MOM – Mission Over Mars (Alt Balaji) Webseries Actress And Actor

Web Series Cast

Name: MOM – Mission Over Mars
Type: Web series
Online Video Platform: ALTBalaji
Language: Hindi
Director: Vinay Waikul
Cast:Sakshi Tanwar, Mona Singh, Nidhi Singh and Palomi Ghosh

ALTBalaji’s latest web series on Mars mission titled MOM – Mission Over Mars is all set to premiere soon. The trailer was released on 16 August 2019 and created a buzz on social media. India’s Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) based web series stars Sakshi Tanwar, Mona Singh, Nidhi Singh and Palomi Ghosh. The series is a fictional adaptation of the real-life heroes at ISRO who worked on Mangalyaan.

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The Unsung Heroes of Space: Profiling the Star Cast of M.O.M. – Mission Over Mars (ALTBalaji & ZEE5)

In 2019, as India was gripped by the latest developments in its space exploration efforts, a web series quietly premiered, offering a fictional yet deeply resonant tribute to the women at the heart of one of the nation’s greatest scientific achievements: the Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM). Titled M.O.M. – Mission Over Mars, the ALTBalaji and ZEE5 Original series was not just a space drama; it was an inspiring, character-driven narrative powered by an ensemble cast of formidable talent, led by four of Indian television and cinema’s most respected actresses.

The eight-episode series, directed by Vinay Waikul and created by Ekta Kapoor, shifted focus from the rocket to the resilience of the scientists, portraying the professional and personal battles of a largely female team who turned an impossible project into a historic success. The show’s core strength lay in the dynamic performances of its lead actresses, who successfully embodied the blend of high-level scientific acumen and everyday human imperfections.

M.O.M. – The Mission and the Inspiration

The web series M.O.M. – Mission Over Mars is a dramatized adaptation of the real-life women scientists at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) who masterminded the successful Mangalyaan project, making India the first Asian nation to reach the Martian orbit and the first country in the world to do so in its inaugural attempt.

The series replaces ISRO with a fictional entity called the Indian Space Agency (ISA) and delves into the challenging circumstances that surrounded the project, including a seemingly impossible deadline, a notoriously tight budget, and constant bureaucratic hurdles. Its timing was particularly poignant, launching just weeks after the release of the Bollywood film Mission Mangal and coinciding with the national buzz around the Chandrayaan-2 mission, giving the audience a powerful, emotionally charged narrative. Unlike its cinematic counterpart, the web series format allowed M.O.M. to delve deeper into the complex backstories of its protagonists, positioning the men in the narrative mostly as bit players or adversaries.

The Core Quartet: Actresses as Architects of India’s Space Dream

The show’s emotional and intellectual weight rested squarely on the shoulders of the four leading actresses, each portraying a scientist with a distinct personality, background, and set of personal struggles.

1. Sakshi Tanwar as Nandita Hariprasad

Character Role: Program Director of M.O.M.

Sakshi Tanwar’s character, Nandita Hariprasad, is the calm, meticulous, and disciplined leader of the project. She is portrayed as a no-nonsense mission coordinator who is entirely focused on achieving the seemingly impossible goal. Her character forms a perfect, professional contrast to her ambitious co-worker, Moushumi Ghosh, and she is shown to be constantly balancing her strict, meticulous professional life with the challenges of being a “helicopter mom” to her teenage son.

Career Highlights:

• The Queen of Indian Television: Sakshi Tanwar became a household name and an icon of Indian television, first as Parvati Agarwal in the long-running soap opera Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii (2000–2008), which turned her into a national sensation.
• Continued Acclaim: She cemented her reputation with another highly successful series, Bade Achhe Lagte Hain (2011–2014), where her pairing with co-star Ram Kapoor was widely celebrated and earned her multiple awards, including the ITA Award for Best Actress – Drama.
• Film and OTT Success: Tanwar’s transition to film saw her in the critically acclaimed and commercially successful biographical sports drama Dangal (2016), where she played Daya Kaur, the wife of Aamir Khan’s character. More recently, her nuanced performance in the web series Mai: A Mother’s Rage (2022) won her the Filmfare OTT Award for Best Actress Critics – Drama Series, showcasing her continued versatility in the digital space.

2. Mona Singh as Moushumi Ghosh

Character Role: Project Manager of M.O.M. (Payload Designs and Accommodations)

Mona Singh plays Moushumi Ghosh, a hot-headed, highly competitive, and ambitious scientist forced to work alongside her ex-husband at the same space centre. Her character arc begins with the burden of a previous mission failure, giving her a point to prove. Moushumi is the antithesis of Nandita—a go-getter and fighter who, in her relentless pursuit of professional excellence, often neglects her personal life, such as forgetting her own daughter’s birthday. Critics praised Mona Singh for her portrayal of this ambitious scientist, calling her performance “brilliant” and noting her successful embodiment of the character’s passion and aggression.

Career Highlights:

• Breakthrough: Mona Singh’s career took off with her iconic and much-loved titular role as Jasmeet ‘Jassi’ Walia in the show Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin (2003–2006), challenging conventional beauty standards and becoming a role model for many.
• Versatile Performer: She showcased her talent as a dancer by winning the first season of the reality dance show Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa in 2006.
• A-List Film Roles: She made a significant mark on the big screen with a supporting role in Rajkumar Hirani’s blockbuster film 3 Idiots (2009) and later earned immense praise for her touching and resilient portrayal of Aamir Khan’s mother in Laal Singh Chaddha (2022).
• OTT Dominance: Post-M.O.M., she has continued to impress in the web space with critically acclaimed roles in series like Yeh Meri Family (2018), Black Widows, and particularly as Bulbul Jauhari in Made In Heaven (Season 2), for which she won a Filmfare OTT Award for Best Supporting Actress.

3. Nidhi Singh as Neetu Sinha

Character Role: Senior Scientist, Mission Design and Navigation (Mathematician Whiz)

Nidhi Singh plays Neetu Sinha, the mathematician whiz in the core team. Her character offers a unique dimension to the team by being an unapologetic follower of astrology and religious rituals, providing a contrast between hard science and faith, a theme also explored in the film Mission Mangal. Despite her personal beliefs, she is portrayed as an indispensable member of the team whose mathematical calculations cannot be faulted.

Career Highlights:

• The Original Web Series Star: Nidhi Singh is widely recognised for her breakthrough role as Tanya Nagpal in Permanent Roommates (2014–2016), a web series often credited as one of India’s first major digital hits.
• Diverse Portfolio: Her filmography includes feature films such as the romantic comedy Dil Juunglee (2018) and the dark comedy Brij Mohan Amar Rahe (2017).
• Continuing Web Success: She has since featured in a number of other popular web series, including the action-crime drama Apharan and the comedy-drama Wakaalat From Home.

4. Palomi Ghosh as Meghan Reddy

Character Role: Mission Systems Engineer

Palomi Ghosh’s character, Meghan Reddy, is the resident prodigy—a gifted scientist with a high IQ but a low EQ, often speaking without a “polite filter” and being the “odd one out” in social situations. Her eccentricity is a source of fun in the series, and critics highlighted her performance as the “pick of the lot,” praising her ability to make the clichéd “eccentric scientist” role endearing and snuggly inhabited. Meghan’s character is particularly noted for her belief in the science of social media analytics, reflecting the convergence of different fields in the modern world.

Career Highlights:

• National Award Winner: Palomi Ghosh is a critically acclaimed actress, best known for the Konkani musical drama Nachom-ia Kumpasar (2014), for which she received the National Film Award – Special Mention.
• International Exposure: Her acting journey has included international projects like the Australian film The Waiting City (2009) and a role in the popular Netflix sci-fi series Sense8 (2015), directed by The Wachowskis.
• Acclaimed Web Roles: She also starred in Sujoy Ghosh’s Netflix horror-mystery series, Typewriter (2019), and the critically acclaimed film Hotel Salvation (Mukti Bhawan). She holds a degree in applied mathematics from North Carolina State University, which gives her portrayal of a scientist an added layer of authenticity.

The Pillars of Support: Key Male Actors

While the show is consciously women-centric, the veteran male actors lend gravitas and necessary friction to the high-stakes narrative.

Ashish Vidyarthi

Ashish Vidyarthi, known for his intense and versatile performances across multiple Indian film industries, plays a pivotal role in the series, contributing to the institutional drama and challenges faced by the women.

Career Highlights:

• National Recognition: Vidyarthi is a National School of Drama (NSD) alumnus who won the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Govind Nihalani’s film Drohkaal (1994), cementing his status as a powerful character actor.
• The Antagonist King: He is widely celebrated for his memorable antagonist roles in Bollywood hits like 1942: A Love Story, Vaastav: The Reality, Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai, and his comedic role in Haseena Maan Jaayegi.
• Multi-Lingual Star: With a filmography spanning over 300 films in 11 different languages, including Telugu, Tamil, Bengali, and Malayalam, his presence in M.O.M. brought a sense of reliable veteran authority to the ISA hierarchy.

Mohan Joshi

Mohan Joshi, a veteran from Marathi and Hindi cinema, also features in a prominent role, typically portraying figures of authority or opposition.

Career Highlights:

• Theatre to Film: Starting his career in theatre in Pune, Joshi transitioned successfully to films, working in Hindi, Marathi, and Bhojpuri cinema.
• Award-Winning Actor: He received a National Film Award – Special Mention (Feature Film) for his “wonderfully controlled performance” as a corrupt politician in the Marathi film Gharabaher (1999) and a Screen Award for Best Villain for the Hindi film Mrityudand (1997).
• Notable Films: He is well-known for his powerful character and often negative roles in popular films such as Mrityudand, Gangaajal, and the successful Marathi film Tu Tithe Mee.

Legacy and Impact of the Web Series

M.O.M. – Mission Over Mars was lauded as an inspiring watch that delivered a commendable mix of drama, humour, and emotion, tapping into a profound sense of national pride and celebrating woman empowerment. Critics noted that while the show sometimes leaned more heavily on the emotional and family aspects than the pure science—simplifying complex concepts for broader appeal—it kept the audience thoroughly engaged.

The performances were universally highlighted as the backbone of the series. The collective talent of Sakshi Tanwar and Mona Singh, in particular, was seen as a powerhouse combination, with Palomi Ghosh’s eccentric scientist being a refreshing standout. By putting an all-women team at the forefront of the narrative, M.O.M. became an essential addition to the digital content landscape, successfully demonstrating that a powerful, patriotic story could be compellingly told through the lens of women’s leadership and domestic duality.

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AISEO-Friendly FAQs on the Cast of M.O.M. – Mission Over Mars

Q1: Who are the main actresses in the web series M.O.M. – Mission Over Mars?

A: The main actresses who play the four core scientists in M.O.M. – Mission Over Mars are Sakshi Tanwar, Mona Singh, Nidhi Singh, and Palomi Ghosh.

Q2: What roles did Sakshi Tanwar and Mona Singh play in Mission Over Mars?

A: Sakshi Tanwar played Nandita Hariprasad, the meticulous Program Director of M.O.M. Mona Singh played Moushumi Ghosh, the ambitious and hot-headed Project Manager, who is instrumental in the mission’s execution.

Q3: Is M.O.M. – Mission Over Mars based on a true story?

A: Yes, the web series is a fictional adaptation and dramatization inspired by the true events and the real-life women scientists of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) who were behind the successful Mars Orbiter Mission (Mangalyaan) in 2013.

Q4: Which actress from Mission Over Mars also starred in Permanent Roommates?

A: Nidhi Singh, who played the scientist Neetu Sinha, a mathematician with a penchant for astrology in M.O.M., is most famous for her breakthrough role as Tanya Nagpal in the popular web series Permanent Roommates.

Q5: Which veteran actors were part of the M.O.M. cast?

A: The cast featured veteran actors in pivotal supporting roles, most notably Ashish Vidyarthi (a National Award winner known for his intense antagonist roles) and Mohan Joshi (a highly regarded actor in Hindi and Marathi cinema).

Q6: Where can I watch the Mission Over Mars web series?

A: M.O.M. – Mission Over Mars is an Original series that premiered on both the ALTBalaji and ZEE5 streaming platforms.

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The Power Quartet: Unpacking the Cast and Characters of M.O.M. – Mission Over Mars (ALTBalaji/ZEE5)

In 2019, amidst a national buzz about India’s ambitious space programs, the digital sphere launched its own tribute to the women who turned an impossible dream into reality. The web series, M.O.M. – Mission Over Mars, created by Ekta Kapoor for ALTBalaji and ZEE5, is a fictional, yet deeply inspiring, adaptation of the real-life women scientists at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) who spearheaded the Mars Orbiter Mission (Mangalyaan).

While the mission itself was a scientific triumph, the series chose to focus on the human element—the grit, sacrifice, and fierce determination of the four female scientists who worked against an unforgiving deadline, a meager budget, and numerous technical setbacks to make history. The backbone of the eight-episode series lies squarely on the shoulders of its formidable lead cast, comprising some of the most prolific actresses in the Indian entertainment industry.

This article takes a deep dive into the stellar cast of M.O.M. – Mission Over Mars, celebrating the veteran television stars and new-age digital talents who brought these extraordinary women to life.

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The Four Pillars of ISA: A Look at the Lead Actresses

The series replaces the real-life ISRO with the fictional Indian Space Agency (ISA), and the narrative revolves around four central characters, each representing a unique challenge and a critical skill set required for the mission’s success. The casting, which brought together two major television stalwarts for the first time, was hailed as a significant coup for the digital platform.

1. Sakshi Tanwar as Nandita Hariprasad

Role in M.O.M.: Program Director, M.O.M.

Sakshi Tanwar steps into the shoes of Nandita Hariprasad, the Mission Coordinator and the Program Director of M.O.M. Her character is portrayed as the quintessential “no-nonsense” professional—a calm, fiercely disciplined, and meticulous leader who prioritises the mission’s long-term success over short-term emotions.

The character of Nandita highlights the complex juggle faced by many high-achieving women. While she is a powerhouse at work, a “hard taskmaster” who manages the project with a shoe-string budget, she is simultaneously a helicopter mom at home, monitoring her 18-year-old son’s life and pushing him towards a career in science rather than his dream of cricket.

Career Spotlight:

• Television Icon: Sakshi Tanwar is best known for her iconic roles in Indian television’s biggest daily soaps, particularly Parvati Agarwal in Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii (2000–2008) and Priya Sharma Kapoor in Bade Achhe Lagte Hain (2011–2014).
• Film & Web Expansion: She successfully transitioned to cinema with the critically acclaimed biographical sports drama Dangal (2016). On the web, prior to M.O.M., she also starred in the popular series Karrle Tu Bhi Mohabbat and The Final Call. Her subsequent performance in the web series Mai: A Mother’s Rage (2022) won her the Filmfare OTT Award for Best Actress (Critics – Drama Series), cementing her status as a leading talent in the OTT space.

2. Mona Singh as Moushumi Ghosh

Role in M.O.M.: Project Manager, Payload Designs and Accommodations, M.O.M.

Mona Singh plays Moushumi Ghosh, a hot-headed, highly competitive, and ambitious senior scientist and the Project Manager of the team. Her journey in the series begins on a challenging note, as she bears the brunt of the failure of ISA’s previous ‘Chandravimaan’ mission, making the M.O.M. project a quest for personal and professional redemption.

Moushumi is portrayed as a passionate, career-driven scientist who sometimes struggles with her personal life; she is a single mother and a divorcee, often forgetting her own daughter’s birthday in her dedication to the mission. Mona Singh took on the additional challenge of portraying the Bengali scientist with a distinct Bengali accent, a first for her in a major role.

Career Spotlight:

• Breakthrough Role: Mona Singh rose to nationwide fame and became a household name as the titular character in the immensely popular soap opera Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin (2003–2006).
• Film Success: She made a successful film debut with a supporting role in the iconic Rajkumar Hirani film 3 Idiots (2009), which became one of the highest-grossing Indian films globally.
• Web Series Presence: Singh is a prominent figure in the web space, having starred in series like Kehne Ko Humsafar Hain (2018), Yeh Meri Family (2018), and later gaining critical acclaim for her role as Bulbul Jauhari in Made In Heaven (2023), for which she won a Filmfare OTT Award.

3. Nidhi Singh as Neetu Sinha

Role in M.O.M.: Sr. Scientist, Mission Design and Navigation, M.O.M.

Nidhi Singh portrays Neetu Sinha, the team’s brilliant mathematician and Sr. Scientist of Mission Design and Navigation. Her character is arguably the most distinctively drawn, as she is a staunch follower of numerology and astrology—a ‘superstitious scientist’ who calculates her personal life and even attempts to conceive based on her star signs and muhurats.

Despite her personal beliefs, professionally, Neetu Sinha is a mathematics whiz who trusts her calculations implicitly. Her character is vital in providing the mathematical precision needed for the mission, and her performance was lauded for breaking away from her previous roles.

Career Spotlight:

• The Digital Star: Nidhi Singh is recognized as one of the first digital stars in India. She gained widespread fame for her lead role as Tanya Nagpal in the TVF web series Permanent Roommates, opposite Sumeet Vyas.
• Notable Web Work: Her other significant appearances in the web space include the ALTBalaji series Apharan and The Test Case (director Vinay Waikul also directed M.O.M.), showcasing her versatility in different genres.

4. Palomi Ghosh as Meghan Reddy

Role in M.O.M.: Mission Systems Engineer, M.O.M.

Palomi Ghosh plays Meghan Reddy, a certified genius, an engineering geek, and the Mission Systems Engineer. Her character is depicted as eccentric, often referred to as an “analytics engineer” whose bizarre or unconventional solutions ultimately pave the way for tackling complex problems, such as drastically reducing the satellite’s weight.

Meghan’s personal story is a relatable contemporary one: a single, career-focused scientist who is looking for a meaningful relationship, using dating apps like Tinder to find a suitable partner with whom she can finally go on a honeymoon.

Career Spotlight:

• National Award Recognition: Palomi Ghosh is an accomplished actress who has worked across various mediums. She is a National Award winner for her role in the Konkani film, Nachom-ia Kumpasar (2015), where she played a Goan musician.
• International Collaborations: Her career is marked by diverse projects, including the Netflix series Typewriter, which released around the same time as M.O.M., showcasing her comfort and skill in the long-form digital storytelling format.

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The Anchors: Key Supporting Actors

While M.O.M. – Mission Over Mars is an unapologetically women-centric show, the male actors provide crucial support, playing the roles of encouraging seniors, political hurdles, and domestic partners.

Ashish Vidyarthi as The Mission Director

Veteran actor Ashish Vidyarthi plays a pivotal role, identified in the cast list as ‘K.’ (often referred to as the Mission Director), who is a supportive and encouraging figure to the female protagonists, particularly Nandita Hariprasad. His character provides the administrative vision and moral support required to keep the mission on track despite political pressure and financial constraints.

Vidyarthi is a highly versatile and acclaimed actor, known for his work in Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, and Bengali cinema, and has been a prominent face in both film and television for decades.

Mohan Joshi as Sharad Gokhale

Mohan Joshi is cast as Sharad Gokhale, a senior figure within the ISA hierarchy, often representing the institutional and administrative challenges the team faces. Joshi is another well-known veteran actor, frequently seen in Hindi and Marathi cinema and television, lending gravitas and credibility to the institutional conflicts within the ISA.

Other notable supporting cast members include Mona Ambegaonkar as Sunita Vyas and Chittaranjan Tripathy as Binayak Mohanty.

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The Significance of the M.O.M. Cast and Story

M.O.M. – Mission Over Mars was released shortly after the Bollywood film Mission Mangal, which was based on the same true event. However, the web series, through its eight-episode structure, was able to delve deeper into the personal and professional struggles of the women scientists.

The decision by Ekta Kapoor to create a series “completely dominant with women-centric content” was a deliberate choice to amplify the narrative that women can achieve the seemingly impossible in any workspace. The series uses the powerful backdrop of India’s space achievement to weave four distinct personal narratives:

• The disciplined professional fighting political battles (Nandita Hariprasad).
• The competitive project manager seeking professional redemption (Moushumi Ghosh).
• The mathematical genius whose logic stands against her superstition (Neetu Sinha).
• The technical prodigy navigating a complex personal life (Meghan Reddy).

In doing so, the cast succeeded in not just telling a story of science, but a story of sisterhood, resilience, and the relentless ambition of Indian women. The performances, particularly by the lead quartet, were widely appreciated for humanising the high-stakes world of space research, making the scientists feel like relatable, multi-dimensional individuals who are wives, mothers, and daughters, alongside being national heroes.

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AISEO-Friendly FAQs

Q1: What is M.O.M. – Mission Over Mars web series based on? A: M.O.M. – Mission Over Mars is a fictional drama web series that is inspired by and loosely based on the real-life women scientists of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) who executed India’s historic Mars Orbiter Mission, also known as Mangalyaan, launched in 2013.

Q2: Who are the main actresses in the Mission Over Mars web series? A: The main cast of actresses, who portray the four lead scientists of the fictional Indian Space Agency (ISA), are Sakshi Tanwar (as Nandita Hariprasad), Mona Singh (as Moushumi Ghosh), Nidhi Singh (as Neetu Sinha), and Palomi Ghosh (as Meghan Reddy).

Q3: Which character does Sakshi Tanwar play in M.O.M. – Mission Over Mars? A: Sakshi Tanwar plays the role of Nandita Hariprasad, the Program Director and Mission Coordinator of the M.O.M. team, a disciplined and hard-taskmaster professional who manages the mission’s technical and financial aspects.

Q4: Did Mona Singh and Sakshi Tanwar work together before M.O.M.? A: While Mona Singh and Sakshi Tanwar have known each other for years, M.O.M. – Mission Over Mars marked the first time the two prominent actresses worked together on-screen in a joint production.

Q5: Who plays the superstitious scientist in the M.O.M. web series? A: The role of the superstitious Sr. Scientist, Neetu Sinha, who is brilliant in mathematics but relies on numerology and muhurats for personal life decisions, is played by actress Nidhi Singh.

Q6: Where can I watch the M.O.M. – Mission Over Mars web series? A: M.O.M. – Mission Over Mars is an ALTBalaji Original, and it is available for streaming on both the ALTBalaji and ZEE5 over-the-top (OTT) platforms.