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An Indian man who made headlines around the world after he opened a plane's emergency exit and jumped 15ft to the ground says he was trying to pull off a stunt like his Bollywood idol.

The passenger, Akash Jain, told a Mumbai news agency that he was influenced by his adoration for Akshay Kumar, one of the most famous Indian actors of all time, and dismissed claims that he made the dangerous leap because he was impatient.

The 30-year-old told Mid Day: 'I wanted to perform a stunt like Akshay Kumar because I am his fan, and hence I jumped off the aircraft.'

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Passenger Akash Jain said he jumped off the plane to perform a stunt like actor Akshay Kumar

Friday's incident sparked a security scare at Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport and raised serious questions about how Mr Jain was able to elude police and airport security officers.

Mr Jain opened the emergency exit moments after the Boeing 737, carrying 144 passengers and five crew, pulled up to a gate after arriving from Chandigarh.

After leaping off the plane in front of stunned passengers on flight 9W469, he entered the arrivals terminal after asking a ground crew member for directions and left the airport without being apprehended.

The passenger who leaped from the plane said he was imitating his idol, Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar (left)

Having missed his connecting flight, Mr Jain travelled by bus and taxi towards his destination in Goa, but returned to Mumbai after he spoke to his mother by telephone and learned that his father was not feeling well, Mid Day reported.

Mr Jain, who works as a medical representative, planned to travel home to Jalandhar, but was arrested by police in Mumbai on Saturday night after a CCTV image from the airport was circulated by local media and someone reported his whereabouts, the news website reported.

The amateur stuntman is being held in custody for a week, but he may spend more time in custody if he is not granted bail.

Akash Jain entered the arrivals terminal after he asked a ground crew member for directions to an exit

An airport police officer told Mid Day: 'He told us that he had seen Akshay Kumar performing stunts in the movies and wanted to perform one himself.

'He added that the fact that passengers are repeatedly told to open the emergency doors only in case of an emergency made him want to open it more.'

The incident sparked a furious response from airport bosses, who accused Jet Airways of failing to immediately alert the proper authorities.

An airport spokesperson said: 'If the incident took place after the aircraft landed, why didn't the airline security staff inform the security agencies immediately?

'Why did they need 35 minutes to do so?'

A Jet Airways spokesperson denied the claim, telling MailOnline Travel that security agencies were notified immediately.

The airline spokesperson added: 'A guest travelling on Jet Airways flight 9W469 from Chandigarh to Mumbai opened the emergency door and disembarked, alighting onto the aircraft's wings after the aircraft had come to a standstill at the parking bay at Mumbai airport.' 

This is not the first time Jet Airways has suffered embarrassment