Academy Award-winning director Kevin Macdonald says he could see that his upcoming film "The Mauritanian" would shape up as a real thriller. The film stars Benedict Cumberbatch, Jodie Foster and Tahar Rahim, and is slated to release in India on April 2.

"I knew from the beginning that it was this combination of politics and an outrageous crime against humanity that got my blood boiling but also, I could see that it could be a real thriller, and it could entertain people," Macdonald said.

The film is based on the bestselling memoir "Guantanamo Diary". It received six BAFTA nominations, winning Jodie Foster the Best Supporting Actress award at the Golden Globes

"There needs to be a lot of sugar in with the medicine and I saw the opportunity in this film to make something that is a thriller and which hopefully has that edge-of-the-seat quality but also a film in which it is about really wonderful characters, who you fall in love with," added Macdonald, known for his directorials as "State Of Play" and "The Last King Of Scotland".

The film is set to be released in India by PVR Pictures on April 2.