Critics generally praised the performances (especially Vidya Balan) and the inspiring message, though some noted that the science was simplified for a general audience.

At its heart, Mission Mangal is about . With a budget significantly smaller than Hollywood space epics like Interstellar or The Martian , the ISRO team had to rely on "jugaad"—a colloquial Hindi term for frugal innovation or finding a clever workaround.