Meghna Gulzar's 'Sam Bahadur' film must deliver

Sam Bahadur film: True depictions of history and the real heroes of Bharat Varsha have proven to be the road to redemption for the entertainment industries, be it Bollywood or regional cinema industries. Now, directors are racing to make films about unsung heroes, freedom fighters who were left out by the NCERT books and the court historians of the Congress party and its ecosystem. Meghna Gulzar’s ‘Sam Bahadur’ is a test case for this changed pattern.

Vicky Kaushal as Sam Manekshaw

Reports suggest that the shooting of the much-awaited biopic “Sam Bahadur” has been completed. The movie is directed by Meghna Gulzar, and it is made under the RSVP Productions banner. The Sam Bahadur film stars Vicky Kaushal in the title role, who will play India’s First Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw.

Additionally, Sanya Malhotra will play the role of his wife Siloo, and Fatima Sana Shaikh will be seen as former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. The movie will touch on his role in the Indian Army right from his young age to the 1971 war. It is scheduled to hit theaters on December 1, 2023.

Also Read : Vicky Kaushal to essay Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw in Meghna Gulzar directed biopic ‘Sam’

Now, it will be a challenging task for director Meghna Gulzar to rightfully justify the rich legacy of India’s most popular and loved Indian Army Chief, Sam Manekshaw. However, she will have to see that the Sam Bahadur film doesn’t fall prey to fulfill a leftist agenda and alter the real facts of the day.

Controversial past of the director

The fear that the Sam Bahadur may suffer from a leftist agenda emanates from the controversial filmmaking style of Meghna Gulzar. She is, without a doubt, a well-known filmmaker. In the past, she left her mark with the film “Talvar,” which was released in 2015.

However, several controversial things in “Raazi” and “Chhapaak” had raised a big question mark on her filmmaking style.

“Raazi” was based on the Indo-Pak War of 1971, which was inspired by the book “Calling Sehmat”. The film proved to be a financial success for Meghna Gulzar, daughter of acclaimed lyricist Sampooran Singh Kalra, aka Gulzar.

Also Read : Congress makes a huge blunder, posts Sam Manekshaw’s photo on Twitter while honouring KM Cariappa

Raazi proved to be a monumental success for Alia Bhatt, who played the lead role in the film.

However, the film lost its track on a factual basis, and it was accused of promoting a leftist agenda. Former Indian Navy officer and author of the book “Calling Sehmat”, Harinder Sikka, accused her of showcasing Pakistan in a positive light.

He alleged that the film was the exact opposite of his original book, and Sehmat was feeling guilty about his act, exactly the opposite of the original book.

Similarly, “Chhapaak” had its fair share of controversies. The sheer amount of agenda peddled by its lead actress, Dipika Padukone, resulted in the failure of the film. Her visit to JNU to lend her support for ‘students’ protesting against CAA ruined the film.

The life of Sam Manekshaw is rich enough to make a lengthy web series, yet it will be loved immensely by the audiences. The only question is whether she will be able to save the Sam Bahadur film from leftist perversion.