Sam Bahadur is a tribute to Field Marshal Sam HFJ Manekshaw, MC, India's first Field Marshal and a legendary Army General. His career witnessed the shaping of India's geopolitical borders, and his life was marked by significant milestones, from fighting in World War II to being the Chief of Army Staff during the 1971 Indo-Pakistan war, that led to the creation of Bangladesh. This RSVP film explores his dynamic personality and his unparalleled military career, offering a glimpse into the life of a no-nonsense Army Commander, also known as "Sam Bahadur" by the soldiers he led.
Meghna Gulzar began her professional career in 1989 as a freelance writer for The Times of India and other publications. Her poems have also been published in anthologies of the Poetry Society of India. A graduate in Sociology from St Xaviers’ College, Mumbai, Meghna worked with noted filmmaker Saeed Akhtar Mirza as an assistant director on the National Award-winning film Naseem; and then went on to do a short course in filmmaking from the Tisch School of Arts, New York University, New York. She assisted her father – poet, writer & director Gulzar, on his notable films Maachis and Hu Tu Tu. Along with scripting her own films, Meghna has made documentaries for Doordarshan and directed music videos and corporate ad films. Meghna has also anchored several TV shows including The Amul India Show. Her first feature film, Filhaal... (2002) dealt with the issue of surrogacy as an option for a young childless couple. Meghna directed A Pocketful of Poems (2006) – a short film on the celluloid and literary works of her father Gulzar, for the Sahitya Akademi. Meghna’s second feature film Just Married (2007) explored the fragile relationship between two people in an arranged marriage. Pooranmaashi was Meghna’s short film in Dus Kahaaniyaan (2007). In 2010, Meghna conceived and directed Closer, a documentary on Pervasive Developmental Disorders for the Special Child Trust, New Delhi. Heads & Tales Meghna’s English translation of the screenplays of two notable films – Aandhi and Hu Tu Tu was published in 2014. Meghna’s feature film based on the Noida Double-Murder case of 2008 – Talvar – released on October 2, 2015 to rave reviews and tremendous audience appreciation. Talvar premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September and had its European premiere at BFI London Film Festival. Meghna’s fourth feature film Raazi (2018), was the story of a young girl, who is married into a Pakistani military family and sent to Pakistan as a spy for India in 1971. Raazi was received with both audience and critical acclaim, as well as Box Office success. Because He Is... a biography written by Meghna on her father – esteemed poet, writer and film-maker Gulzar, which was first published in 2004, was released as a new updated edition in September 2018 by HarperCollins Publishers. Chhapaak (2020), was an intense exploration of Acid Violence through the case of Acid Attack Survivor Laxmi Agarwal, with Deepika Padukone portraying Laxmi. SamBahadur (2023), produced by Ronnie Screwvala and headlined by Vicky Kaushal as Field Marshal Sam H F J Manekshaw MC, released to immense appreciation and success in 2023.