Akshay Kumar starrer ‘Gold’ is currently making the headlines for being the first Bollywood movie to release in Saudi Arabia.
The news first surfaced when ‘Padman’ actor Akshay Kumar took to the micro-blogging site, Twitter to make the announcement. Drafting the tweet he said “The story of India’s first Gold medal victory for the first time in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Happy to share, #Gold is the first ever Bollywood movie to release in the Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia, in cinemas from today!”
The story of India’s first Gold medal victory for the first time in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Happy to share, #Gold is the first ever Bollywood movie to release in the Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia, in cinemas from today! @excelmovies @ZeeStudiosInt
— Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) August 30, 2018
Although it might not be the first ever movie to release in Saudi Arabia, it definitely is the first-ever Bollywood one. The other films to be released in the Gulf country include ‘Kaala’ starring Rajinikanth and Marvel’s ‘Black Panther’, which was the first movie to be released.
The film was released on August 15 and clashed with John Abraham’s ‘Satyamev Jayate’. In spite of the clash, ‘Gold’ fared well at the box office and crossed the Rs. 100 crore mark worldwide. ‘Gold’ was the ninth Akshay Kumar starrer to cross the Rs. 100 crore mark.
ALSO READ: Review: High on nationalism, low on the game, Gold entertains but doesn’t gleam!
‘Gold’ is set back in 1948, and revolves around the journey of the Indian hockey team winning their first Olympic gold medal representing an independent India. The film is directed by Reema Kagti and is backed by Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar’s production house Excel Entertainment. The film also marks the Bollywood debut of television actress Mouni Roy. In May 2018, Saudi Arabia screened Marvel’s ‘Black Panther’ ending the cinema ban. Cinemas have been banned in Saudi Arabia for approximately 35 years.