The upcoming Bollywood film Sam Bahadur has been gaining much attention since its announcement. The film is based on the life of Sam Manekshaw, India’s first field marshal. The film is set against the backdrop of the Indo-Pakistan war in 1971. It shows how the Indian army led by Sam Manekshaw led to the liberation of Bangladesh.

Vicky Kaushal will be seen in the role of Sam Manekshaw in the film. The actor was in Kolkata to promote the film.

“There are films that make you feel blessed as an actor. And Sam Bahadur is one such film. Whenever I get to wear the army uniform for a film, I am honored. It is an honor and also an immense responsibility. Our entire team has worked hard for the film and I am eager to see the audience’s reaction. Army officers have so many stories. Some move you to tears while others motivate you. Films only show a fraction of the amount. It is always a pleasure to spend time with the army officers” said the actor.

The actor said that Uri showed a covert operation in the film. However, in Sam Bahadur which is a biopic, a huge amount of research has been done. “Sam Manekshaw rose from a low rank to that of a field marshal. Hence we had to be aware of the duties and responsibilities of the different ranks and the body language had to be equally matching” said Vicky.

The actor showered praises on the director. “I was happy that she was directing the film. She is a meticulous director. She does everything with a lot of sincerity and integrity. Meghna was in love with Sam Manekshaw. Her obsession with him ensured that the frames in the film were nothing less than perfect. That helped my performance in the film” said Vicky.

When questioned about whether Vicky consciously chose to do films based on army officers, the actor said “I do not mind doing ten more such films if the script is good or is made with integrity and sincerity. People need to know more about such heroes who have contributed to making India such a safe place for us to live in”.

Vicky also added that he had heard stories about Sam Manekshaw from his parents in Punjab during the 1971 war.

To portray Sam Manekshaw, Vicky emptied himself as an actor. “I read about him, watched the interviews, practiced his walking style, and did many more things to portray him well on the screen. It is difficult to get his swag correct as that charisma cannot be matched even by practicing” said the actor.

Directed by Meghna Gulzar, the film stars Fatima Sana Shaikh, Sanya Malhotra, Neeraj Kabi, Edward Sonnenblick, and others in pivotal roles.

The film is slated for release on 1^st December.

Video link of the press conference- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23LdlstbvT0

Priyanka Dutta