Meghna Gulzar's Sam Manekshaw biopic titled 'SamBahadur'

MUMBAI: Director Meghna Gulzar on Saturday announced that her upcoming biopic on field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, starring Vicky Kaushal, is titled "SamBahadur".

Manekshaw was the chief of Indian Army in 1971 when India fought the Bangladesh Liberation War with Pakistan.

Kaushal is playing the role of the war hero in the biographical drama, produced by Ronnie Screwvala.

Gulzar and Screwvala's company RSVP revealed the title of the film on the occasion of the 107th birth anniversary of the Army veteran.

The director said she feels honoured to bring the story of Manekshaw on screen.

"He was a soldier's soldier and a gentleman's gentleman. They don't make men like Sam Bahadur anymore. On the Field Marshal's birth anniversary, his story has got its name. I couldn't be happier," Gulzar said in a statement.

Screwvala said the team is looking forward to audience reaction to the film.

"A great man was born today and we hope to do everything in our power to honour his memory and legacy," he added.

The project is a second collaboration between Gulzar and Kaushal after their 2017 blockbuster "Raazi".

The actor said it was important for him to capture the spirit of the war hero who is still remembered and loved to this day.

“I had always heard stories about Sam Bahadur from my parents who hail from Punjab and have seen the 1971 war but when I read the script I was completely blown away," he said.

In 2019, the team had shared Kaushal's first look from the film.

Bhavani Iyer has penned the script of the movie with dialogues by "Badhaai Ho" writer Shantanu Srivastava.