The awaited Meghna Gulzar’s Sam Bahadur is out. Starring Vicky Kaushal, who is a pro at playing such roles, this movie is about one of the greatest soldiers, a colossus who lived after being shot nine times by a Japanese soldier in WW2.
We see four decades of Manekshaw’s life and Vicky Kaushal has played the role to perfection. He is a visual treat. The almost 3 hours movie is a struggle between fine acting and the dull narrative. When the actor shines, the poor story line dims the luster.
One moment Sam Manekshaw is a young gentleman cadet being punished for a night out, the other he is a platoon commander winning a boxing match in Lahore. The excellence of the character hasn’t been explored enough.
Starring Vicky Kaushal, Fatima Sana Shaikh, Sanya Malhotra, Neeraj Kabi and others, the movie is about valour, resilience and nationalism. The movie celebrates her career through five wars.
The movie has some great war scenes but it’s a bumpy ride. The brutality of the war could not be felt. The film’s music is loud and unmelodious, it lacks the finesse expected by Shankar Ehsaan Loy.
Sam Bahadur can be seen as a sweet, engaging film that has several segments of his life covered. But all the threads of the film are not woven well into a perfectly gripping plot. There are several dull moments, however if you enjoy history and wish to see this charming man, indulge yourself.
