Paper Rocket Web Series Review: A heartwarming tale of love and loss that works more than it doesn't

Grief is very much like love. We never know when it will hit us, and there is no one way to deal with it. Just like love, grief is very personal. A profound sadness comes from the sudden loss of overwhelming love. More often than not, grief comes with a side order of guilt. This guilt can manifest in various ways and reside in people grieving, not just for themselves, but for others too. Grief also leads to rage, sometimes of the unbridled kind. Love, guilt, rage, shock, and a multitude of such emotions are dealt with in Kiruthiga Udhayanidhi’s latest Zee5 series, Paper Rocket. 

Cast: Kalidas Jayaram, Tanya Ravichandran, Karunakaran, Renuka

Director: Kiruthiga Udhayanidhi

Streaming on: Zee5

Jeeva (Kalidas Jayaram), is a high-flying corporate executive who fails to make time for his doting dad Gunaseelan (Nagineedu) who stays in his quaint little hometown. When the latter passes away, Jeeva’s world crumbles and the grief makes him an insomniac. Soon after, Jeeva meets psychologist Dr Sheila (Poornima Bhagyaraj), who ushers him into a group therapy session. It is here that we meet the motley group of people — Ilakiya (Tanya Ravichandran), Tiger (Karunakaran), Valliyamma (Renuka), Charu (Gouri G Kishan), and Unni (Nirmal Palazhi) — who embark on a wondrous journey together in search of one thing that eludes all of them… inner peace. 

If Ilakiya is undergoing therapy for her anger issues stemming from childhood trauma, Valliyamma is a cancer survivor who has recently relapsed into Stage 4. Unni too is terminally ill, and a freak accident at the swimming pool leaves Charu paralysed waist down. And then, we have the nihilist Tiger, who suffers from chronic depression and has suicidal tendencies. Over the course of seven episodes and a compact runtime, we see how the lives of these people change after spending time with each other and finding a way to face their demons. It is a largely simple series that takes up a tried-and-tested format to put a smile on our faces and tug at our heartstrings at the same time. There are certain nifty touches to ensure a sense of freshness is prevalent in the series. 

Paper Rocket has a lot going for it despite the seemingly flippant usage of cinematic liberties when it comes to dealing with mental health. Even after all these years and increased awareness of practices to improve mental health, it is disheartening to see the old tropes of ‘lets go on a trip’ make their way back. Of course, a trip works wonders, but regaining mental health is not a race, it is a marathon, and Paper Rocket runs the risk of sending the wrong message. The way Tiger’s arc develops too is a bit problematic, but the takeaway is one of love and acceptance, and it is with these heartfelt resolutions that Paper Rocket scores redemption. Charu's resolution is a standout scene too.   

Jeeva is the fulcrum of the group and it is through him that the support group’s deep-seated wishes are fulfilled. But he is an outsider, and hence, it doesn’t always work because some of these interactions are inorganic. And, with the format of solving one issue in each episode present throughout the narrative, some of them just feel rushed at times.

While there is a sense of convenience in the overall scheme of things, Paper Rocket works tremendously in the smaller moments. Take, for instance, the terrific scene where Ilakkiya slaps someone who normalises domestic violence. Of course, this is a rousing scene, but it also establishes her problem with parents being poor examples for their children. We see a similarly well-written scene in the final act of the film, and these base her arc without resorting to lengthy monologues about her life. In fact, Kiruthiga employs such smart writing choices to establish all of their problems by not concentrating on the ‘whys’ of their presence in the group but the ‘hows’ they get over it.

However, this smartness isn’t always seen in the dialogues that oscillate between preachy and profound at will. Macroscopically, Paper Rocket is essentially about the resolutions, and on that front, it works well. While the resolution to Jeeva’s grief, a reiteration of ‘follow your heart and find your self’ trope, was once aspirational, it is eye-roll worthy at best now. Meanwhile, the best problem and resolution happen in the life of Unni. He wishes to have a glass of tea with the love of his life, who he hasn’t seen in years, and is now happily married. This sequence reminded me of Vinay Pathak's wonderful 2008 film, Dasvidaniya, and this scene managed to have the same effect of putting a wide smile on my face even as tears streamed down my face.

The lush visuals of Tamil Nadu, captured by Richard M Nathan, bring in a sense of serenity to the proceedings, which are further elevated by Simon K King’s background score. Known for his thumping BGM in thrillers so far, Paper Rocket is a good addition to his repertoire. It is interesting how the Tamil web series space has recently embraced having songs, albeit montage ones, and this is seen in Paper Rocket too with Vedshanker, Dharan Kumar and Simon working on rather enjoyable numbers. 

It is the performances that are the wind beneath this paper rocket, and it is a largely well-acted ensemble that establishes the importance of good casting. Nirmal Palazhi is a revelation and Renuka stands out with her hearty laugh and vacant eyes that slowly find solace in the group. Points to the casting for choosing Nagineedu to play Jeeva’s father, and there are a host of supporting actors, especially Chinni Jayanth, Kaali Venkat, GM Kumar, and Abhishek, who are brilliant in their roles that might be smaller in duration but are emphatic in stature. 

Paper Rocket is a poignant take on grief, guilt, love, loss, and rage. Even if it employs a contentious take on mental health, the series is largely harmless because it never offers overarching solutions. It is never a one-glove-fits-all situation, and points to Kiruthiga and Co for never wavering from this belief. Post the pandemic, many of us are deeply aware of the vagaries of life, and in many ways, we’ve even discussed the idea of mortality. In times like this, it is nice to have a series like Paper Rocket, which might not always get it right, but takes its time to remind us that it is okay to slow down and smell the flowers.