On Manekshaw's death anniversary, Meghna Gulzar announces 'Sam'; Vicky Kaushal to play Field Marshal

MUMBAI: Thursday marked the 11th death anniversary of the country's best-known soldier and 1971 war hero, Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw who was the chief of Indian Army when India fought the Bangladesh Liberation War against Pakistan.

Forty-eight years on, the life, times and contribution of the intrepid Manekshaw is being brought to life by director Meghna Gulzar in the eponymous film,'Sam'. In a statement issued on his death anniversary, the 45-year-old director announced that the film which had "been brewing RSVP (Ronnie Screwvala's outfit) and me for some time now ...has begun to simmer."

Vicky Kaushal - of 'Uri: The Surgical Strike' and 'Raazi' which was also directed by Gulzar - has been roped in to essay the role of India's first Field Marshal in the biopic. Kaushal, who tweeted a picture of himself as the General, wrote that he was "honoured and proud of getting a chance to unfold his (Manekshaw) journey on screen."



Producer Ronnie Screwvala, who is backing the project through his banner RSVP banner, said that he was proud to be associated with a project like this.


Manekshaw's legendary status, in war and life, still remains. And the initial reactions to the film's announcement proved that. While actors congratulated Kaushal on a look well done, General V K Singh, former Chief of Army Staff and MoS Road Transport, tweeted about his association with the "inspirational Manekshaw" on the latter's death anniversary. The BJP MP from Ghaziabad had served under him in the Army.




Sam Hormusji Framji Jamshedji Manekshaw (3 April 1914 – 27 June 2008), popularly known as Sam Bahadur, was the first Indian Army officer to be promoted to the rank of Field Marshal.