'Airlift' encourages Akshay to do films on real-life stories

Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar says the commercial success of his newly released film "Airlift" has encouraged him to make more movies based on real life stories.

Released on January 22, a war thriller - "Airlift" - has earned approximately Rs 54.70 crore at the box office in the country.

"The results speaks for the film. I am very happy with the response and it encourages me to make and be a part of such cinema. These kind of films did not had much prospects when it comes to numbers at the box office," Akshay told PTI.

"looking at the numbers, I feel I should try more of these kind of films... Bring real life of people on reel life. I am hopeful that after this film lot of producers, directors and actors will like to be part of this kind of cinema, that is less of songs and more of content," he said.

Usually it's the masala entertainers that earn crores at the box office but the "Holiday" star is quite content with the commercial success of "Airlift".

"The box office numbers of this film is more than I could imagine," he adds.

After "Special 26" and "Baby", Akshay was confident about the success of "Airlift".

"I was confident about (success of the film), so I put my money in and acted in it as well. But I did not expect this kind of response, the credit goes to everyone -- all the actors, the director (and) the technicians," the 48-year-old actor said.

"Raja (director Raja Krishna Menon) choreographed the war sequence very well ....Cinematography of this film was wonderful," he added.

Akshay hopes to get tax exemption for "Airlift".

"We have spoken to them (authorities concerned) and I hope things work out. It will be great if it happens," he added.

Directed by Raja Krishna Menon, "Airlift" narrates the story of Ranjit Katyal (Akshay Kumar), a Kuwait-based businessman, who carries out the biggest civil operation of evacuating Indians based in Kuwait during the Iraq-Kuwait war during the time of Iraq's then President Saddam Hussein.

The film stars Akshay and Nimrat Kaur in the lead roles. According to the "Hera Pheri" actor the USP of "Airlift" is its real story.

"The fact that it is a real story and very few people knew about it....We brought this story to all ...That is the USP," Akshay said.