Mohanlal was first choice for one of Akshay Kumar's biggest hit films, earned over 3 times its budget, was made for Rs..., based on..

2019 was a blessed year for many superstars at the box office as several films emerged as hits. But, amid this, there was one film that grabbed the attention of both critics and audiences, all thanks to its cast and storyline. This film earned 3 times more than its budget at the box office, creating history, and also went on to become the 6th highest-grossing movie of the year. This film had 1 actor and 5 actresses and was a superhit. We are talking about the film Mission Mangal, starring Akshay Kumar, Vidya Balan, Sonakshi Sinha, Taapsee Pannu, Nithya Menen (in her Hindi debut), Kirti Kulhari, Sharman Joshi in lead roles alongside H. G. Dattatreya, Vikram Gokhale, Dalip Tahil, Sanjay Kapoor, and Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub. Interestingly, makers were initially keen on casting Mohalal and the late Sridevi for Akshay Kumar and Vidya Balan's roles, respectively. 

Mission Mangal, loosely based on the life of ISRO scientists who contributed to India's first interplanetary expedition, the Mars Orbiter Mission, was enjoyed by audiences in theatres, and its bumper earnings also changed the fortunes of the makers.

Mission Mangal was released on August 15, 2019, and was directed by Jagan Shakti, who previously worked as an associate director on Akshay Kumar's 2018 film Pad Man. Post its release, Mission Mangal made the makers rich by earning more than 3 times its budget at the box office.

As per a Box Office India report, Akshay Kumar's Mission Mangal was made on a budget of Rs 70 crore and went on to earn Rs 202.98 crores across the country and a whopping Rs 290.59 crores worldwide. After Kabir Singh, Uri: The Surgical Strike, War, and Housefull 4, Mission Mangal became the 6th highest-grossing Hindi film of 2019. At the 65th Filmfare Awards, Mission Mangal received 6 nominations. The film was digitally released on the OTT platform Disney+ Hotstar in October 2019.