“Gold” is a lackluster film that doesn’t seem too sure of itself. And coming from a director who has done better, it is a colossal disappointment.

Despite the presence of the national anthem, the tricolour, and a story based on India’s first Olympics win, the film’s nationalism fails to bring the goosebumps on

The gleaming cars, neatly ironed costumes, and orderly manner in which the props have been arranged barely convey the impression of the blood and sweat involved in achieving a seemingly unattainable goal. The pounding background score and on-the-nose dialogue heavily underline what is being seen on the screen. The sluggish pacing over 153 minutes contain few moments of surprise or discovery. In the end, the inevitable clamber for the exit gate is stalled in the final moments by the strains of the national anthem.