When Headingley met Bollywood

Earlier today there were headlines about a new deal that UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer MP has announced in India about three new Bollywood blockbusters that will be made in the UK from next year.

Yash Raj Film, India’s leading film production and distribution company, have confirmed plans to bring their major productions to locations across the United Kingdom from early 2026, creating over 3,000 jobs and boosting the economy by millions of pounds.  

But did you know that AMT Headingley Rugby Stadium was once a location for a Bollywood movie? Prior to the re-development of the stadium, the old Headingley Stadium was the perfect replacement for post war London in the 2018 Bollywood film called Gold. 

The Indian Hindi-language period sports film was written and directed by Reema Kagti and produced by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani. The film stars an ensemble cast of Akshay Kumar, Mouni Roy, Amit Sadh, Kunal Kapoor, Vineet Kumar Singh, Sunny Kaushal and Nikita Dutta.

Gold is based on the journey of India's national hockey team to the 1948 Summer Olympics and follows Tapan Das, the man who won India its first gold medal in the same event. Gold was theatrically released on 15 August 2018 during India's Independence Day. The film grossed US$19 million against a budget of US$7.2 million at the box office and became the first Bollywood film to be released in Saudi Arabia.

The filming took place between 19th and 26th July in 2017 with the rugby posts taken down and replaced with hockey goals and pitch markings as well as fans in the old wooden seats in the North Stand including some members of staff who doubled up as crowd extras! Whilst CGI was used to put stands like the old Empire Stadium at Wembley, sharp eyed fans will recognise the wooden timekeepers bench that used to be above the tunnel at Headingley which doubles up as a 1946 BBC commentary box.