Akshay Kumar asserts the subjects of his films need to reach a wider audience Akshay Kumar slips into the role of a scientist in Mission Mangal. His character, along with fellow colleagues, is credited for spearheading India's mission to send a spacecraft to orbit Mars.

While he celebrates the lives of those essayed in the film, Kumar says he knew little about the mission before the film came his way. "I did not have much knowledge about it. I got to know about it through my director. I learnt a lot from this film. Certain things were eye-openers, like the fact that Mangalyaan cost us just Rs 450 crore, and NASA spent over Rs 6,000 crore [on their mission]. Interestingly, the budget of my film 2.0 was Rs 500 crore. A story like this one should reach more people. I am thankful to the producers for backing this film," he said.