There have been very interesting incidents in the life of Field Marshal General Manekshaw, the real hero of the film "Sam Bahadur".

Meghna Gulzar has made a film on the life of General Manekshaw, the first and only 'Field Marshal' of the Indian Army. The trailer of the film was released on the occasion of Diwali, the name of the film is 'Sam Bahadur'. Actor Vicky Kaushal has played the role of real-life hero Sam on the screen of the film. The producer of the film is Ronnie Screwvala. This film is being released across India on 1 December 2023.

Before the country's independence, General Manekshaw was in the British Army. Yahiya Khan was also with him. Yahiya Khan was one rank below Manekshaw. This was the same Yahiya Khan who was the President of Pakistan at the time of Bangladesh's independence. Manekshaw had a bicycle which Yahiya Khan loved very much. Shaw Saheb said, I have bought it for Rs 1400, give the money and take it. Yahiya Khan said that I have only one thousand. Yahiya Khan took the bicycle but did not pay the money. Not even one thousand rupees were given. When Bangladesh became independent, Sam Bahadur had jokingly said that he did not give thousand rupees for the bicycle but gave half to Pakistan.

In 1971, the condition of East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) was very bad. Mukti Vahini Sena movement was going on there. The people there were distressed and wanted to be free from Pakistan. The atrocities of the Pakistani government were increasing there. People were fleeing from there and taking refuge in India. Lakhs of refugees had fled to India. The Prime Minister of the country at that time was Indira Gandhi, who called a cabinet meeting in March 1971. Army Chief General Manekshaw was also present in this meeting. Indira ji said that India will have to intervene in East Pakistan. Indira Ji wanted to take military action in East Pakistan in the month of April itself. He asked Manekshaw whether there was a war. The army chief refused without hesitation that he could not do so. The army was not ready for war. Indira Ji got angry. She was a very strict Prime Minister, how could anyone speak to her like that? The meeting was dismissed and the meeting was called again at four in the evening. Meanwhile, Indira ji met Manekshaw alone. Manekshaw gave him a blunt answer. Said- Madam Prime Minister, in what form do you want my resignation, be it a mental, physical, or health issue? The army is not ready, we will be defeated. My answer will remain the same. He told Indira Ji that even if he had been the Commanding Chief during the 1962 war during the time of his father (Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru), he would have said the same. If someone had had the courage to speak clearly to him during his time, the country would not have suffered such a huge defeat. Manekshaw was so candid. All this is written in author Srinath Raghavan's book "1971: A Global History of Creation of Bangladesh".

Manekshaw refused Indira ji but did not keep quiet. He contacted trusted army officers - Major General Jacob, Lieutenant General Sharad Singh, Major General Gill, etc. and planned to attack in July. They were given three months to prepare. The plan was made to first stop the army coming from Pakistan to East Pakistan, capture their military bases like Chittagong, and Khulan, and then blow up the bridge going to Tangal, 83 kilometers away from Dhaka, on the way between Pakistan and East Pakistan. But after blowing up the pool, the problem was that the Indian soldiers also had to go through the same route. On the other hand, the Pakistani Army got wind of India's activity and they quickly tightened their alertness on East Pakistan. Plans were made to attack on 5 December. Jagjit Singh Arora was the commander of India's Eastern Command at that time. Manekshaw contacted all the concerned military officers and planned the attack a day before on 4th December, but a day before that on 3rd December, Pakistan attacked India. Pakistan attacked India's Pathankot, Ambala, Amritsar, and Srinagar military bases. Sam Bahadur, after consulting Army Chief of Eastern Command Jagjit Singh Arora, landed his soldiers there in parachutes from 52 warships overnight. This was the biggest para-drop operation. Parachutes were visible all around. The fighting lasted from 3 December to 16 December. The army chief of East Pakistan was General Niazi, he felt that the Indian Army was getting rid of him. There was a lot of gathering in Pakistan and America in those days. Pakistan's Prime Minister Bhutto fled to America. He should raise the matter in the Security Council of the United Nations. The meeting continued there for four days. Bhutto angrily tore the papers and left, saying, "What is the use of coming here?" Meanwhile, East Pakistan was completely under the grip of Indian soldiers. On 16 December, senior Indian Army officers like Major General Jacob, and Jagjit Singh Arora reached Dhaka. Jacob gave a sword to General Niazi of East Pakistan and asked him to surrender. Niazi laid down his pistol and surrendered to India along with 90 thousand soldiers. General Manekshaw ordered them to sign the document of surrender...and, East Pakistan became independent Bangladesh forever.

The Government of India decorated Sam Manekshaw (he was 'Sam Bahadur' to the soldiers) with the honor of Field Marshal for his intelligence, and fighting skills and for enhancing the honor of the nation. He is the first Field Marshal of India. His fame was so great that even Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was afraid of him. Once seeing Indira Gandhi upset, Manekshaw asked her what was the problem. Indira ji said- I am afraid of you. She also said that she has no interest in politics if no obstruction is put in her army. Such was India's Field Marshal Sam Bahadur. The audience will be able to see what is happening in the on-screen story on December 1. Fatima Sana Shaikh played the role of Indira Gandhi in the film, Sanya Malhotra played the role of Sam Bahadur's wife (Silu) and Vicky Kaushal played the role of Sam Bahadur.

- Sharad Rai