Here's Why Vicky Kaushal Thought He Would Not "Get" Role Of Sam Manekshaw In 'Sam Bahadur'
Vicky Kaushal will next be seen in 'Sam Bahadur', directed by Meghna Gulzar. The film will clash with Ranbir Kapoor’s ‘Animal’.
Bollywood actor Vicky Kaushal will next be seen in ‘Sam Bahadur’ directed by Meghna Gulzar. The upcoming Hindi film will be released in theatres on December 1, 2023. And recently the trailer of the film was unveiled. For the unversed, Vicky Kaushal will be playing the role of Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw in the film. At the trailer launch event, Vicky Kaushal said that initially he thought that he was not good looking enough for the role of Sam Manekshaw.
Vicky Kaushal also revealed that director Meghna Gulzar told him about her desire to make the biopic on Manekshaw during the shooting of their 2018 film 'Raazi'.
"I remember when Meghna and I were working on Raazi, then during a shooting schedule in Patiala she told me what she wanted to do next. And she said she wants to make a film on Sam Manekshaw," news agency PTI quoted Vicky Kaushal as saying.
"My mother and father are both from Punjab, and through them, I had heard a lot about him. But I didn't know how he looked. So during that conversation, I secretly Googled him and saw his photo. I said, 'He is very handsome and I will not get this role.' But I have to thank Meghna for giving me the role of this handsome person," he added.
Apart from Vicky Kaushal, 'Sam Bahadur' also stars Fatima Sana Shaikh and Sanya Malhotra. The trailer was launched in the presence of Army Chief General Manoj Pande, Kaushal, Sanya Malhotra, Fatima Sana Shaikh, director Gulzar and producer Ronnie Screwvala.
"It is the toughest role of my life, not because of the way he talked and walked but because of the man he was. This was an attempt to live that life. It is obviously a team effort," said Vicky Kaushal.
"In one of his interviews, he was asked about the biggest achievement of his career of 40 years. And he said, 'In my career, from second lieutenant to field marshall, I have never punished a soldier.' And that compassion, especially when you have all the power and strength, and feeling for every jawan is what made him a hero to me. That swag, style and charisma was there but at the end that heart was also there. He had a compassionate heart and that is what I was trying to aim for," he added.
In 'Sam Bahadur', Fatima Sana Shaikh will be playing the role of former India Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi, while Sanya Malhotra is essaying the role of Sam Manekshaw's wife Silo.
For the unversed, Sam Manekshaw was the first Indian Army officer to have been promoted to the rank of Field Marshal. He is also credited for India's victory over Pakistan in the 1971 war, which led to the formation of Bangladesh.
Sam Manekshaw was the Chief of the Army Staff of the Indian Army during the 1971 India-Pakistan war and he was then promoted to Field Marshal by Indira Gandhi after the war came to an end.
The new Hindi movie will be releasing in theatres on December 1, and it will be going up against Ranbir Kapoor's 'Animal' at the box office.
