Kumar 'using prosthetics to play gangster'

Akshay Kumar is to use prosthetics to make himself resemble a real-life crime lord in his next film.

Once Upon A Time In Mumbai is set in the city's gangland, with Kumar basing his role on the notorious Indian criminal Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar.

Sources told The Times of India that the actor will be using prosthetics and attending a "15-day kinesics" workshop to accurately imitate the gang's overlord.

Producer Ekta Kapoor added: "We combined how a gangster of the '80s looked and mixed Akshay's natural charm to his dreaded on-screen persona."

Kumar has previously played gangsters in the films International Khiladi and Khiladiyoon Ke Khiladi.