‘Sam Bahadur’ Review: Vicky Kaushal-Starrer Is Engaging for the Most Part

A very brief introduction of who (and, in a sense, what) Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw was is enough to understand why the man deserves a film about his valour and wit. And Meghna Gulzar brings that film alive in Sam Bahadur with Vicky Kaushal in the titular role. 

Manekshaw (dubbed Sam Bahadur or Sam ‘the Brave) had a military career that spanned close to four decades but ‘brave’ doesn’t even begin to describe the man Gulzar builds on screen. As is evident from Raazi, Gulzar brings an unique and almost sensitive gaze to war dramas – her films are less about the politics and violence of war and instead take a deeper look at the human cost of war. 

Here too, by focusing on Manekshaw not just as a man in uniform but a free-spirited cadet and even more empathetic senior, Gulzar elevates the film above its premise. While scenes of war punctuate the film’s narrative, they don’t necessarily take up a lot of space. For the genre, this decision might feel odd but for the film’s theme, it does make sense. 

Now here, dear reader, you and I might disagree – the way the narrative is styled. The film’s ‘time’ spans across approximately four decades; to accurately summarise four decades in the life of one of India’s most celebrated war heroes will surely be a task and that sometimes shows. Sam Bahadur’s achievements flit by on screen in an almost anecdotal fashion. With the footnote that the film’s storytelling isn’t as detailed as one would hope, the way the instances are stacked one after the other isn’t particularly bothersome. 

From being severely wounded by a Japanese soldier during World War II to leading the charge during the 1971 Indo-Pakistan war (and Bangladesh’s fight for liberation), Manekshaw has many a feather to his cap and the sheer effect that these ‘feathers’ can have on a viewer is magical. Even beyond that, watching Manekshaw interact with the people around him adds a shade to his character that makes him almost unforgettable even on screen. 

The way in which Manekshaw detects and understands even the most minute changes in human behaviour is an interesting Sherlock Holmes-esque detail. 

As the character, Vicky Kaushal’s performance has me warring with myself. On one hand, I was mesmerised by the actor’s ability to portray Manekshaw when he is at his most vulnerable, especially in the exchanges with his wife Siloo (played by Sanya Malhotra with a fiery charm). On the other, many of Manekshaw’s characteristics (except the gait) feel like a costume Kaushal has put on. While that is objectively true, it feels jarring in the film. Most of the mannerisms feel more like a performance than quirks. 

Both Kaushal and Fatima Sana Shaikh (as former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi) don’t come across as imposing figures, though it is often hinted that they are. Even during Manekshaw’s interactions with Jawaharlal Nehru (Neeraj Kabi), it is hinted that Indira Gandhi is the person to watch and while Shaikh tries to capture that ‘quality’, it rarely translates to the screen. 

This is, perhaps, also because we rarely get a glimpse into the lives of the people that surround the main character – a look into the politics of war, how one influences the decisions of another, how Manekshaw’s mind worked in some of the film’s most crucial moments rarely crop up.

However, Kaushal’s chemistry with Malhotra and Shaikh (the former comfortable and the latter cheeky) keep the film somewhat intact. From their initial dance (to the soulful yet toe-tapping ‘Itni Si Baat’) to the rhythm they share as a married couple, the duo bring a refreshing contrast to an otherwise demanding setting. In one scene, Manekshaw jokes about his injury at war and Siloo exits the conversation to break into tears – what is a badge of honour for one is a purely traumatic memory for another. These moments of understanding of human nature remind the viewer that there is one emotion that must trump most others – empathy.

And while Gulzar doesn’t capture Manekshaw’s story with same fervor as Raazi, the lens is always empathetic. Raazi is a study into why the ‘me vs them’ ideology is dangerous and attempts the dissect patriotism, Sam Bahadur is relegated to the ranks of a simple biography.

Sam Bahadur isn’t a bad movie by any standards; the film’s heart is in the right place but it doesn't beat with enough conviction to make it a brilliant watch.