Sam Bahadur Release: His Journey From Manekshaw To Bahadur, Portrayed By Vicky Kaushal In Meghna Gulzar's War Drama

Vicky Kaushal, Fatima Sana Shaikh, and Sanya Malhotra starrer Sam Bahadur's much-awaited movie has released to mix responses from the audience. Helmed by Meghna Gulzar, the movie is Indian army officer Sam Manekshaw's biopic and Meghna Gulzar and Vicky Kaushal's second collaboration after Raazi which was a blockbuster. With Sam Bahadur also, the expectations are at an all-time high.

The trailer was released yesterday in the national capital and it is getting immense love on social media. Vicky Kaushal and Fatima Sana Shaikh in their respective roles as Sam Bahadur and Indira Gandhi shine like never before. Sam Bahadur is slated to release on December 1, 2023.

Here are some interesting facts about the life of Indian army officer Sam Manekshaw, on whom this biopic is based.

The Tale Of Sam's Tale Of Becoming 'Bahadur' From 'Manekshaw'

Sam Maneshaw joined the Gurkha regiment in 1947 and here's the tale of how he came to be called, Sam Bahadur in his own words. Manekshaw was quoted saying, "Oh Lord, in the Indian Army there were 10 regiments of the Gurkhas. So when India got independence, that is when the Pakistani people went to Pakistan, certain regiments went to Her Majesty's Gurkhas, and certain regiments remained in India. But there was a treaty between the king of Nepal and the British government that all Gurkha regiments would be officered by British officers. So when the British officers left, it had to be some Indian officers.

So I was the first Indian to be posted to a Gurkha regiment. I had been with the Frontier Force regiment, now I became a Gurkha. This happened in the year 1947, and in the same timeline I met a Gurkha sentry. I looked at him and I said...asked him, "What is your name?". And he said, "Harka Bahadur Gurung." And I looked at him, "What's my name?" and he thought and thought and said, "Sam Bahadur". I became Sam Bahadur."

Who Was Sam Bahadur?

Sam Hormusji Framji Jamshedji Manekshaw was India's first Army officer to be appointed as the Field Marshal. He was popularly known as Sam Bahadur for his role in the army.

Born in Amritsar, Punjab in a Parsi family, Sam Bahadur wanted to sign up for a three-year course under the Indian Military College Committee after completing his education when his father refused to send him to London to study medicine. The military academy trained Indians for officer commissions in the army. However, selections were done based on the exam conducted by the Public Service Commission. Manekshaw applied and became one of 15 cadets to get selected.

Sam Manekshaw joined the Indian Military Academy and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the British Indian Army (Indian Army post-independence). Throughout his career in the army, Manekshaw fought many wars including World War II, the Indo-Pakistan War of 1947, the Sino-Indian war, the Indo-Pakistan War of 1965, the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971, and the Bangladesh Liberation War.

Image Courtesy: Vicky Kaushal Instagram

For his contributions, he was awarded the Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, and Military Cross. For his service as the Chief Of Army Staff during the Indo-Pak War, in 1971, he was promoted to the rank of Field Marshal. Field Marshal is considered the senior most military rank. To get promoted to the five-star rank, Army officers should have made a historical military achievement.

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Sam Bahadur's Personal Life

Image Courtesy: The Quint

Sam Bahadur was married to Siloo and the couple had two daughters, Sherry and Maya. Manekshaw died at the age of 94 of pneumonia at a Military Hospital in Wellington, Tamil Nadu on June 27, 2008. Officer Manekshaw is survived by two daughters and three grandchildren.

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Sam Bahadur was indeed a real-life hero and we can’t wait to see his journey on the silver screen with Meghna Gulzar’s war drama. If you missed watching the trailer, watch it here:

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