[2] Loosely based on the life of scientists at the Indian Space Research Organisation who contributed to India's first interplanetary expedition Mars Orbiter Mission, it stars an ensemble cast of 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 amongst others in supporting roles.

[6][7] Across the landscapes of Bengaluru, India, at ISRO, after the failed launch of GSLV-F06 on 25 December 2010, due to a miscalculation by Project Director Tara Shinde (Vidya Balan), Rakesh Dhawan[a] (Akshay Kumar), a fellow scientist working with her, takes the blame for the mistake.

Rakesh learns that the MOM cannot take off on the PSLV since the available technology has a payload of only 1500 kg and not enough fuel to fire the rocket to be carried to a distance of almost 55 million kilometres.

Tara is also caught up at home between constant feuds between her husband Sunil and her son Dilip, the latter showing an interest in his namesake A. R. Rahman and Islam.

The junior scientists' team comprises: Eka Gandhi (Sonakshi Sinha), a propulsion control expert, who is looking for any chance to get away to NASA; Neha Siddiqui (Kirti Kulhari), a spacecraft autonomy designer, who is struggling with rejection as a result of her intercommunal background despite her divorce while trying hard to find a house; Kritika Aggarwal (Taapsee Pannu), a navigation expert who is also a devoted wife to her army husband Rishi (Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub), while trying hard to get a driving license; Varsha Pillai (Nithya Menen), the satellite designer and payload expert, who faces her mother-in-law's taunts for being unable to conceive a child; Parmeshwar Joshi (Sharman Joshi), the payload expert, who relies more on the religious priest and his advice but subsequently develops a romantic interest in Eka; and Ananth Iyengar (H. G. Dattatreya), the team's structural engineer, who is trying to complete his pilgrimage to Tirumala with his wife.

Tara and Rakesh realise that the rest of the junior scientists working on the project have low morale and motivation to make this mission happen, leading to the team slowing down.

This strikes an idea in Tara's head, and the next day, she successfully motivates the team members by reminding them of their childhood passion for science, and they put all their hardwork and energy into resolving the issues with the mission to make it happen.

The MOM satellite is finally launched on PSLV on 5 November 2013 (after an 8-day delay due to weather), and is named Mangalyaan (Sanskrit: Mars-Craft) and is successfully inserted into Earth's orbit.

When the team manages to regain communications, they realise that the solar radiation had increased the speed of the satellite and pushed it further, making up the six day gap they had incurred while doing the orbital manoeuvres with Earth.

"[16] Raja Sen of Hindustan Times gave the film only 2 out of 5 stars and said, "The facts are stupendous, but director Jagan Shakti decides to go fast and fictional, creating an underdog story that — while often likeable — plays out like a fable.

"[17] On its first day of release, Mission Mangal earned ₹29.16 crore nett in India to become the third highest-opening for a Bollywood film in 2019, and Kumar's highest opening ever.