Meghna Gulzar is a wonderful director and her last 3 films have proved it. Meghna slightly disappoints this time with Sam Bahadur, but Vicky’s powerful performance acts as a saving grace. Sam Bahadur is that film which completely belongs to Vicky Kaushal and no one else.
The performance which Vicky has given in Sam Bahadur has to be written in the history books. We haven’t witnessed any actor in recent times getting into the skin of a character in such a way. Though it’s 2023 and too early to say, but the way Vicky has acted, his performance will surely go down as the top 5 best performances of this decade. Vicky has given a performance of the lifetime. If a film could have been regarded as a Masterpiece by only looking at the performance of the lead actor, then Sam Bahadur should have definitely got that tag. There is not a single scene where you will see Vicky Kaushal on-screen, it always feels like Sam Manekshaw is playing his own role on-screen. The way Vicky talks, the way Vicky walks, the look and the attitude, everything is top-notch. Vicky has played the most challenging role of his career and has dived into the skin of the character with utmost perfection. I can write a full article just to describe the brilliance of Vicky Kaushal – the actor.
The Dangal girls (Fatima Sana Shaikh and Sanya Malhotra) have been given character driven roles in the film. Fatima as PM Indira Gandhi is partly convincing. Fatima doesn’t look like PM Indira Gandhi, but somewhat sounds like her. Sanya Malhotra plays Sam Manekshaw’s wife in the film. Sanya nails the look of a Parsi lady. Her character doesn’t leave a solid mark on the viewers, because Vicky has not given a chance to any of the actor to do so. It was so good to see Mohd. Zeeshan Ayub on-screen after a very long time and he has nailed his part. The supporting cast is good.
The screenplay of the film is very slow. If you are allergic to slow films then Sam Bahadur is not your cup of tea. Sam Bahadur feels boring in many parts where viewers start to lose their interest. The dull screenplay makes the viewers miss their attention to some important parts, because of the poor scenes which are placed after and before those scenes. URI had jingoism and Sardar Udham had powerful storytelling, but Sam Bahadur had nothing like that. From the very first scene to the ending scene, Vicky single handedly carries the film on his shoulders.
The writing of Sam Bahadur could have been more gripping and interesting. The achievements of Sam Manekshaw could have been presented in a much better way. There are dialogues which will give goosebumps to the viewers.
The songs were forcefully added in the film which affected the narrative. Though the songs were situational, they do not inspire much.
The war scenes in the film look good. The VFX looks real in those scenes and is convincing. The film is shot on real locations which adds more beauty to the frames. The whole framework of Sam Bahadur is excellent.
There are many important events in the film which are not presented in a much effective way. Meghna played it very safe and presented this film in the simplest way. A story of a powerful person like Sam Manekshaw needed a powerful storytelling and that’s where Meghna has failed. The saddest part is that Vicky’s performance is the only takeaway from this film.
The film is strictly meant for classes and high end multiplex audiences. Those who like to watch simple, regular and no brainer masala films won’t understand what is going on-screen. The film-making is very complex and won’t be accepted by all. The film also gives a docu-drama feel which hurts the expectations of the viewers.
There are some films which should be strictly watched for the performance of the actor and nothing else, Sam Bahadur is that film. Even if one doesn’t understand what is going on screen, they can’t take their eyes off because Vicky Kaushal takes the charge in each and every single scene. I just wished the film would have been equally powerful like Vicky’s performance and it would have got a very good recognition.
Sam Bahadur was that film which had a limited potential because adding unnecessary melodramatic elements in it would have made things worse. Kudos to Meghna for not taking much cinematic liberty and sticking to her basics. A biopic has certain limitations and restrictions, and when you are making a biopic on Field Marshall like Sam Manekshaw, you should be very careful in not showcasing anything wrong and makers have handled the subject very responsibly. This was one of those scripts which had limited scope and Vicky took that risk without caring much about the other aspects.
Overall Sam Bahadur deserves a one time watch for celebrating the life of Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw. Vicky Kaushal deserves a big salute for his portrayal of Sam Manekshaw and his powerful performance is enough to experience this film. The film deserves an extra 0.5 just due to Vicky’s once in a lifetime performance.
Rating – 3/5*
