Movie Review: Sam Bahadur

Watch this biopic for the sheer inspiration this man brings for every Indian.

First things first, After frequently watching the trash that is dished out to audiences in the name of Indian Army in commercial blockbusters like Gadar-2 and Jawaan, it is really pleasing to see that the basics of our Army have been correctly depicted here.

Field Marshal Sam Hormusji Framji Jamshedji Manekshaw.... Field Marshal SHFJ Manekshaw... A near-mythical colossus who lived after being shot nine times by a Japanese soldier in WWII... Sam, to his admirers... Sam, to his critics... Sam Bahadur, to his soldiers, with whom he lived, for whom he breathed.... They don't make Generals more colourful these days.

He was an integral part of all the wars which the Indian Army fought during his military career.... WW-II, 1947-48, 1962, 1965, 1971... How many can boast of this CV, Rare Indeed... Add a 'Military Cross' to it, and you get a rarer breed.... Go on to add a "Padma Vibhushan' and a "Padma Bhushan", and you get a millenial gem of a persona... There has not been any Field Marshal in the army after him.

Manekshaw is presented throughout as a hero, consistently correct, noble, witty and forgiving. Whether he’s standing up to politicians, boxing a rival or charming his future wife, the guy can do no wrong, and the charming Vicky Kaushal is well-cast in the role. Where this approach lands the film in trouble is in the overall shape of the drama – the incidents and set-pieces are neatly done, but the structure is somewhat episodic. It’s a perennial problem for biopics; how to give events the momentum of fiction when the underlying narrative is fact. This leaves the film feeling like a demonstration of the variously attributed maxim that history is simply one damned thing after another.

The movie is well paced with incredible cinematography, top end sounds, superb dialogues and mega sets. The challenges faced by the family in the course of leading an army way of living; Sam's astounding leadership traits; his love and hate relationship with the military top brass; his forthrightedness, regardless of the person in front; the silent awe that he generated in the minds of both Pandit Nehru and Indira Gandhi; the steely persona of Indira during the build up to 1971 War for the liberation of Bangladesh; are all extremely well crafted by the cinematic brilliance of Meghna Gulzar and her team.

Look out for the powerful scene at the verge of intermission when Sam and Indira face each other for the first time. Not a word spoken, but tremendous impact. Gurkha soldier calling "Sam Bahadur", Manekshaw's little family banters, Sam and Yahya's friendship of younger days, Indira's breakfast meet with the US Diplomats are some of the high points of the movie. 

Probably, the makers could have given some footage to the efforts of Lieutenant General JFR Jacob in getting the Instrument of Surrender signed by AAK Niazi in Dacca, which, especially for a Gunner like me, was a touch disappointing. 

All four songs in the movie are very lovely to listen to and will not let you move from your seat. Sunidhi Chauhan, Shreya Ghoshal and Sonu Nigam do not need any further mention.

The song "Badhte Chalo" is a masterpiece by Shankar Mahadevan, Divya Kumar and Vishal Dadlani and will literally give you goosebumps. It brings in the war cries of various Infantry Regiments of the Indian Army, and is not just a song but a feeling of being a proud Indian. Lyrics by, who else but, Gulzar. Pure joy to listen and watch. By the way, Hindustan Times has found it to be "unbelievably insipid and inelegant"!!

Shankar Ehsaan Loy and Shankar Mahadevan have brought together another beautiful rendition "Rab ka Banda Hai Ye". A powerful track, which is like an ode to the unstoppable Sam. 

As the song unfolds, glimpses from various phases of his life are depicted, showcasing his charisma unwavering determination and a silent, yet resolute approach. Lyrics by, who else but, Gulzar.

Vicky Kaushal is outstanding and has literally lived his character. This is his second collaboration with Meghna after "Raazi". He has probably made me a lifetime fan today after this performance, especially after witnessing him in Masaan, Raazi, Uri and Udham Singh. The poise, the body language, dialogue delivery... his efforts are more than sincere. In the hands of a lesser performer, Manekshaw’s gait, affected vocalisation and widely known effortless charm and quick wit might look like a caricature, but the ever-confident Kaushal maintains a firm grip over the character. His offscreen candour and self-accepting ways translate beautifully into the protagonist’s optimism and unwavering faith in his abilities.

Fatima Sana Shaikh and Sanya Malhotra do enough justice to the other two most important characters as Indira Gandhi and Siloo Manekshaw.

To be honest, a cinematic rookie like me could find several disjointed takes in the movie, but I will forget them for the moment. Take your children along and spend a quality evening in the nearest theatre

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Credits : 

The Guardian

Hindustan Times

World Wide Web