'Gold' directed by Reema Kagti is a product of a familiar voice. The story, based on India's first victory in Hockey Olympics, is a certainly unabashedly imperative narrative which history books shoukd have taught us: that the Indian Hockey team won a gold medal in the Hockey Olymoics of 1948, just an year after the independence from British Raj, in Britain, against the British, amidst a London-rains-soaked stadium. But in keeping with the tradition of most of the success-story-sports-dramas, the action, ofcourse, unfolds in the latter half of the film- that too, in the last minutes. We don't have any problem with this if this clikax we were waiting for unfolds with richness- and Reema does just that. A surprisingly resonant climax gives you a swell of pride and absolute satisfaction. The climax is the greatest thing about this Bollywood-style sports entertainer.
Akshay Kumar is the most whimsical thing about the film. He brings out a large barrel of comedy to his character ajd spreads it throughout. Even through the earnest shots, he brings a little humor. His performance isn't promising at all- but he constantly delivers. Although Mouni Roy makes her screen presence count, a little of her acting chops are used.
The wondrous are the team members who are given the screen timing: Sunny Kaushal's got meat and bones, and he proves his mettle in acting debut. Vineet Kumar Singh as an ex-Indian and present-Pakistani hockey player is a lot interesting. But the film is duly stretched, and suffers from a convoluted script. It slows down Amit Sadh's character map, as it does, to many in the star-cast. It has a visual ensemble- a platter serving glittery golds, all over the screen right after the film starts. But this rarely helps.
And still, it's a bold attempt on Reema's behalf, who helms a story of male sportsmen being a woman. She doesn't exactly do the 'Chak De! India' effect. Far from it. But still, 'Gold' works because it shoots to a great deal up as the tricolour unfurls, first in hiding and then into the open.