Madhureeta Mukherjee (BOMBAY TIMES; August 14, 2019)

In an industry where the power scale continues to tip largely towards the leading male stars, Vidya Balan has held her own; making brave moves and rare choices. The scenario is gradually changing, and mindsets, too. And Vidya, whose upcoming film Mission Mangal is on the verge of release, rightly explains, “It takes a lot to stand up for yourself, and I think women are slowly getting there.” In a conversation with BT, she expresses her opinions on the over-sensitive section of the social media, how women should adeptly use their EQ to make the cut in a man’s world, and how she doesn’t need to clock in more movies to prove a point. Read on...

We have seen you lead the show in most of your films, and then, here is this ambitious mission-to-Mars film, with a new director and a huge star cast. You haven’t really been seen in this space before...
WelI, I had worked with Jagan (Shakti, director) on Paa (2009), as he was assisting R Balki then. He showed me all the videos and presentations he had, and I asked him why he wanted to make this film. For a first-time director, Mission Mangal is quite an ambitious film to attempt. He said that he has been wanting to tell this story for a long time now; also, his sister (Sujatha) is a part of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), hence, he knew quite a few scientists. He had done hours of research and culled out all the highlights to make it cinematic. I had been offered films on the same subject thrice before, but none of those really interested me. But when Balki narrated this story to me, I instantly said… I am in. That is a rarity for me.

The information and details about MOM (Mars Orbiter Mission) are pretty much in the public domain, but the way the lives of the characters in the film are fictionalised, it gives the film a wholesome feel. What interested me about the story is not just the mission, but what the characters were going through in their personal lives. Thankfully, I believe that in reality, those scientists didn’t go through such conflicts, but cinematically, we needed that. So, here, we juxtapose both — their lives and the mission at hand.

Add to that, a bunch of very talented women sharing screen space, which is a rarity, too...
Akshay was already on board when I heard the story, and then they told me about the rest of the cast. I thought that if this cast comes together, it will be fantastic. I am so glad it did. How often do you get to work in an ensemble cast like this, and in this day and age?

In an interview, Taapsee Pannu said that it is tough to get an A-list male actor to feature in a film where the women have a massive role to play? Having headlined so many films as a ‘hero’ in the typical sense, if I might say so, what do you have to say to that?
I think it is fantastic that Akshay is part of a film (as actor and co-producer) that has so many female actors. That is incredible. I have seen a lot of films that came along, but it didn’t get a so-called superstar. I am talking about the early days of my career, around 2005-2006, when there were quite a few films which the male superstar didn’t consider at all, because they had a woman playing the protagonist. They didn’t end up doing it, the budget didn’t get justified, and finally, the film was shelved. Hence, this project (Mission Mangal) is a fantastic attempt. Having said that, there is still a long way to go. If it was just one woman in this film, then we’d have to see how far it would have gone (laughs!).

When the first poster of the Mission Mangal was released, it became a talking point. People felt that Akshay got more prominence in it than the rest of the actresses. While it is important to have such conversations, the industry’s point of view remains that whoever draws in the audience leads the promotions. In fact, your other co-stars from the film like Tapsee and Sonakshi, too, agreed on it. Your thoughts...
Well, we are in the business of cinema. And finally, if Akshay is going to sell the maximum tickets, it only makes better business sense. Slowly, actresses are gaining in strength, and someday, our faces will be equal, if not bigger than the lead actor. I am saying this in jest, and with no feeling of being slighted or anything. Also, I really feel that we are getting touchy about too many things these days. It is great that today there are conversations about so many things (on social media) that people would not speak about before, but sometimes, I do think that the people who are commenting are not even aware of what they are saying. They want to be part of a herd, and they feel compelled to take on other people’s opinions, just so that they look like they have one, too.

Do you feel pressurised to comment on various issues, give your point of view (POV), react and respond to everything being said and done (in the universe of movies and the world around us).
Yes! People out there want everyone to give their opinion on everything. Many times, I don’t have a POV on a lot of things, and I am okay with admitting that. If someone asks me about some political developments in our country, I say that I can’t comment on it as I am not fully aware of it. I don’t think as actors we need to be aware of everything. In that case, even non-actors should be aware of everything. Why are we actors held to higher standards than everyone else? We are blamed for everything like all the evils in our society, perpetuating stereotypes, not standing up for a cause, not giving an opinion, or not rallying together. It is like we are held responsible for everything, why?

Talking about feats, you have pulled off quite a few on celluloid. A lot of the characters you have portrayed, like Ishqiya (2010), The Dirty Picture (2011) and Begum Jaan (2017), command authority and exude power. In reality, do you feel that women think twice before exercising their power in various areas of life? Is a woman’s show of strength often considered to be arrogance in a man’s world?
Women are emotionally extremely strong, while men are physically strong. The moment a woman enters the left-brain domain, she brings a certain soft power and EQ (emotional quotient) to the table. We use that to bring out the best in people and situations. When we are in a man’s world, we often start thinking that we need to be like men to be successful. And when that happens, you begin to take on their aggression and other traits. I feel that’s not needed. When there is a marriage of our strength and theirs, we can achieve great results. Sometimes, I know that we (women) have had to portray ourselves as being more powerful, more aggressive, only so that we are seen as professionals and not soppy, emotional people. This struggle makes it harder for us. Of course, there are individual differences in all of this. We suppress that power that we naturally have within ourselves. The more we become comfortable with ourselves, the more we won’t feel the need to align with what we see as expressions of power in men. Women can redefine power. Yes, it’s true that women often tend to accept less, because they feel that they can’t ask for more, or ask for what is rightfully theirs — whether it is more responsibility or respect. It takes a lot to stand up for yourself, and I think women are slowly getting there.

The good thing is that today, whether a film is headlined by women, men, or both, or by a huge line-up of stars, beyond a point that does not matter. At least, for a section of the audience, who is looking for good content, great stories and nothing else...
Yes, this means that we will churn better content, and it is a great time to be in the movies. This also means that today, it’s not just the superstars’ films that have chances of getting an audience and doing well. It opens the horizon for all of us and there is an audience for every kind of film. In the past, I remember someone telling me, ‘I don’t know if India is ready for a space film’. The way Mission Mangal is made, whether or not you are ready for it, you will get it. It is simplified, without compromising on what needs to be explained. The parlance is not scientific in that sense. If you ask me, which is my favourite sci-fi film, I have very few, as I get intimidated by science.

Also, today, the audience is looking for heroes in common people. They are keen to see stories about simple heroic deeds that impact their lives. Right?
Now, we are no longer saying that the hero is some other-worldly being. If the hero is one of us, that excites the audience. Hence, we are seeing all kinds of unlikely heroes. Today, the hero does not need to bash up ten people; instead, if that person is able to live his or her life well and realise their dreams, then that is inspiring. It makes the audience feel that they have a chance at being a hero, too. That is what social media is doing, isn’t it? It makes everyone feel that their voice has value and their words have power. I am not sure if that it is a great thing always, in this respect, but that is what is happening.

There was a point earlier when you were trying to fit in, be a certain type and look a certain way. Then you broke those barriers and set yourself free from those trappings. Subsequently, we saw you flourish in roles like The Dirty Picture (2011), Kahaani (2012) and more, but still at that point, you were in the process of gaining a strong foothold in the industry. Now, having made a crack (a big one at that), and settling into a space that truly belongs to you, is life calmer? Are you more in control and has it slowed your pace, work-wise?
I did three intense films back-to-back, Kahaani 2 (2016), Begum Jaan (2017) and Tumhari Sulu (2017). When you are leading films like that, there is prep, shoot, dubbing and promotions. Five months or more are consumed by one film. I had three releases in a span of one-and-a-half-years or less. It got a bit too much. I also need time for myself, spend time with family, read and travel. It was coincidental that the subjects that I had liked were being developed. The only ready project was Mission Mangal, which I agreed to do immediately. I know that I am here to stay, so it doesn’t matter how many films I do in a year. I think that I am an eternal optimist. I always feel that this is the best time of my life. I felt that way even in my worst phase, at a time when my films were not working. I have this attitude and it is a blessing. I feel that I am having the best time of my life and wonder how it can get any better. I am still as passionate about cinema and that has not changed at all. Like I said, I don’t feel the need to clock in a certain number of films. I did a Telugu film in between, which was like doing two films and I ended up shooting more than I thought I would. I am starting the biopic on Shakuntala Devi immediately after Mission Mangal releases. I want to work at my pace. I think after that phase, where I had five hits and then my films flopped one after the other, I kept thinking about what is going wrong. I couldn’t figure what needed fixing, and then, that phase taught me that nothing needed fixing. I realised that this is how it is, and this is how it is always going to be. If that phase (of success) wasn’t permanent, even this wouldn’t be. I guess, it is all about growing up. And the amazing thing is that, the more I grow up, the more I am in touch with the child in me. It is because it frees you. I am not waiting for validation, approval or acceptance anymore, it’s all there (in your head). It is never an absolute, but I am definitely better than I was before.

Vidya Balan dispels the notion that Mission Mangal is a women-centric movie and tells us that men and women had an equal part to play in the real mission
Harshada Rege (BOMBAY TIMES; August 13, 2019)

There has been a lot of talk about Mission Mangal being a women-centric film, given that there are five women leading the show. However, team Mission Mangal has gone to reiterate the fact that it might appear like one, but the film is not a women-centric movie. In fact, the movie celebrates the equal contribution of women and men in making India’s first interplanetary mission — Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM), also known as Mangalyaan — a success. Talking about it being called a women-centric film, director Jagan Shakti told us, “To me, they are all scientists at Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). Gender doesn’t get into the way of their everyday work, which is complex and challenging. For them, a sari or a shirt doesn’t matter — all that matters is that you are a scientist who can aid India’s space program.”

When we spoke to Vidya Balan, who was offered three projects based on the story before she signed Mission Mangal, she explained, “That was also the difference between the scripts that I had read earlier (on the same subject) and this one. The contribution of men to the mission is very clear in this story. The other stories had made it out to be a women-led mission, but in reality, it was not. Men and women had contributed to it equally. So yes, this is not a female-centric movie. The hero of the story is ISRO, and it’s about how they overcome challenges that seemed insurmountable. It seemed impossible to work within those budgets and meet the deadlines.”

Talking about how India achieved the feat within a controlled budget, she said, “We are a nation of jugaad, and we should be proud of that. I am not talking about some bogus jugaad. When I say this, I mean that we know how to make do with what we have, and Indians know how to think out-of-the-box. Every time I travel abroad, I am so amazed by how they always stick to the rules and processes, which is great. But at the same time, they are not flexible, while we are. The world said that it was an impossible feat, but this is what made the mission possible in the first attempt.”

Production designer Sandeep Sharad Ravade on how he recreated ISRO for Jagan Shakti’s journey into space
Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 6, 2019)

Mission Mangal fronted by Akshay Kumar with Vidya Balan Taapsee Pannu, Sonaksh Sinha, Kirti Kulhari, Nithya Menen, Sharman Joshi, is inspired by India’s first interplanetary project, the Mars Orbiter Mission. Director Jagan Shakti had to recreate ISRO at a Mumbai studio as shooting at the real location is not allowed. It took production designer Sandeep Sharad Ravade (Baby, Parmanu), two-and-a-half months to replicate ISRO at Film City, even with multiple teams of over 100 people. Sandeep on the challenges faced


Rebuilding ISRO control room and work station
We could not enter ISRO. A day before our visit, the appointment was cancelled. But our director had visited ISRO multiple times with his production team, and based on their conversation, books and Google research we built the set at Film City. We took some cinematic liberties. Our 100 feet by 80 feet control room was 20-25 per cent smaller than the actual control room at ISRO. The work station was also relatively smaller, around 30 feet by 50 feet.


Replicating satellites
Creating satellites was the biggest task. We actually used wolverine cloth, ocean plastic and golden foil with the raw material brought from different parts of India, including Gujarat. A team of 80-90 people were working only on satellites. It wasn’t only about replicating the original 1.5 metres satellite but also previous models like Rohini for display in the lobby. No CGI was used.


Setting the stage
Ninety per cent of what you will see on screen is created by the design team. We had to create ISRO and not NASA, so the brief was to keep it simple, yet real. All the indoor portions were filmed on sets in Mumbai while the exterior shots were taken in Bangalore.


Recreating rockets
We didn’t have a studio big enough to house the original 145-feet rocket so we built a 27-feet nose and an 18-feet tail, the rest is visual effects. Since people have seen pictures of Mangalyaan, we knew we couldn’t get the rocket wrong. We used fiberglass, solar panel, wood metal, plywood and gypsum board, to replicate it, along with smaller models, for display.

Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; August 5, 2019)

Together, they are a two-men army. On one side is R Balki, a powerful ad filmmaker, who graduated to Bollywood with critically acclaimed movies like Cheeni Kum and Paa. On the other side is Jagan Shakti, who assisted Balki and director AR Murugadoss over the past 14 years, and is now ready to make his directorial debut with Mission Mangal. Over to the duo, who has steered the film and made it a reality...

Jagan has been working with you since 2005. Balki, at what juncture did you realise that he’s ready to helm a film by himself?
I met Jagan through a common friend. From Cheeni Kum (2007) to Pad Man (2018), he’s held different designations in my directorial team. The only time he wasn’t on my team was when I made Ki & Ka (2016). For me, he’s been a part of this little family I have at work. Over these years, I’ve realised that he’s very capable. Since my wife Gauri (filmmaker Gauri Shinde) and I make fewer films, he also worked with Murugadoss. I would describe Jagan as a creative person, who can also be destructive, like most creative minds are. To answer your question, he was going to make another film years ago which didn’t work out. I was concerned about him, as he was somewhat frustrated.

Is that when you decided to produce Mission Mangal instead?
Balki: While working on Pad Man, Jagan came up with an idea on the launch of the Mangalyaan. His sister Sujatha works at Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) as a scientist. He worked hard to develop the idea, and initially, we even toyed with the thought of making it in another language. However, eventually, we decided that the film needs a big scale and making it in Hindi might be the best option. The thought was to make an emotional movie about a space mission that we’re proud of; something that has human elements, unlike Hollywood films like Gravity (2013), which are more fiction and fantasy. I met Akshay Kumar and he, too, seemed interested in the idea. However, his question was, ‘What am I doing in this film?’ I told him that it’s just an idea and we’d flesh it out. Over the next three months, I worked with Jagan and our writers. Together, we created a set of fictitious, yet strong characters, who would narrate the story of one of modern India’s greatest achievements. We’ve kept the scientific aspects and the flow of events as close to reality as possible.

Along with Akshay Kumar, the film is headlined by five strong women characters (played by Vidya Balan, Sonakshi Sinha, Taapsee Pannu, Nithya Menen and Kirti Kulhari). You are known to make films with strong women characters, and going by the trailer of Mission Mangal, this story, too, seems to be driven by them...
Balki: Akshay is the hero of this film, and so are the five women, who play characters that are as strong and as important as his. He’s a superstar with no herogiri to do here, but he’s at the centre of the story, while substantial parts are played by strong artistes, who happen to be women. Once we completed our script, everything fell into place. This was the first film I narrated to Vidya Balan after Paa (2009) and she was ecstatic. Just like her, I wanted each and every character to have a place of its own. I’d like to believe that we’ve achieved that. I must add that Jagan added a lot of muscle and elements to every character.
Jagan: Balki sir and I had this very interesting line that we had planned to give Vidya’s character. At some point, we wanted her to say that it’s science that makes me a scientist, not my gender. It was a powerful line, but we didn’t find the right point to place it.
Balki: I disagree with the thought that Mission Mangal is a woman-empowerment film or a woman-centric film. These are just phrases or concepts that we latch on to. It’s rare and nice to see so many women on a single film poster. It must have received a lot of attention, but this film is led by Akshay Kumar, like Pad Man was. That was about sanitary napkins, but the story was led by Akshay’s character. So, I disagree with the notion that we’ve made a woman-centric film. And why should I attempt to empower women who are already far superior and more powerful than men? Do they even need it?
Jagan: To me, they are all scientists at ISRO. In fact, even the women who work at ISRO, including my sister, don’t think that they are any different from their male colleagues. Gender doesn’t get into the way of their everyday work, which is complex and challenging. For them, a sari or shirt doesn’t matter — all that matters is that you are a scientist who can aid India’s space program. There were thousands of people involved in the Mars Mission; we’ve created seven-eight characters to front their story. To us, this is a thought-empowerment film. If you believe in yourself, nothing is impossible. Akshay sir’s character is not empowering anyone in the film; he’s just working with them.

Jagan, at any given time, there were at least three top stars on your set. Did it get difficult to handle so many A-listers in your first film? Isn’t it a hefty cast to justify in terms of screen time?
Jagan: It didn’t get difficult and the credit for that goes to the script. Initially, everyone presented their views on their characters and the situations, but once they came on board, they were clear about what they were doing. My cast came with no starry baggage and they didn’t treat me like a first-time director. We knew that there was room for on-the-spot improvement. That was inevitable with such big names on board and I’d be foolish to not take their inputs; in fact, I grabbed the inputs by the collar. But there was a rhythm that no one could break because that could impact the overall film and take away from what we intended to say. No one could add or eliminate lines because it was written in a certain manner. Fortunately, everyone got their parts correctly. Balki sir and I had even rehearsed the scenes before putting them into the script. And none of the actors were vying for extra screen time. The film is bigger than that for them. Today, nearly every actor knows that a character is far more important than screen time.

When you guys started shooting, there were reports of a court case being filed by an NRI filmmaker, who had claimed that this film is based on her story, titled Space Moms...
Balki: The story of this film belongs to ISRO and it’s across every platform in the world. People have made films, documentaries, features on this subject and everything around it. The film is about a mission and the sacrifices people have made for it to be a success. ISRO belongs to everyone and no one can claim to own this story solely.

Jagan, let’s talk about the research that you’ve put into the film. Balki had mentioned earlier in the interview that you put in a lot of hard work before the film went on the floors...
Jagan: My sister Sujata helped me understand a lot of things and also directed me to the right people at ISRO. I interviewed at least 30-40 scientists, who worked on the mission and their contributions are immense. I have 1,800 hours of audio recording, which came in handy while trying to make science palatable for a regular cinegoer.
Balki: People will come to the theatre for an experience; we have to pass on knowledge without making it seem so. We had to find simpler ways to decode complex scientific things. We used every-day examples to explain the goings-on of space and blend it with an emotional and thrilling story.
Jagan: For instance, you see Akshay sir explaining a space concept by using the example of making puris. We are educated to understand science, but in a film, it has to be interpreted differently. In reality, ISRO scientists had not done it this way; this is how we’ve fictionalised the story a bit.

Did you have to get your script vetted by ISRO?
Balki: We have all seen the documentaries and the material available in the public domain. But knowing too much can also get into the way of writing a script. So, drawing that line was essential while writing the film. You see, we were not learning to launch a rocket while making this film. Each time we hit a roadblock or we needed to check on facts, Jagan would reach out to the ISRO officials. Also, we didn’t set out to make a salute-your-flag Independence Day film. The nation has already saluted the scientists for their achievement. Our job here was to write an enjoyable film that will leave you feeling charged and inspired.

Balki’s films have a certain sensibility. Was there ever a creative clash or conflict at any level of execution?
Jagan: I pushed my way through things (laughs!). There were times when I succeeded and times when I didn't. There were times when he came around an idea that he had initially rejected, and there were times when I withdrew my thoughts. If you have a convincing argument, sir is never egoistic about it, he takes it in the right spirit.
Balki: Jagan is an enthusiastic person with a commercial bent of mind. But I sincerely believed that this story didn’t need any seeti-bajao moments. I believe the film is Jagan’s vision; I’ve helped him shape it appropriately. I didn’t even go to his set for more than three days, but I’ve shouted at him like I’ve done for no other film of mine. Gauri sometimes would come down heavily on me for that; she’d make me realise it’s his film (laughs!). Two people can never direct a film and that’s the reason I limited my contribution to the script; it’s the first time I’ve worked on a film that I’m not directing. I helped him write it to ensure that it stays true to the vision he had when he came to me with it. I never let him forget the image of those women at ISRO celebrating the Mars Mission. You get your chance to make your first film just once, and it has to be nothing but perfect. It doesn’t matter if it’s the biggest hit of the year, if it’s not perfect, you will live with that feeling all your life. If I can stop a mistake, I should. Jagan’s been that mentee who has put up with me silently.

Akshay Kumar on his new mission, the ‘inevitable’ clash with Aamir Khan in 2020 and why he has not felt the need to add his voice to his wife’s in the Unnao rape case
Hiren Kotwani (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 2, 2019)

When one meets Akshay Kumar at his sea-facing Juhu office, he’s in a Zen-like state despite the chaos around him as his film, Mission Mangal, gears up for an Independence Day release. Over aloo parathas, bhajiyas, paneer chilly toast and adrak chai, we talk about movies, social causes and books. Excerpts:

Why a film inspired by the 2014 Mangalyaan mission?
Well, this is the first film on a space mission and director Jagan Shakti has woven a story of five scientists from different parts of the country, coming from diverse cultures and backgrounds, into the real story. It amazes me how India succeeded in sending an orbiter to Mars at a cost of just Rs 450 crore, which is less than the budget of Rajinikanth’s 2.0. Scientists from other countries had failed despite having bigger budgets. It was a genius stroke by our Indian Space and Research Organisation (ISRO).

Jagan told us that he had met you with the idea of making Ikka, the Hindi remake of the Tamil film Kaththi. So, how did the two of you come to collaborate on Mission Mangal?
It just happened, he sketched out the story to me as I was leaving for a shoot of Kesari. I was bowled over but wondered how he would make it. We don’t make science films and this one was about a space mission. But I liked it enough to tell him, “We’ll make it.” He began writing it with (R) Balki sir. Then, Vidya (Balan), Sonakshi (Sinha), Taapsee (Pannu) and others came on board and we wrapped up the film in 32 days. When a film finishes without issues and negativity, it’s good karma.

It’s interesting that you are spearheading a film that promotes the message of women empowerment in the wake of the #MeToo movement.
The message of the film is that women are not just equal but better and more powerful than men. When Mangalyaan happened, my wife (Twinkle Khanna) had written that it was called MOM (Mars Orbiter Mission) for a reason. Had it been called DAD, it would still be on earth. I used that line in the film too and want parents to watch it with their children.

Because some think certain jobs can only be done by men. Sadly, many of our text books feature comparatively lesser women and it’s time to break this stereotype. Our Finance Minister who was the Defence Minister earlier, is a lady, Nirmala Sitharaman.

You’ve been actively commenting on the social media on issues like sanitation, corruption, crimes against women, martyred jawans, farmers and even the Kaziranga National Park after Assam floods. So why are you silent on the Unnao rape when your wife has been vocal on the subject?
I speak when I feel the need to express myself. And it’s not only about tweeting and speaking but doing something for a cause I believe in. My films like Toilet - Ek Prem Katha and Pad Man are also a medium to express myself even if they bring in less investment than a Rowdy Rathore or Singh Is Kinng sequel from the distributors. I’m not blaming anyone, people are here to do business. If I can donate for a cause, I will. If I can address an issue through a film, I will do that too.

You’ve had an interesting journey, ever thought of penning your autobiography?
Arre, nahin yaar! Autobiographies are for those who have achievements to write home about. I’ve only done some small films, maybe if I do something big… But before that, if I retire, I definitely won’t because then panne khaali rakhenge kya?

You recently announced Bachchan Pandey, the Hindi remake of the Malayalam film Veeram which will open in Christmas 2020 setting up a clash with Aamir Khan’s Laal Singh Chaddha.
We have 52 Fridays in a year and even fewer holiday weekends. We make over 200 Hindi films a year while Hollywood releases 40 more and then there’s the South industry and other regional cinema. So, we should be happy if we have two big releases in a week. This year, on the Independence Day weekend we had three, (Mission Mangal, Batla House, and Saaho) till one bowed out.

Mission Mangal director on working in tandem with India's space agency to give shape to Akshay Kumar and Vidya Balan-starrer
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; July 31, 2019)

It's not easy for a first-time director to mount a film based on Mars Orbiter Mission, arguably Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) most ambitious project to date. If Jagan Shakti was lucky to find powerful artistes — Akshay Kumar, Vidya Balan, Taapsee Pannu, Sonakshi Sinha, Nithya Menen, Kirti Kulhari and Sharman Joshi — who believed in his vision, he also credits members of India's premier space agency for helping him tell the story of Mission Mangal.

"My sister Sujata [Krishna] works there, so I did extensive interviews with the team of the Mangalyaan mission. ISRO was helpful in terms of giving us access to the material and scientists. The right balance between the art director and the VFX team helped us design the rocket, which was the most important component of the film. While we had the exact diagrams in possession, we couldn't have designed a similar-looking device," explains Shakti.

Producer Ekta Kapoor's show, based on the same mission, had initially hit a roadblock in 2017 owing to its central theme. Ask him if he faced any hiccups, and he says, "We were keen to shoot in ISRO's premises [in Bengaluru] but they couldn't permit that for security reasons. But most of the key points about the mission are available on their website. In the end, we are making a thematic film with that mission as the backdrop. It's a story about how ordinary men and women, who take the same bus as we do and buy vegetables with us, are capable of being so extraordinary." Quiz him why he didn't design it as a biopic, and he reasons, "The mission was a collective victory, and to attribute its success to one person would not be fair to the rest."

Ever since the sci-fi drama went on floors earlier this year, it has been battling comparisons with the Hollywood gem Hidden Figures (2016), which narrated the true story of three female scientists at NASA in the '60s. "That film was about racism; this film is inspired by the picture of women in sarees and gajras looking thrilled at the mission's launch."

But Kirti Kulhari isn’t amused when called Kriti; Taapsee Pannu, Vidya Balan laugh off jokes
Akash Bhatnagar (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 19, 2019)

Akshay Kumar who unveiled his Mission Mangal on Thursday, took centrestage as the self-appointed emcee, quipping tongue-in-cheek that it was to not ‘offend’ anyone. It was an obvious reference to Kangana Ranaut and her war of words with a journalist during a recent media interaction for her upcoming film, Judgementall Hai Kya. He addressed the controversy directly, likening the relationship between an actor and the media as that between a husband and wife. “We need you and you need us,” he pointed out, hoping the situation will be resolved soon.

Bowing to his ‘army’ of leading ladies—Vidya Balan, Taapsee Pannu, Sonakshi Sinha, Kirti Kulhari and Nithya Menen—Mr Khiladi joked that working with the five actresses hadn’t been easy because they treated him like a menu card, ordering different meals from his residence daily during the shoot. The banter continued with him ribbing Taapsee as a promoter of a jewellery brand in her desi bejewelled avatar.

When a reporter asked Vidya if she saw a National Award coming her way with this film, he butted in to say, “When Vidya was born, the nurse said ‘Congratulations, aapke yahaan National Award hua hai’.” There was an awkward moment with Kirti when he accidentally referred to her as ‘Kriti’, not once but twice. The actress responded by saying that she understands that he has worked with two ‘Kritis’ recently, but she wasn’t one of them. When Nithya tried to play mediator, Kirti pointed out that the other actors in the film didn’t mix up her name. Meanwhile, when asked if there had been any catfights, Vidya put rumours of tension on set to rest by saying, “We all are extremely secure.” Akshay, when asked about the film’s box office clash with Batla House, echoed John Abraham’s response, “Make some noise for the Desi Boys.”

Mr Khiladi then went on to inform that the budget of ISRO’s Mars Orbiter Mission had been Rs 450 crore, lesser than that of his film 2.0 which had Rs 500 crore invested in it. On the subject of money, when quizzed on his contribution to the Assam Flood Relief Fund, the actor said he doesn’t believe in expressing sadness on Twitter and hinted that even on the 20th anniversary of the Kargil War, he would show his support for the army by “doing something”.

The curtains came down with him saying if possible, he would like to go on Mars for a family vacation, also the moon and eventually even the sun.

Actor plays senior scientist in the film that also features Vidya Balan, Sonakshi Sinha, Taapsee Pannu, Kirti Kulhari, Nithya Menon and Sharman Joshi
Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 8, 2019)

On Thursday, Akshay Kumar shared a note online, which said, “For several years Hollywood made movies and TV Shows like Star Trek, Star Wars, Gravity etc. This inspired an entire generation of inventors, scientists and explorers. I have always wanted to be a part of one such movie… Mission Mangal is that film for me… A film which I’ve done specially for my daughter and children her age to familiarise them with the incredible true story of India’s mission to Mars!”

Ever since the film was announced, speculation was rife that the actor had an extended cameo in the film, with Vidya Balan, Sonakshi Sinha, Taapsee Pannu, Nithya Menon, Kirti Kulhari and Sharman Joshi as the central characters. Now, Mirror has learnt that Akshay has a full-fledged role and plays a senior scientist in the film which is inspired by the group of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) scientists who worked on the Mars Orbiter Mission. His co-stars play characters that head various aspects of the operation. “Akshay’s character puts the team together and drives them to achieve the goal. It’s more of him being a mentor to the young team,” a source informs.

In the sci-fi drama, which marks the directorial debut of South filmmaker Jagan Shakti, Akshay’s character is a blend of real people involved in the mission. “The premise is based on true events, but the team has taken some creative liberties for cinematic purposes,” the source shares. “The mission was successful because of the team work, and every character has their moment of glory in the screenplay. It is the story of an underdog team standing tall against all odds.”

Produced by Fox Star Studios, Akshay and R Balki, the film is gearing up for an Independence Day release and has a runtime of under 140 minutes. It will feature plenty of visual effects to recreate outer space and the rocket launch on screen.

The Mars Orbiter Mission, also called Mangalyaan, launched on November 5, 2013, was India’s first interplanetary mission and made ISRO the fourth agency in the world, after Roscosmos, NASA and the European Space Agency, to reach Mars. It also made India the first Asian nation to reach Martian Orbit, and the first nation in the world to do so in its maiden attempt.

After US-based director alleges Mission Mangal borrows from her screenplay, producer Balki says real-life incident can have several interpretations, asserts Vidya-starrer is an "original" narrative
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; November 23, 2018)

A day after US-based filmmaker Radha Bharadwaj moved the Mumbai High Court to stall the production of Mission Mangal, the film's producer and writer R Balki has rushed to the defense of his ambitious space drama that revolves around India's 2014 Mangalyaan Mars Mission. In a report published by mid-day yesterday, Bharadwaj alleged that the film - featuring Akshay Kumar and Vidya Balan, among others - infringed on the copyright of her original screenplay that she had shared with Atul Kasbekar in 2016.

Pointing out that the mission was in the public eye and hence, could have piqued several filmmakers' interest, Balki insists that he and director Jagan Shakti created an "original screenplay" based on the information that was available in the public domain. "There are always many claimants when it comes to a film based on a real-life incident. I am sure many scripts have been written on the Mars Mission. But ours is an original screenplay. We have taken the core of the story and added fictional characters to make it an interesting screenplay. Only ISRO can claim rights to the core story. I urge Radha to come to my office and read our script. I am certain she will find it refreshing. She hasn't even read it, so how can she make such claims?"

In her account, Bharadwaj said that she had shared the original screenplay with Kasbekar in 2016, in the hope of finding financing for the film. In violation of their NDA, Kasbekar's team had apparently shared the script with Balan - one of their clients - and had confirmed that the actor had read it.

But Balki insists that Shakti has been working on the story since 2015. "Jagan has been living with this vision for three years. I have been helping him in developing the screenplay. People can be upset with their interpretation of a story not being executed, but it is silly to try and stop another interpretation that 'is' being executed."

Quiz him on Bharadwaj's allegations that Kasbekar's team had negotiated Balan's deal for Mission Mangal, and the filmmaker says, "Atul Kasbekar does not know of this film. Jagan and I met Vidya personally, and not through Atul. I don't even know if Atul handles her account. Neither were we aware of who else had approached Vidya with stories on Mangalyaan." On her part, Bharadwaj recently completed the shoot of her directorial, Space MOMs, which is based on the same subject.
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Hiren Kotwani (DNA; November 23, 2018)

US-based filmmaker Radha Bharadwaj has filed a lawsuit alleging Mission Mangal, which is being produced by R Balki as well as Akshay Kumar and directed by Jagan Shakti, which is based on the screenplay of her venture, titled Space MOMs. Mission Mangal is inspired by the women scientists who worked on India’s 2014 Mars Orbiter Mission aka MOM. The cast comprises Akshay Kumar, Vidya Balan, Sonakshi Sinha and Taapsee Pannu among others.

Radha claims that she had registered her screenplay with the US Copyright Office in 2016, after the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) had notified her of its support for her movie and arranged for her to interview several of its engineers. Two years ago, she had begun talks with Atul Kasbekar’s company, Ellipsis Entertainment, to produce her movie. According to the filmmaker’s lawsuit, the production house claimed that they had shared the script with Vidya, who had read it. However, due to creative differences, Radha terminated her relationship with Ellipsis Entertainment and found funding for her film elsewhere.

She acknowledges that ‘the full details of the origin of this project were not known to Akshay Kumar, Fox Star (that is also backing Mission Mangal) or its US Parents’. But in her lawsuit, she alleges that Atul’s team violated the contract by sharing the script with Vidya, who is now a part of the cast of another film that is using her idea.

It also states that Atul’s team negotiated the deal for Balki’s film. Radha also claims that Mission Mangal is being rushed into production to jeopardise the commercial prospects of her project, Space MOMs.

“My film is a celebration of women, of India, and of India’s ancient heritage of scientific achievement and female empowerment,” says Radha, who was born and raised in Chennai. “It was conceived, written and directed by a woman. My film has a female producer and a female financier and executive producer. All of the lead actors are women. And now the Bollywood Boys Club, with its female enablers, wants to shove all these women aside and grab this project for a male producer, male director, and male star, all trying to show how supportive they are of women.” The lawsuit further alleges that even the publicity for Mission Mangal seems to be copied from that of Space MOMs, which was publicly announced on September 8, 2018.

However, Balki refutes Radha’s allegations. The filmmaker states, “Firstly, Atul Kasbekar does not even know of this project (Mission Mangal). And Jagan (director) and I met Vidya personally, not through him or anybody else. I don’t even know if Atul is her management person. We are not even aware who else had been approached with stories on Mangalyaan.”

Asserting that like every film based on a real-life incident, there are always many claimants, he adds, “I’m sure many scripts have been written on the Mars Orbiter Mission. But ours is an original screenplay that I have helped Jagan with. He has been living with this vision for three years! We have fictionalised a lot of characters to make it an interesting screenplay out of a core story that only ISRO can claim rights to. Nobody else. People can be upset with their interpretation of a story not being executed, but it is silly to try and stop another interpretation that is being executed.”

The PadMan director further says that Radha is welcome to read the script. He states, “She hasn’t even read it... how can she claim this? It’s very silly and wrong. Radha, please come over and read it. I’m sure you will find it fresh and refreshing.”

According to a well-placed industry source, “It’s wrong in every way to suggest that Atul’s team shared the idea with Balki. Why would one production house share a script that they weren’t making with another company? Most aspects of Mangalyaan mission are in the public domain. And anyone can come up with a script on any aspect.”

Reacting to Radha’s allegations, Tanuj Garg, Managing Partner, Ellipsis Entertainment, says, “Ellipsis is not connected with the film that is currently under production in any way. To allege that ‘we leaked the script is plain ridiculous, laughable and preposterous. In any event, the subject is in the public domain. We will take steps to defend us in accordance with the law.”

Amid comparisons with Hollywood hit Hidden Figures, writers of Kumar's next to meet women behind the Mangalyaan mission to stay true to India's 2013 space programme
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; November 3, 2018)

Ever since the news of Akshay Kumar reuniting with filmmaker R Balki for a project based on India's Mangalyaan space mission broke, there have been constant references to the Hollywood hit, Hidden Figures (2016; right). In their bid to ensure that their offering remains authentic to those associated with the 2013 space programme, the writers will meet the women behind the mission.

A source reveals, "Hidden Figures was never a reference point. Though both movies may be set against the backdrop of space missions, Hidden Figures revolved around the emancipation of black women mathematicians working at NASA. When the Mars Orbiter Mission became a success, a picture of the women scientists at ISRO celebrating its launch went viral. The Mangalyaan film will focus on these scientists. Currently working on the final draft, the writers' team will meet these scientists and learn about their experiences of working relentlessly on the project. The names of the scientists will be disclosed only when Akshay and Balki officially announce the film."

While Vidya Balan has been approached to play the woman leading the team of scientists, Taapsee Pannu and Nimrat Kaur are in talks to play her team members. The narrative of the yet-untitled film opens in April 2012, which is reportedly when the ISRO team kicked off work on the Mars Orbiter Mission.

"It will capture how ISRO completed the mission in 18 months and launched the satellite on November 5, 2013." The final draft will be submitted in a fortnight, after which it will be sent to the actors for their nod.


The picture of ISRO scientists that went viral

Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 19, 2018)

Vidya Balan and Akshay Kumar, who have worked in two films — Sajid Khan’s Heyy Babyy and Priyadarshan’s Bhool Bhulaiyaa — besides several guest turns, are set to reunite on screen after 11 years. The actor-duo is on-board R Balki’s yet-untitled next directorial. The film, which will also be produced by Balki, is based on India’s Mangalyaan space mission aka the Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM), of 2014, which was a huge success.

A source associated with the project revealed, “Vidya, who plays the leader of the team of scientists in the film, is set to kick off her prep in December, a month before the film goes on the floors. She and Akshay are teaming up after a long time but aren’t paired opposite each other. Balki is currently looking for three other actresses to play scientists alongside Vidya in the film.”

Mangalyaan was launched on November 5, 2013, by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), as India’s first interplanetary mission, earning the organisation fourth place among space agencies that have reached Mars, after the Soviet space program, NASA, and the European Space Agency. Subsequently, India became the first Asian nation to reach the Mars orbit, and the first nation in the world to do so in its first attempt.

In September this year, it was announced that Mangalyaan has completed four years orbiting Mars. Although the designed mission life of MOM was six months, the satellite has continued to beam back science data from Mars for the last four years.

Hiren Kotwani (BOMBAY TIMES; October 4, 2017)