Akshay Kumar was recently seen in Mission Raniganj where he played the role of Indian mining engineer Jaswant Singh Gill, who risked his life to save 65 trapped miner workers by constructing a capsule gill back in 1989. Directed by Tinu Suresh Desai and produced by Deepshikha Deshmukh, the film is now streaming on Netflix.
And in an exclusive interview with Firstpost, the director and producer spoke about bringing this heroic chapter on the big screen and much more.
Edited excerpts from the interview
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Tinu, what do you have to say about your film and the recent Uttarakhand rescue operation that happened?
People are definitely going to compare the two incidents. When this incident happened in 1989, and the incident that happened in Uttarakhand, comparisons were bound to happen but there were a lot of other things involved. The trapped workers got a lot of help of technology when they were trapped in Uttarakhand, but the workers didn’t get the same facility back in 1989. They were stuck for 17 days and everyday was a new challenge, but what happened was there was a camera inside, because of which they were able to see what was happening outside and we were able to see their visuals.
After Rustom, what inspired you to make a film on a real life incident again?
When the story of Rustom came to me, I didn’t know about the story of the Nanavati case. When I read the script, I really liked it; but Rustom is 80% fiction and Mission Raniganj is 90% real. I didn’t intend to make a film on a real life incident again, but I feel fortunate to make a film on this subject. Mission Raniganj is one of the greatest rescue stories in Indian history.
Deepshikha, as a producer, what were the challenges you faced in recreating the year of 1989 when the rescue mission happened?
The challenges go up manifold when you make a film on the real life incident. It was important to have the right team so that whatever we put out looks and feels the same. I’m grateful to the entire production team for being able to replicate the tunnel, the look of the miners, or the entire capsule. The capsule was so tiny in size that it was impossible for anyone to sit in and go through. When you’re in a situation others have experienced themselves, your performance increases manifold. They all are phenomenal actors. I’m extremely proud of this film and it has been extremely difficult and challenging. We have such beautiful messages pouring in ever since its release in October.
Deepshikha, what are your expectations from 2024 since you have Bade Miyan Chote Miyan coming up with Akshay Kumar and Tiger Shroff?
We are so excited for Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, it’s a massive action entertainer, it’s a complete new universe we are pushing through.
