Akshay Kumar to play Sardar Jaswant Singh Gill in new biopic; know all about the real-life hero

Akshay Kumar new film: Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar has announced his project. This time, he will be moving away from masala Bollywood films and will portray a real-life hero. Surprising his fans on Wednesday, the actor said he is set to play mining engineer Jaswant Singh Gill in an upcoming biopic. Gill had rescued 64 miners from a flooded quarry in West Bengal in 1989.

Akshay Kumar to play Sardar Jaswant Singh Gill

The actor said this in response to Union coal minister Pralhad Joshi's Twitter post, in which he remembered Gill on the 33rd anniversary of the country's "first coal mine rescue mission".

"Grateful to you @JoshiPralhad ji, for recalling India's first coal mine rescue mission - this day 33yrs ago. It's an honour for me to play #SardarJaswantSinghGill in a film. It's a story like no other! @easterncoal (sic)," Akshay wrote on the microblogging site.

Who is Jaswant Singh Gill?

A resident of Amritsar, Gill had received several awards for his act of bravery in 1989. He had volunteered and saved the lives of 64 people from a flooded mine in Raniganj area of West Bengal. Gill died in 2019 at the age of 80.

The untitled Hindi film is produced by Pooja Entertainment. Tinu Suresh Desai, who helmed "Rustom" also starring Akshay, is reportedly attached to direct the project.

"Grateful to #PralhadJoshi ji for remembering him today. The mightiest heroes are the ones that remain grounded, but this one went further below to save the lives of many! "With a lot of pride, we bring to you the heroic act of IND's 1st Coalmine Rescue by late #SardarJaswantSinghGill (sic)," the production banner said in a tweet.

Eastern Coalfield Limited too remembered JSwant Singh Gill. "On Rescue Day, we commemorate the act of bravery of late Sardar Jaswant Singh Gill. He rescued 65 trapped coal miners 33 years ago on this very day. He will be remembered forever," the tweet reads.