In his debut vehicle Mission Mangal (2019), director Jagan Shakti told the story of India’s Mars Orbiter Mission, and won acclaim at that. As he sets the stage for his second project Mission Lion, he hasn’t steered away from his two favourites — science and Akshay Kumar. “This film has elements of science dominating the narrative. It is a fictional story, but is inspired by true events,” says the director, staying mum on the plot.  

With the country reeling under the second wave of the Coronavirus pandemic, Shakti understands that he will be able to take the project on floors only in 2022. He elaborates, “We want to shoot the film across four countries. But at the moment, even doing a recce in any country [is not a possibility]. So, we’ll have to wait it out with a smile. Besides, Akshay has to wrap up his prior commitments before we can collaborate.”

The filmmaker, thrilled to reunite with Kumar, says that the superstar is a director’s dream come true. “He is punctual, and tends to finish his films before time. I have worked with him on Pad Man [2018] as well, as an associate director. He is so lively; when he is around, we know that things will work out.”