the same vein, Dr Radhakrishnan, former chairman of the ISRO, talks about the team work and dedication that led to the successful launch of MOM, also called Mangalyaan.
Yaanam (which means journey in Sanskrit), a science documentary in Sanskrit produced by AV Anoop, is perhaps the first such film in the language. It became a reality because of film director Vinod Mankara’s desire to make content in Sanskrit, which had contemporary relevance. Vinod’s first attempt to make a Sanskrit film was Priyamanasam, a feature film that won the award for the best feature film in Sanskrit at the International Film Festival of India in 2015.
