Gold trailer garners praise from hockey legend Balbir Singh Sr for 'familiarising younger generation with history'

Following the trailer release of Akshay Kumar’s upcoming film Gold, Hockey player Balbir Singh Sr. took to Facebook to pen a letter describing India’s victory at the historical 1948 Olympic Hockey final. He wrote, “It was the first ever match in the Olympics between former Champions (our former rulers) England and (their Gulams (sic) just a year before!) India and that too, in their capital city of London!” [caption id=“attachment_4639481” align=“alignnone” width=“825”]  Screenshot of Balbir Singh Sr’s Facebook post.[/caption]

Balbir Singh Sr. scored the first two goals at the 1948 Olympics final which was India’s first game against England as an independent nation. Recounting the events of the day in his letter, the Hockey player wrote, “Significantly, independent India’s Tricolour fluttered for the first time at any international event and our national anthem played for the first time in Olympics!” According to him, BBC heralded India’s victory over England as “one of the most politically significant moments of the Olympics.” The sports drama Gold is based on the true story of the victory of India’s first independent hockey team.  Akshay Kumar essays the role of Tapan Das, an assistant manager, who in 1936, dreamt of forming a team that played for an independent India, and not under the British Raj. The film, directed by Reema Kagti, also stars Kunal Kapoor, Amit Sadh and Vineet Singh and marks the film debut of TV actress Mouni Roy. Gold, produced by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani’s Excel Entertainment is set to release on 15 August, 2018 (Independence Day).