On the occasion of India’s first Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw’s 111th birth anniversary, actor Vicky Kaushal took to social media to pay a heartfelt tribute to the legendary military leader.
The actor, who portrayed Field Marshal Manekshaw in the biographical film “Sam Bahadur,” shared a poignant message honoring his remarkable legacy and immense contributions to India’s military history. On Thursday, the ‘Uri’ actor posted a black and white photograph of Sam Manekshaw on his Instagram stories. Alongside the image, he wrote, “Happy Birthday, Legend.”
To further commemorate the occasion, Vicky added the song “Banda,” composed by Shankar Mahadevan and Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy, from his film “Sam Bahadur” to the post, reinforcing the deep admiration he holds for the war hero.
“Sam Bahadur,” directed by Meghna Gulzar and co-written by Bhavani Iyer and Shantanu Srivastava, featured Vicky Kaushal in the titular role. The film also starred Fatima Sana Shaikh, Sanya Malhotra, Neeraj Kabi, Edward Sonnenblick, and Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub. The biographical war drama, produced by Ronnie Screwvala under the banner of RSVP Movies, was released in theaters on December 1, 2023, and portrayed the life and achievements of India’s first Field Marshal, Sam Manekshaw.
For those unfamiliar with his legacy, Sam Manekshaw began his illustrious military career in 1934 when he joined the first batch of gentleman cadets at the Indian Military Academy (IMA) in Dehradun. Among his peers was his junior and future counterpart, Tikka Khan. Upon completing his training, Manekshaw was commissioned as a second lieutenant and assigned to the 12th Frontier Force Regiment in Ferozpur.
Throughout his four-decade-long service in the Indian Army, Manekshaw played a pivotal role in shaping the nation’s military history. He led India to victory in the 1971 Indo-Pakistani War, which resulted in the creation of Bangladesh. Born in Amritsar to a doctor father, Manekshaw belonged to a family with a strong military background, as his brother Jemi went on to become an Air Vice Marshal in the Indian Air Force. Over the course of his extraordinary career, Manekshaw fought in five wars, including World War II, the 1948 Indo-Pakistan War, the 1962 Sino-Indian War, the 1965 Indo-Pakistan War, and the 1971 Indo-Pakistan War.
Meanwhile, Vicky Kaushal continues to captivate audiences with his performances. Following his role in “Sam Bahadur,” he was recently seen in “Chhaava,” where he portrayed the historical figure Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj.
