Cashing on the tried and tested spirit of nationalism and nostalgia, director Reema Kagti attempts to narrate the story of India's first gold medal after Independence in Gold. She pitched in Akshay Kumar, who has rooted for the country and the flag with the likes of Baby, Airlift, Rustom and Jolly LLB 2 amongst others in the past, to do what he does best: invoke patriotic fervor.
Set for an Independence Day release and a significant clash with another tale revolving around issues of national importance and pride, John Abraham's Satyameva Jayate, it remains undecided as to who is the winner. Ask Akshay and John, the two friends assert both the films can co-run at the box office. Besides the clash and the plotline, it is the debut of television actress Mouni Roy which piques our interest. The Bong beauty, at the launch event of the song Naino ne Baandhi, in Mumbai on Friday, got candid about her flashy first step into the industry and shared her work experience.
On working with Akshay Kumar
"Akshay sir is such a legend. He is very sincere and I got to learn a lot from him."
On brushing up her Hindi accent
"Moreover, Gold is in Hindi. I had to work on the accent. I told mom to talk to me in Hindi. and Akshay Kumar keeps the environment pretty light."
On the difference between shooting for TV and Bollywood
"I think it’s just the songs that are added."
However, while Mouni didn't feel much of a change, Akshay added that "Difference yeh hai ke yeh log hamse bohot zyada mehnat karte hain (The difference is that these (television actors) people work harder than us (Bollywood actors)"
Also present at the event was director Reema, who described working with Akshay and team as a wonderful experience. "It’s been a wonderful experience working with Akshay Kumar. You can’t have a boring day with Mouni Roy being on board. Kunal (Kapoor) was excellent and in Amit (Sadh), I have found a friend for life," Kagti said.
In Gold, Akshay plays the role of a Bengali coach in the film who is instrumental in creating a team that eventually clinches the gold medal defeating the British team. Kunal Kapoor, Vineet Kumar Singh, Amit Sadh and Sunny Kaushal also star in pivotal roles in the film. Gold is directed by Reema Kagti and produced by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani.