8 years of Rustom: Look back at Akshay Kumar's National Award-winning performance

Eight years since its release, Akshay Kumar's thrilling naval drama Rustom continues to captivate audiences, leaving a lasting impact.

8 years of Rustom

It's been eight years since Akshay Kumar's Rustom hit the big screen. Ileana D'Cruz, Arjan Bajwa, and Esha Gupta played crucial roles in the Tinu Suresh Desai-directed criminal thriller from 2016. Vipul K. Rawal wrote the film, which was produced by Cape of Good Films, Zed Studios, and KriArj Entertainment. In case you are planning to revisit Rustom on OTT, the film is available to stream on ZEE5 (OTTplay Premium).

Rustom's premise and storyline

The drama follows the lives of Rustom (Kumar) and Cynthia (D'Cruz) a navy officer and wife, and is partially based on the case of K. M. Nanavati v. State of Maharashtra. Shortly after discovering her affair, she suspects him of killing her close friend Vikram (Bajwa). In the film, it's a lovely world, a stunning wife, and a dashing navy commander. It was the life of Naval Commander Rustom Pavri, until the day he discovered his idyllic existence wasn't what he had imagined. According to the unfolding events, his best friend is having an affair with his wife. Their lives were transformed by three gunshots. Rustom is an enthralling story of a man's struggle to maintain his honour and the honour of his country. It is based on actual events and tells the story of pride, passion, and power.

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The critical reception for the Rustom film's acting and screenplay was overwhelmingly positive. The film achieved enormous success at the box office, earning more than ₹210 crore globally. It ranked fifth among Indian films that year and fourth among Hindi films overall.

National Film Award

At the 64th National Film Awards, Kumar's performance as the lead earned him the National Film Award for Best Actor. This sparked a significant debate on social media, prompting many to question the jury's decision.

Moreover, Kumar and Twinkle Khanna received legal letters regarding the auction of the actor's costume, which he wore while portraying a naval officer. Those in the military claimed they were playing with service members' sentiments.

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