‘I hope Pak PM understands Gold’

This Independence Day saw the release of Akshay Kumar’s sports film Gold. Talking to the media on the occasion, the actor said that he was happy to be doing films like PadMan and Gold. “When I first started doing films, I was not in a position to make certain choices. Whatever came my way, I consented to participate in. However, after having been in the film industry for so long, and having gotten into the production of films, I can now choose to do films that can bring about a change in our country,” he said, adding, “Gold is a film about how the Indian hockey team craved to win a gold medal for free India. Winning it for the first time in 1948 was a real achievement for us.”

Addressing the ban on the film’s release in Pakistan, Akshay said, “Gold is a sports film through and through, and sport always promotes unity. In the film, when the Indian team is on the field, the Pakistani players in the audience cheer them on, and vice-versa. I hope Pakistan’s Prime Minister, sportsperson Imran Khan understands the film and allows it to be released there. He should understand that Gold is a sports film, and it has nothing to do with the partition.”

“My last film, PadMan, was also not allowed a release in Pakistan. The problems addressed in that film are faced by women across the globe. Hopefully, PadMan will release in Pakistan too someday, because the women there must also be facing the same problems,” he concluded.