Actor R Madhavan, who said in an interview that the reason ISRO was able to successfully launch a rocket into space for its Mars mission was that it used the Panchang, the Hindu calendar, faced social media backlash from several social media users over his ‘stupid claims and disregard of facts’.

Translations of his comments provided by Carnatic musician T M Krishna read: “Indian rockets did not have the three engines (solid, liquid, and cryogenic) that help western rockets propel themselves into Mars’ orbit. Since India lacked this... used information in the Panchang”.

Taking to Twitter, the actor said that he deserved the trolling as it was ‘very ignorant’ of him. In a tweet posted on Sunday, Madhavan quoted a report which mentioned him being trolled over this, and wrote, “I deserve this for calling the Almanac the “Panchang” in Tamil. Very ignorant of me. Though this cannot take away for the fact that what was achieved with just 2 engines by us in the Mars Mission. A record by itself. @NambiNOfficial Vikas engine is a rockstar. (sic)”