Vicky Kaushal, Meghna Gulzar’s ‘bahadur’ attempt wins hearts

Sam Bahadur’, the much-awaited biopic on Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw is out in theatres from December 1. Directed by Meghna Gulzar starring Vicky Kaushal, Fatima Sana Shaikh, Sanya Malhotra amongst others, the film has had a huge buzz around it. Right from the first look to the trailer, Vicky Kaushal’s transformation into Sam Manekshaw intrigued the audience, who were waiting to see what this actor has in store this time around. Add to that, it is a Meghna Gulzar directorial, who gave us ‘Raazi’ with Vicky and Alia Bhatt, one of the most endearing characters in a war film with a lot of heart.

It is not easy to fit an entire lifetime into a film with a runtime of just a couple of hours. And yet, Meghna Gulzar and her team of writers Bhavani Iyer and Shantanu Srivastava manage to do that with absolute finesse. If you have seen Meghna’s earlier films like ‘Raazi’, ‘Chhapaak’ and more, you’d know that she has a knack of making films with a lot of heart, telling stories that are unknown and untold. She does the same with ‘Sam Bahadur’. Though a biopic on one of the most inspiring men in the history of Indian Army, Sam Manekshaw, who has been part of 5 wars in his 40 years of service, the film is not anywhere close to your regular war films. It instead talks about the man Sam Bahadur, the field marshal who not only won wars but won over people with his charm, grit, sense of humour and empathy. While showcasing what material Sam was made of and what turned him into ‘Sam Bahadur’, the film attempts to celebrate the men in the Indian Army and showcases their true character and stature. The film doesn’t limit Sam to his duties as an Army man, but also showcases his time with family, kids, personal staff, colleagues, and army jawans, stressing that be it at the front or off it, professional or personal, an Army man is always a gentleman.

Talking about Vicky Kaushal, ‘Sam Bahadur’ could well get him his second National Award. The actor wins with his pitch perfect performance yet again as he brings to life an important chapter and an incredible personality from Indian history. Right from his gait, his look to his smirk and smile, Vicky Kaushal does full justice to his role, one that would make you take pride in.

The casting is on point. Fatima does a fair job in her portrayal of Indira Gandhi and her scenes with Vicky, where the two share undercurrents of fondness and trust for each other are delightful. Zeeshan Ayyub as former Pakistan Army General Yah Yah Khan doesn’t have much to do. Neeraj Kabi does best of what is expected of him. While all the characters fit well, there’re none that stand out enough to write home about.

Any war film or a film on an important chapter from Indian history is incomplete without a soulful song that stirs up emotions. That is one thing that ‘Sam Bahadur’ majorly falters on. There could also be a little more about his personal life like his relationship with his two daughters. His scenes with the wife (Sanya Malhotra) could have been more interestingly written and the latter’s character a little brighter.

If you are expecting to see a typical war film with men fighting the enemy with all their might while jingoism hangs in the air, then this one is not for you. Watch ‘Sam Bahadur’ to celebrate the time and life of a one of its kind gentleman Sam Manekshaw aka Sam Bahadur and discover a lesser known, lesser told side of the men who make Indian Army what it is. (Agencies)

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