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Mission Raniganj

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Mission Raniganj
Theatrical release poster
Directed byTinu Suresh Desai
Screenplay byVipul K Rawal
Dialogues byDeepak Kingrani
Story byDeepak Kingrani
Poonam Gill (Idea)
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyAseem Mishra
Edited byAarif Sheikh
Music bySongs:
Satinder Sartaaj
Prem-Hardeep
Arko
Vishal Mishra
Gaurav Chatterji
Background Score:
Sandeep Shirodkar
Production
companies
Pooja Entertainment
AK Productions
Distributed byPVR Inox Pictures
Release date
  • 6 October 2023 (2023-10-06)
Running time
134 minutes[1]
CountryIndia
LanguageHindi
Budget₹55 crore[2]
Box officeest. ₹45.66 crore[3]

Mission Raniganj: The Great Bharat Rescue is a 2023 Indian Hindi-language disaster thriller film[4] directed by Tinu Suresh Desai and produced by Pooja Entertainment.[5][6] Based on the Raniganj Coalfields collapse of 1989 in West Bengal, the film stars Akshay Kumar and Parineeti Chopra.[7][8]

Mission Raniganj is based on Jaswant Singh Gill, a brave and diligent mining engineer from IIT Dhanbad who rescued 65 trapped miners at the Raniganj Coalfields in 1989.[9]

Principal photography took place from July 2022 to August 2023 in the United Kingdom, Raniganj, Jharkhand and Mumbai. The film was theatrically released on 6 October 2023.[8] Despite positive reviews from critics, the film was a box office flop.[10][11]

Plot

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In 1989, miners are undergoing a shift change around midnight in Raniganj Coalfields. The mine is divided into three sections, and a blast is set off in one of the sections to open new coal veins. Upon the blast, it is noticed that the shaft is leaking water. An emergency order is sent out to evacuate, but the Behra (deaf) section is led by a deaf miner who doesn't hear the phone signal. Most of the 200+ miners are evacuated except for all 60+ miners in the Behra section and 6 miners who drown trying to escape the mines. Jaswant Singh Gill is a manager of a nearby mine who notices the emergency vehicles headed for the mine and decides to lend his services. Upon arrival he encounters stiff resistance from other members of the operation who believe that all the miners are already dead and a rescue is futile. The head of the flooded mine, Ujjwal, requests his help in the rescue operation. Gill recruits a disgraced surveyor, Tapan Ghosh and a drilling engineer, Bindal, to scope the highest point of the mine. From here, he excavates an 8-inch borehole, placing a flashlight as a signal to the miners. However, unbeknownst to them, the miners are stuck behind a brick wall obstructing the path to the highest point, and do not see the flashlight. Meanwhile, Sen from Coal India is sent to sabotage the mission, as the manager of Raniganj Coalfields, Ujjwal, is intensely disliked by his boss. He proposes rescuing the miners through a closed mineshaft which had been breached by the explosion, disregarding Gill’s warning that the shaft is heavily flooded and cannot be accessed. His crew uncovers the bodies of 6 miners who drowned, causing the rescue crew to abandon the mission and shut down operations. The flashlight is withdrawn just before the miners reach the highest point. However, the dog of one of the miners hears the miners' desperate cries and barks at Gill, alerting him that the miners are still alive and the rescue should be continued.

After Sen's attempt fails, the efforts focus on Gill. The 8-inch borehole allows for food, water, and medicines to be sent down to the mine, along with a communications line. Through a Davy lamp, the miners discover that the shaft is being filled with carbon dioxide gas, which along with the water is creeping towards them. Gill devises a 29-inch wide capsule which can be used to pull the miners up one at a time from a larger borehole. To ruin this attempt, Sen has key pieces removed from the crane he brought in, preventing the miners from being speedily rescued. Gill deduces that the miners only have 48 hours before their oxygen supply runs out. With no alternative, they begin manually winching each miner out. Most of the miners are rescued, but in a critical phase, oxygen runs low and they realize they cannot save everyone manually. Govardhan, the local MLA and union leader, attacks Sen until he admits to deliberately ruining the crane. Under pressure, he has the crane fixed and brought to the mine. Gill appears to black out from lack of oxygen, but despite losing his metal hammer, uses his kaṛā to signal the capsule to be lifted. Gill is the last to be removed from the minefields, and is rewarded with a Rs. 1 lakh cheque and immediate promotion. The disgraced surveyor is recognized for his efforts and paid his missing wages.

Cast

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The cast is listed below:[12]

Production

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Development

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The film was announced by Vashu Bhagnani, Jackky Bhagnani and Deepshikha Deshmukh under their banner Pooja Entertainment.[13] It is based on the life of Jaswant Singh Gill who rescued 65 mine workers during the Raniganj Coalfields collapse of 1989 in West Bengal.[14]

The film was initially titled Capsule Gill, which was later changed to The Great Indian Rescue.[15] In September 2023, with the poster release, the name was changed to Mission Raniganj: The Great Bharat Rescue.[16][17]

Casting

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Akshay Kumar was cast as the mining engineer Jaswant Singh Gill an ISM Dhanbad Graduate.[18] Parineeti Chopra was cast opposite Kumar, marking their second project after Kesari.[19] Actor Dibyendu Bhattacharya was cast in a pivotal role in August 2022.[20]

Filming

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IIT Dhanbad was one of the primary location for the film shoot

The principal photography commenced in July 2022, with Akshay Kumar.[21] Parineeti Chopra and other actors joined the set in August 2022.[22] The film is primarily shot in the United Kingdom with few portion also shot in Raniganj, IIT Dhanbad Campus and Mumbai.[23] In August 2023, a song was shot in Mumbai.[24]

Soundtrack

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Mission Raniganj
Soundtrack album by
Satinder Sartaaj, Prem-Hardeep, Arko, Vishal Mishra and Gaurav Chatterji
Released27 September 2023[25]
Recorded2022
GenreFeature film soundtrack
Length127 minutes
LanguageHindi
LabelJjust Music

The music of the film is composed by Satinder Sartaaj, Prem-Hardeep, Arko, Vishal Mishra and Gaurav Chatterji while all the lyrics are written by Sartaaj, Kumar Vishwas and Kaushal Kishore.[25]

The first song from the film "Jalsa 2.0" was released on 16 September 2023. It is sung by Satinder Sartaaj and Prem-Hardeep.[26] The second song titled "Keemti" was released on 3 October 2023. It is sung by Kaushal Kishore and Vishal Mishra.[27]

Track listing
No.TitleLyricsMusicSinger(s)Length
1."Jalsa 2.0"Satinder SartaajSatinder Sartaaj, Prem-HardeepSatinder Sartaaj, Prem-Hardeep3:16
2."Jeetenge"Kumar VishwasArkoArko, B Praak3:52
3."Jeetenge" (Reprise)Kumar VishwasArkoArko, Stebin Ben3:52
4."Keemti"Kaushal KishoreVishal MishraKaushal Kishore, Vishal Mishra2:46
5."Nanak Naam Jahaaz Hai"TraditionalGaurav ChatterjiGaurav Chatterji, Jatinder Singh, Hansika Pareek1:30
Total length:15:16

Release

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Theatrical

[edit]

Mission Raniganj's teaser of the film was released on 7 September 2023.[28] The film's trailer was released on 25 September 2023.[29] The film was theatrically released on 6 October 2023.[8]

Home media

[edit]

The film was digitally released on Netflix on 1 December 2023.[30]

Reception

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Critical reception

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Mission Raniganj received mixed reviews from critics. Toshiro Agarwal of Times Now rated the film 4 stars out of 5 and wrote "The film's gripping narrative, exceptional performances, and skilful direction make it a must-watch, despite some visual effects shortcomings. It's a gritty and grounded tale of heroism and resilience"[31] A critic of Bollywood Hungama gave the film 3.5 out of 5 stars and noted, "On the whole, Mission Raniganj makes an impact due to the subject, clap worthy moments in the second half, nail-biting moments and Akshay Kumar’s performance. The director cinematography is fine but the first half is a bit weak and doesn’t create the desired impact."[32] Sonil Dedhiya of News18 rated the film 3 stars out of 5 and wrote "It is a story of human triumph which has been narrated well. It is an engaging experience that will resonate emotionally with the audience."[33]

Renuka Vyavahare of The Times of India gave the film 2.5 out of 5 stars and noted, "Mission Raniganj with all its potential to tap into the human psyche and behaviour when put in a life-threatening situation, misses the goal by a mile. With a poor attempt to scratch beneath the surface, director Tinu Suresh Desai’s film is loud, over the top melodramatic, largely evoking indifference over reverence."[34] Zinia Bandyopadhyay of India Today gave the film 2.5 out of 5 stars and wrote "Overall, if you are looking for just entertainment, you will probably enjoy the film. But, if you want to see the extraordinary story of Gill on-screen, you will be disappointed."[35]

Shubhra Gupta of The Indian Express gave the film 1.5 out of 5 stars and wrote "the way in which the loud background music ratchets up the theatrics, and the manner in which local ‘netas’ and high officials in Calcutta try and scuttle the operation, with each person bearing the bad news running across the screen in exactly the same manner, the film comes off a tiresome plod."[36] Saibal Chatterjee of NDTV gave the film 1.5 out of 5 stars and wrote "The film reinforces the lingering belief that Hindi cinema should leave true stories alone, especially if Akshay Kumar is to be placed at the centre of the action."[37]

Box office

[edit]

Mission Raniganj was made on a budget of ₹55 crore, and collected ₹45.66 crore, by the end of its theatrical run.[38] The film was termed a box office failure.[3]

References

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  1. ^ "Mission Raniganj (12A)". British Board of Film Classification. 5 October 2023. Archived from the original on 6 October 2023. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
  2. ^ Chowdhary, Pooja (6 October 2023). "Mission Raniganj First Day Collection: 55 करोड़ की फिल्म ने पहले दिन की मुट्ठी भर कमाई, कैसे होगी बजट की बरपाई?" [Mission Raniganj First Day Collection: 55 crore film earned a handful on the first day, how will be the budget recovered?]. Zee News (in Hindi). Archived from the original on 7 October 2023. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  3. ^ a b "Mission Raniganj Box office". Bollywood Hungama. 6 October 2023. Archived from the original on 7 October 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  4. ^ "Mission Raniganj". British Board of Film Classification. Archived from the original on 6 October 2023. Retrieved 5 October 2023. When water breaks through and floods a coal mine, an engineer must battle bureaucracy and a ticking clock to save those trapped inside in this Hindi-language disaster thriller, containing tense and emotional scenes.
  5. ^ "Akshay Kumar-Parineeti Chopra Film On The Late Jaswant Singh Titled The Great Indian Rescue; Deets Inside". News18. 12 May 2023. Archived from the original on 14 May 2023. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  6. ^ "Akshay Kumar To Play Real-Life Hero Jaswant Singh Gill, Who Rescued 65 Coal Miners, In A Biopic". Outlook India. Archived from the original on 16 November 2022. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
  7. ^ "Akshay Kumar's first look from the sets of 'Capsule Gill' leaked; leaves fans mighty impressed". The Times of India. 8 July 2022. ISSN 0971-8257. Archived from the original on 11 March 2023. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  8. ^ a b c "Akshay Kumar starrer Mission Raniganj to release on October 6, 2023". Bollywood Hungama. 6 September 2023. Archived from the original on 6 September 2023. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  9. ^ "Jaswant Singh Gill: A Brave Engineer Who Saved 64 Trapped Coal Miners By Risking His Own Life". IndiaTimes. 12 July 2022. Archived from the original on 17 March 2023. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
  10. ^ "Akshay Kumar on the box office failure of Mission Raniganj: It has not earned as much as it should have earned but it is one of my best films". The Times of India. 11 October 2023. Archived from the original on 12 October 2023. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  11. ^ "Akshay Kumar admits Mission Raniganj 'hasn't done well' at the box office: 'I own up, but it is one of my best films'". Indian Express. 11 October 2023. Archived from the original on 11 October 2023. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  12. ^ Hungama, Bollywood (6 October 2023). "Mission Raniganj Cast List | Mission Raniganj Movie Star Cast | Release Date | Movie Trailer | Review- Bollywood Hungama". Bollywood Hungama. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
  13. ^ "Exclusive: Akshay Kumar's 3rd collaboration with Pooja Entertainment- first look LEAKED". ABP News Live. 8 July 2022. Archived from the original on 6 September 2023. Retrieved 20 March 2023.
  14. ^ "SCOOP: Akshay Kumar's next on the 1989 mining operation titled The Great Indian Rescue". Bollywood Hungama. 11 May 2023. Archived from the original on 11 May 2023. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
  15. ^ "Akshay Kumar's Capsule Gill gets a new title - Mission Raniganj". Bollywood Hungama. 15 March 2016. Retrieved 5 September 2023.
  16. ^ "Akshay Kumar's film title changed to 'Mission Raniganj: The Great Bharat Rescue' amid India-Bharat debate". India Today. 6 September 2023. Archived from the original on 6 September 2023. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  17. ^ "BREAKING: Akshay Kumar's The Great Indian Rescue is now titled Mission Raniganj; Teaser to be out soon". PINKVILLA. 5 September 2023. Archived from the original on 6 September 2023. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
  18. ^ "Capsule Gill: Akshay Kumar's first look as chief mining engineer Jaswant Singh Gill leaks; see here". News18. 8 July 2022. Archived from the original on 12 July 2022. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  19. ^ "Kesari stars Akshay Kumar and Parineeti Chopra to reunite in Capsule Gill based on Raniganj Coalfield rescue mission". Bollywood Hungama. Archived from the original on 3 July 2022. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  20. ^ "Dibyendu Bhattacharya joins Akshay Kumar starrer Capsule Gill". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 9 August 2022. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
  21. ^ "Akshay Kumar to kick off Capsule Gill in July; Parineeti Chopra and others join the star cast". Bollywood Hungama. 26 June 2022. Archived from the original on 8 July 2022. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
  22. ^ "Parineeti Chopra starts shooting with Akshay Kumar for Pooja Entertainment's next based on Jaswant Gill". Bollywood Hungama. 30 July 2022. Archived from the original on 30 July 2022. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  23. ^ "Capsule Gill to be the biggest Indian production to ever take place in the UK; makers block 100 acres for shooting". Eastern Eye. 19 August 2023. Archived from the original on 19 August 2022. Retrieved 20 October 2022.
  24. ^ "Akshay Kumar and Parineeti Chopra groove to Punjabi beats in upcoming film The Great Indian Rescue; watch video". Bollywood Hungama. 19 August 2023. Archived from the original on 21 August 2023. Retrieved 29 August 2023.
  25. ^ a b "Mission Raniganj – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack". Jiosaavn. 27 September 2023. Archived from the original on 27 September 2023. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
  26. ^ "Mission Raniganj song Jalsa 2.0: Akshay Kumar and Parineeti Chopra break into bhangra. Watch the song". Hindustan Times. 16 September 2023. Archived from the original on 18 September 2023. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
  27. ^ "Akshay Kumar dedicates song Keemti from Mission Raniganj to Parineeti Chopra's special day". Filmfare. Archived from the original on 4 October 2023. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  28. ^ "Mission Raniganj teaser: Akshay Kumar is determined to save the lives of coal miners: see inside". Times of India. 8 September 2023. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  29. ^ "Mission Raniganj trailer: Akshay Kumar promises authentic portrayal of India's most remarkable, daring rescue. Watch". Indian Express. 25 September 2023. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
  30. ^ "Mission Raniganj OTT Release: When And Where To Watch Akshay Kumar, Parineeti Chopra's Film?". Free Press Journal. Archived from the original on 2 December 2023. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  31. ^ "Mission Raniganj: The Great Bharat Rescue Review: J S Gill's Inspiring Tale Of Heroism Portrayed By Akshay Kumar". TimesNow. 6 October 2023. Archived from the original on 7 October 2023. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  32. ^ Bollywood Hungama (6 October 2023). "Mission Raniganj Movie Review: On the whole, MISSION RANIGANJ makes an impact due to the subject". Bollywood Hungama. Archived from the original on 6 October 2023. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  33. ^ "Mission Raniganj Movie Review: Akshay Kumar Shines In This Engaging Film". News18. 6 October 2023. Archived from the original on 7 October 2023. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  34. ^ Renuka Vyavahare. "Mission Raniganj: The Great Bharat Rescue Movie Review: Mission Raniganj makes you want to escape some loud bad acting and jarring indifference". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 24 April 2024. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  35. ^ "'Mission Raniganj' Review: Akshay's film loses depth in overtly-dramatised plot". India Today. 6 October 2023. Archived from the original on 7 October 2023. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  36. ^ "Mission Raniganj movie review: Despite Akshay Kumar's sincere performance, the film comes off as a tiresome plod". The Indian Express. 6 October 2023. Archived from the original on 7 October 2023. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  37. ^ "Mission Raniganj Review: The Intrepid Engineer Played By Akshay Kumar Deserved A Much Better Film". NDTV. Archived from the original on 6 October 2023. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  38. ^ "Mission Raniganj Box Office Collection: Movie continues to struggle". Business Standard. Retrieved 19 November 2023.
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