Akshay Kumar's recently released film 'Mission Raniganj' is based on a real-life story. Akshay portrays the heroic role of Jaswant Gill who headed the rescue operation of miners stuck in a coal mine. However, previously as well, Akshay has played roles based on real-life characters and situations and helping bring stories of unsung heroes in the limelight
Updated On: 2023-10-07 03:53 PM IST
Compiled by : Athulya Nambiar
Special 26 (2013)
Starring Akshay Kumar, Anupam Kher, Manoj Bajpayee, this Neeraj Pandey-directorial is based on the 1987 Opera House heist. The plot follows a team of criminals (Akshay Kumar with Anupam Kher), who pose as CBI officers and conduct raids, robbing politicians and businessmen of their black money
Airlift (2016)
Directed by Raja Krishna Menon, Akshay Kumar's character was based on Mathunny Mathews, a resident of Kuwait who is credited for the safe airlift evacuation of 170000 Indians stuck in Kuwait during the invasion of the country by Iraq
Due to the film's theme based on the rescue operation, the film was compared with Ben Affleck-starrer Argo (2012) sharing the similar storyline. However, Kumar stated that the film does not have any connection with it and is completely based on a true story
Padman (2018)
This biographical comedy-drama film featured Akshay Kumar as Arunachalam Muruganantham, a social activist and entrepreneur from Coimbatore who made low-cost sanitary pads for women in rural areas. The film was directed by R Balki
Rustom (2016)
The film is loosely based on the K. M. Nanavati v. State of Maharashtra court case,[3][4] and narrates the story of naval officer Rustom, who shares a happy relationship with his wife Cynthia. Soon, he discovers her affair with Vikram, a close friend, and is accused of murdering him
Akshay Kumar won his first National Award for Best Actor for this film
Gold (2018)
In this film, Akshay Kumar plays the Indian hockey team's coach Tapan Das who is credited for the Indian team's first gold medal at the Olympics in 1948. The film chronicles the partition of India and how it impacted the team
The film takes us through the journey of Tapan Das who dreams of Indian hockey team winning in a free country. However, post the partition, the team splits as some members move to Pakistan
Bell Bottom (2021)
Akshay plays a RAW agent in the film inspired from real-life hijacking events in India by terrorists calling themselves Khalistani terrorists during the 1980s, such as the Indian Airlines Flight 423, 405 and 421 hijackings
Mission Mangal (2019)
The film is loosely based on the life of scientists at the Indian Space Research Organisation who contributed to India's first interplanetary expedition Mars Orbiter Mission
Apart from Akshay Kumar, the film stars Vidya Balan, Sonakshi Sinha, Taapsee Pannu, Nithya Menen, Kirti Kulhari as scientists
Samrat Prithviraj (2022)
Akshay Kumar plays the titular role in this film based on Prithviraj Raso, a Braj language epic poem about the life of Prithviraj Chauhan, a Rajput king from the Chahamana dynasty
Mission Raniganj (2023)
Akshay Kumar's latest film to hit the theatres is also based on real-life incidents. The actor essays the role of Jaswant Gill in the film
The film is based on the Raniganj Coalfields collapse of 1989 in West Bengal. Jaswant Singh Gill was a brave and diligent mining engineer from IIT Dhanbad who rescued 65 trapped miners at the Raniganj Coalfields