A steely-eyed, moustache-sporting Vicky Kaushal’s war veteran shows unwavering confidence and firmness as he deals with political pressure and cross-border threats in the trailer of Meghna Gulzar’s Sam Bahadur, a biopic on Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw.
Dropped by the makers on Tuesday, the two-minute-42-second-long trailer shows Vicky’s Manekshaw marshalling his troops with patriotic declarations and radiating pride and dignity of a soldier. It begins with glimpses of Vicky’s Manekshaw chanting lines by Indian poet Kabir to infuse courage in his soldiers. The scene then cuts to Sam’s superior assuring him that after he took control over of the troops, the position of the Indian army has improved significantly.
The video also offers a glimpse into the life of a young Manekshaw, who is informed that Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the former Governor-General of Pakistan, wants him to join the Pakistan army. He boldly replies, “I was born in Amritsar, my wife is from Bombay, I work in Delhi. Is there anything more with which I need to prove my Indianness?”
Directed by Meghna Gulzar, the biographical film will recount the military journey of Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, a key figure in India's victory during the 1971 Indo-Pak war. The film will depict the socio-political dynamics of the India-Pakistan conflict.
While Fatima Sana Shaikh plays Indira Gandhi in the film, Edward Sonnenblick portrays Lord Mountbatten. Jawan actress Sanya Malhotra plays Manekshaw’s wife Silloo Manekshaw in the film,
Throughout the trailer, Vicky can be heard exclaiming patriotic one-liners. “There's a difference between potential and intention,” he tells Fatima’s Indira Gandhi in one of the scenes. In another scene, he says, “Whether or not we remain alive, the respect of our uniform will remain forever.”
Sharing the trailer on his Instagram account, Vicky wrote, “To the Indian army, to the nation and its people, we present to you a glimpse into the life of India’s Greatest Soldier, Sam Manekshaw. 🫡❤️.”
Sam Bahadur is slated to release in theatres on December 1.
