It came as a surprise when Akshay Kumar announced the newest movie he has signed, Gold. With director Reema Kagti at the helm of affairs, this Excel production is slated to release on August 15, 2018. While the film’s teaser poster pretty much indicates that this is a sports based affair set in 1948 when India bagged its first ever Olympic gold medal as a free nation, we have a scoop. Our sources say Akshay is playing hockey legend Balbir Singh in the film.
Why this is significant
“Though the world is aware of Dhyan Chand, there is another hockey hero who has ironically not been talked about in the same breath. However, the fact is that Balbir Singh was the hero of the gold campaign that India enjoyed not just in 1948 but also 1952 and 1956 Olympics,” says our source.
Balbir’s journey
He was part of the team at the 1948 Olympics in London. In Helsinki (1952), he was the vice-captain, and in Melbourne (1956), he was the captain. India won gold in each of these three editions.
Personal and professional life
Balbir was born in undivided Punjab. After 1947, he moved to Ludhiana, Punjab, and became a part of the Indian hockey team. In later years, he was connected to the Indian hockey team as coach and manager. He has also written a couple of books, The Golden Hat Trick (1977) and The Golden Yardstick: In Quest of Hockey Excellence (2008). Now 92, Singh currently lives in Canada.
Balbir’s Olympic heroics
1948 Balbir scored a hat-trick of goals against Argentina. Then in the finals against the Great Britain, he scored the first two goals out of four goals that India scored. The story goes that he was dropped for a couple of games between the opening match and the finals. That forms one of the most dramatic chapters of his life.
1952 Balbir scored nine out of 13 goals that India scored in the entire event.
1956 Balbir scored five goals in the opening match against Afghanistan. In the finals, the team led by him defeated Pakistan.
Akshay’s tryst with history
In Airlift, his part was an amalgamation of multiple real-life personalities who came together for the biggest human evacuation ever.
In Rustom, his part was based on a Parsi Navy Officer who was embroiled in a murder controversy.
A few years back in Special 26, he had played a character inspired by a real-life conman, who had fooled businessmen into believing that he was a CBI officer.
Akshay’s tryst with sports
Gold
Will play a hockey player
Patiala House
Played a cricketer
Brothers
Played an MMA [Mixed Martial Arts] fighter
Blue
Played a boxer and underwater diver
Chandni Chowk To China
Played a martial arts expert
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Akshay")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}