Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; June 25, 2018)

While the world continues to soak in the ongoing football fever, Akshay Kumar is all set to introduce the audience to what India achieved in another glorious sport — hockey. The trailer of his upcoming film, Gold, directed by Reema Kagti, will release today. BT spoke to Akshay to find out what drives him to take up films that are socially relevant and have an impact. Excerpts…

Apart from being a film based on hockey, Gold underlines the sentiment of taking pride in one’s national flag and anthem. What was it about the script that really caught your attention?
Aaj se 200 saal pehle, hum kisi doosre desh ke National Anthem ke liye khade hote the. Post 1947, when India became a free country, things changed. In 1948, it was for the first time that India, as a free country, played hockey at the Olympic Games hosted in England. Although it was the British who introduced the game to us, in 1948, we went to England and defeated them on their soil. They stood up for our National Anthem that was being played on their land, and it was a glorious moment of pride for free India. This forms the thrust of Gold, which is inspired by true incidents. At a time when there are debates about whether one should really stand up when the National Anthem plays in a cinema hall, and whether there should be any mandate on playing it, Reema, Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani (producers) brought a story to me which highlights the importance of our National Anthem.

Whether it’s Toilet - Ek Prem Katha (2017) or Pad Man (2018), most of your films in recent times have been socially relevant. Do you think the patriotic spirit of Gold will connect with the audience?
Scripts like Gold are rare. I would just say that I am indeed very fortunate that such good screenplays are offered to me. When I worked in Airlift (2016), very few people knew that it was the officials of the Indian Air Force and the pilots of Air India, who had rescued over 1,70,000 people from the war zone in Kuwait when it was attacked by Saddam Hussain. Stories of achievements by the people of the country should be proudly presented to the world. And the audience has shown a keen interest in such stories.

Standing up for the National Anthem has often become a subject of national debate…
(Cuts in…) I don’t want to get into a discussion on whether you should stand up for the rashtrageet or not, or whether it should be a personal choice or a mandate set by the government. In my heart, I believe that our National Anthem is extremely important and it must get due respect at all times. I am sure in its bid to highlight the importance of the anthem, this film will strike a chord with every Indian.

Co-incidentally, while your film talks about India’s first Olympic gold medal in hockey, India will also host the Hockey World Cup this year. Do you think the sport is finally getting its due on our soil?
You know something, there’s a greater coincidence here. Gold releases on August 15 and on August 12 is the 70th anniversary of India’s first gold medal as a free country at the 1948 London Olympic Games. The release couldn’t have been planned better. It’s a matter of pride that while we celebrate the 70th anniversary of one of our first biggest victories on foreign soil in hockey, we will also host the Hockey World Cup. As for the sport getting its due, I think this was long overdue. Hockey has come under the spotlight. Even if it’s marginal, I am sure that Gold will boost the popularity of hockey in India. Right now, the mahaul in the country is such that people are not watching only cricket. They are lapping up kabaddi, hockey and a host of other sports. We’ve won more gold this year than any other year at the Common Wealth Games. I think our government is doing a great job in encouraging all kinds of sports in India.

Incidents and characters like these (Gold) are discussed in history classrooms, but are seldom played out on the big screen for a young audience. If one was to turn the pages of India’s history, they will discover several incidents that demand a cinematic adaptation. Do you agree?
Books record history and everyone reads them, but over the years, people forget what they’ve read at some point. However, when they see something in a visual form, or in the form of a movie, they don’t easily forget what they have witnessed. A movie stays in your memory for much longer. For instance, if a child is shown Airlift, he will remember the incident and the feeling of loving your country. Likewise, when episodes of history are revisited with pride, like they are being revisited in Gold, people will have a visual to what they have read in the past and they will never forget it. It will be etched in their memory because films are for posterity. So, yes, I agree, our history is rich, varied and full of stories that will make for great cinema. Often, I also get attracted to films that allow me to travel back in time, that draw me into a period that I would otherwise never have the chance to experience.