Akshay Kumar's 'Gold' creates history, becomes first Bollywood film to release in Saudi Arabia

The Reema Kagti-directed film is the second movie after Rajinikanth's 'Kaala' to hit the theatres in the Gulf country.

By PTI | Updated: Aug 31, 2018, 04.30 PM IST

'Gold' is the fictional re-telling of the India's iconic win at the 1948 London Olympics.

MUMBAI: Akshay Kumar-fronted "Gold" has become the first Bollywood film ever to release in Saudi Arabia.

The Reema Kagti-directed sports film is only the second movie after Rajinikanth's hit social drama, 'Kaala' to hit the theatres in the Gulf country.
Akshay today took to Twitter to share the news.

"The story of India's first Gold medal victory for the first time in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Happy to share, #Gold is the first ever Bollywood movie to release in the Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia, in cinemas from today! @excelmovies @ZeeStudiosInt," Kumar tweeted.

The story of India’s first Gold medal victory for the first time in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Happy to share,… https://t.co/hH3hLlcHKT
— Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) 1535634005000

'Gold' is the fictional re-telling of the India's iconic win at the 1948 London Olympics.

Also featuring Mouni Roy, Amit Sadh, Kunal Kapoor and Vineet Kumar Singh, the film released on August 15.

In May, Saudi Arabia held a private screening of international cultural phenomenon, 'Black Panther' to herald the launch of movie theatres, open to the public, in the kingdom.

Planning to stay home this Independence Day? Here are 10 films you can binge-watch

1/11

If you have plans to stay home this Independence Day, we have picked just the right films for you. Get the popcorn, curl up in your bed and invoke some of that patriotic fervour.

Duration: 3h 11min

Genre: Biography, Drama, History

Cast: Ben Kingsley, John Gielgud, Candice Bergen

Director: Richard Attenborough

In 1893, Gandhi (Ben Kingsley) is thrown off a South African train for being an Indian and travelling in a first-class compartment. Gandhi realises that the laws are biased against Indians and decides to start a non-violent protest campaign for the rights of all Indians in South Africa.

After a successful struggle, Gandhi is invited back to India, where he is now considered something of a national hero. He is urged to take up the fight for India's independence from the British Empire. Gandhi agrees, and mounts a non-violent non-cooperation campaign of unprecedented scale, coordinating millions of Indians nationwide.

'Gandhi' was nominated for Academy Awards in eleven categories, winning eight, including Best Picture and Best Director for Attenborough, Best Actor for Ben Kingsley, and Best Original Screenplay for Briley.

Duration: 3h 11min Genre: Biography, Drama, History Cast: Ben Kingsley, John Gielgud, Candice Bergen Director: Richard Attenborough In 1893, Gandhi (Ben Kingsley) is thrown off a South African tr..

Duration: 2h 35min

Genre: Biography, Drama, History

Cast: Ajay Devgn, Sushant Singh, D. Santosh, Amrita Rao

Director: Rajkumar Santoshi

'The Legend of Bhagat Singh' is the story of Bhagat Singh, a freedom fighter who fought for the Indian independence. The film shows in detail how Singh came to develop his views on the British Raj and his struggle for Indian independence. The film begins with scenes depicting how the British attempted to dispose of Singh's body, so that he could not be made into a martyr, and then flashbacks to the past to tell his story.

It went on to win two National Film Awards and three Filmfare Awards.

Duration: 2h 35min Genre: Biography, Drama, History Cast: Ajay Devgn, Sushant Singh, D. Santosh, Amrita Rao Director: Rajkumar Santoshi 'The Legend of Bhagat Singh' is the story of Bhagat Singh, ..

Duration: 1h 50min

Genre: Drama, Romance, War

Cast: Aamir Khan, Nandita Das, Rahul Khanna

Director: Deepa Mehta

Based upon Bapsi Sidhwa's novel, 'Cracking India', the story is set in Lahore in the time period directly before and during the Partition of India in 1947 at the time of Indian independence. A young girl with polio, Lenny (Maia Sethna), narrates the story through the voice of her adult self (Shabana Azmi). She is from a wealthy Parsi family who hope to remain neutral to the rising tensions between Hindus, Sikhs, and Muslims in the area.

'Earth' was India's entry for the 1999 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.

Duration: 1h 50min Genre: Drama, Romance, War Cast: Aamir Khan, Nandita Das, Rahul Khanna Director: Deepa Mehta Based upon Bapsi Sidhwa's novel, 'Cracking India', the story is set in Lahore in th..

Duration: 2h 37min

Genre: Romance, Action, Drama

Cast: Anil Kapoor, Jackie Shroff, Manisha Koirala |

Director: Vidhu Vinod Chopra

The film is set in 1942, when the British Raj was declining. It was a time when many Indians were either working for the British or rallying in underground meetings and protests against them. In this atmosphere, Naren Singh (Anil Kapoor) falls in love with Rajeshwari "Rajjo" Pathak (Manisha Koirala). Their romance is shown developing in spite of the political and social unrest at the time. The film was the first ever to be given a U/A rating while featuring a scene.

The film was released some time after the death of the music director, Rahul Dev Burman. It went on to win nine Filmfare Awards.

Duration: 2h 37min Genre: Romance, Action, Drama Cast: Anil Kapoor, Jackie Shroff, Manisha Koirala | Director: Vidhu Vinod Chopra The film is set in 1942, when the British Raj was declining. It w..

Duration: 2h 56min

Genre: Action, Drama, History

Cast: Rakhee Gulzar, Sunny Deol, Akshaye Khanna, Sunil Shetty, Jackie Shroff

Director: J.P. Dutta

J P Dutta's film 'Border' was the gripping visualization of the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. The story is set on the backdrop along the border region of Longewala and portrays how a small battalion of Indian soldiers goes up against a large Pakistani strike force and succesfully defeats them. This movie was a landmark in Hindi Cinema.

Duration: 2h 56min Genre: Action, Drama, History Cast: Rakhee Gulzar, Sunny Deol, Akshaye Khanna, Sunil Shetty, Jackie Shroff Director: J.P. Dutta J P Dutta's film 'Border' was the gripping visua..

Duration: 2h 30min

Genre: Biography, Drama, History

Cast: Aamir Khan, Rani Mukerji, Toby Stephens

Director: Ketan Mehta

The story begins in 1857, when a large part of India was under the control of the British East India Company. Mangal Pandey (Aamir Khan) is a sepoy, a soldier of Indian origin, in the army of the East India Company. While fighting in the Anglo-Afghan Wars, he saves the life of his British commanding officer, Capt. William Gordon (Toby Stephens). Gordon is indebted to Pandey and a strong friendship develops between them, transcending rank and race.

It premiered in the Marché du Film section of the 2005 Cannes Film Festival. It was the fourth highest-grossing film of the year.

Duration: 2h 30min Genre: Biography, Drama, History Cast: Aamir Khan, Rani Mukerji, Toby Stephens Director: Ketan Mehta The story begins in 1857, when a large part of India was under the control ..

Duration: 3h 44min

Genre: Adventure, Drama, Musical

Cast: Aamir Khan, Gracy Singh, Rachel Shelley |

Director: Ashutosh Gowariker

The film is set in the Victorian period of India's colonial British Raj. The story revolves around a small village whose inhabitants, burdened by high taxes, find themselves in an extraordinary situation as an arrogant officer challenges them to a game of cricket as a wager to avoid the taxes. The narrative spins around this situation as the villagers face the arduous task of learning the alien game and playing for a result that will change their village's destiny.

'Lagaan' received critical acclaim and awards at international film festivals, as well as many Indian film awards. It became the third Indian film to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film after 'Mother India' (1957) and 'Salaam Bombay!' (1988).

Duration: 3h 44min Genre: Adventure, Drama, Musical Cast: Aamir Khan, Gracy Singh, Rachel Shelley | Director: Ashutosh Gowariker The film is set in the Victorian period of India's colonial Britis..

Duration: 1h 56min

Genre: Drama, Romance

Cast: Jimi Mistry, Kristin Kreuk, Neve Campbell

Director: Vic Sarin

Determined to leave the ravages of war behind, 38-year-old Gian Singh (Jimi Mistry) resigns from the British Indian Army to a quiet life. His world is soon thrown in turmoil when he finds himself responsible for the life of a 17-year-old Muslim girl separated from her family and traumatised by the conflict of the Partition of India.

Duration: 1h 56min Genre: Drama, Romance Cast: Jimi Mistry, Kristin Kreuk, Neve Campbell Director: Vic Sarin Determined to leave the ravages of war behind, 38-year-old Gian Singh (Jimi Mistry) re..

Duration: 2h 37min

Genre: Comedy, Drama, History

Cast: Aamir Khan, Soha Ali Khan, Siddharth, Sharman Joshi

Director: Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra

The story is about a British documentary filmmaker who is determined to make a film on Indian freedom fighters based on diary entries by her grandfather, a former officer of the Indian Imperial Police. Upon arriving in India, she asks a group of five young men to act in her film. During filming, this group of friends learn about those before them and the importance of fighting for their rights.

The film was released globally on 26 January 2006. It received critical acclaim winning National Award for most popular film. It was subsequently nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 2006 BAFTA Awards.

Duration: 2h 37min Genre: Comedy, Drama, History Cast: Aamir Khan, Soha Ali Khan, Siddharth, Sharman Joshi Director: Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra The story is about a British documentary filmmaker who..

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Akshay Kumar's 'Gold' creates history, becomes first Bollywood film to release in Saudi Arabia

The Reema Kagti-directed film is the second movie after Rajinikanth's 'Kaala' to hit the theatres in the Gulf country.

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