Updated On: 07 October, 2023 03:53 PM IST | Athulya Nambiar
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

1/15

2/15
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
ADVERTISEMENT

3/15
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

4/15
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
ADVERTISEMENT

5/15
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
![<p><strong>Rustom (2016) </strong></p>
<p>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</p> <p><strong>Rustom (2016) </strong></p>
<p>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</p>](https://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2023/oct/akki-real-5.jpeg)
6/15
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
ADVERTISEMENT

7/15
Akshay Kumar won his first National Award for Best Actor for this film

8/15
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
ADVERTISEMENT

9/15
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

10/15
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
ADVERTISEMENT

11/15
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

12/15
Apart from Akshay Kumar, the film stars Vidya Balan, Sonakshi Sinha, Taapsee Pannu, Nithya Menen, Kirti Kulhari as scientists
ADVERTISEMENT

13/15
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

14/15
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
ADVERTISEMENT

15/15
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