Mission Raniganj: Will Akshay Kumar be able to do justice to the real heroics of chief mining engineer Jaswant Singh Gill?

From 2020 until now, Akshay Kumar has starred in 12 films. And this is during the time when several actors have only starred in two or three films since the pandemic started in March 2020. The actor had only one release in 2020, which was Laxmii on Disney+ Hotstar. The very next year, the actor had two theatrical releases, including Bell Bottom and the much-awaited Sooryavanshi. The very same year, the actor went on to play a pivotal role in Atrangi Re, which premiered on Disney+ Hotstar.

Multiple releases in the past three years:

Since last year, almost every couple of months, the actor has had movie releases, either on the big screen or OTT. He was seen in Bachchhan Paandey, Samrat Prithviraj, Raksha Bandhan, and Ram Setu, which were released theatrically. Cuttputlli was yet another OTT film to make its way to Disney+ Hotstar.

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This year, Akshay went on to play the lead role in Selfiee, which hit the big screen in February. In August this year, the actor returned to his popular franchise, OMG 2, wherein he played the role of the messenger of Lord Shiva. Selfie was declared a box office flop upon its release; OMG 2 went on to mint numbers; however, there were many who criticised the film too.

Mission Raniganj:

Currently, he is gearing up for the release of Mission Raniganj: The Great Bharat Rescue, directed by Tinu Suresh Desai. The film is based on real events about rescuing surviving miners trapped inside a flooded coal mine in Raniganj in November 1989. Akshay plays the role of the man behind the rescue mission, Jaswant Singh Gill, who was hailed as a hero back then.

The trailer undoubtedly showcases Akshay's commitment to the role of Jaswant Singh Gill by exuding determination and resilience. Going by the real-life person, these are definitely the essential attributes of the character. The intensity that the actor brings to the role is something that has raised expectations, particularly in the high-stakes water sequence. His physicality and dedication to performing his own stunts contribute to the film's realism, which is something needed for a role like this.

However, going by his recent trajectory, in the past three years itself, several people have questioned the actor for his constant releases, citing an overdose of his films. Akshay's performances were also questioned, along with the screenplay, given that the actor has more potential than this, as in the past three decades he has played many memorable characters on the big screen.

Challenge of portraying a real-life hero:

In portraying a real-life hero like Gill, it's essential to go beyond surface-level heroics, given the intriguing premise of the story. Audiences will be looking for an emotional connection as the film is a survival thriller. Given the compelling concept of the story, it is vital to dig deeper than surface-level heroism in presenting a real-life hero like Gill. Exciting scenes are the meat and potatoes of films like this, and they'll have you on the edge of your seat and racing your heart. Here's where Akshay's performance has the most room for improvement.

Of course, this isn't the actor's first time portraying a real-life person. The 1950s court case KM Nanavati vs. State of Maharashtra served as inspiration for Tinu Suresh Desai's 2016 film Rustom, which starred Akshay in the lead role. Despite the film's negative reception, the actor won the year's Best Actor award at the National Film Awards.

Balancing heroism and emotional depth

To properly honour Gill's bravery, it's important to go inside his head and show the doubts, fears, and human emotions he may have felt while on the rescue operation. Although Akshay is one of the most seasoned performers, this presents a significant difficulty for him because it is something that has been noted as a weakness on his part. The film's success depends on its ability to successfully balance its focus on heroic depiction with its depiction of an exciting rescue effort.

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Parineeti Chopra, Kumud Mishra, Pavan Malhotra, Ravi Kishan, Varun Badola, Dibyendu Bhattacharya, Rajesh Sharma, Virendra Saxena, Shishir Sharma, Ananth Mahadevan, Jameel Khan, Sudhir Pandey, Bachan Pachera, Mukesh Bhatt, and Omkar Das Manikpuri play pivotal roles in Mission Raniganj. The film is slated to release on October 6, 2023.