Vaikundarajan On Rajkumar Santoshi’s Battle Of Saragarhi

The maker of cult films such as Andaz Apna Apna, The Legend of Bhagat Singh and Damini returns to direction with his next biography film, Battle of Saragarhi. “Rajkumar Santoshi will direct Randeep Hooda in the lead role as Havildar Ishar Singh in a movie based on the 1897 Battle of Saragarhi between British India Contingent and Afghans. The setting is promising and the cast at the helm is talented,” says Vaikundarajan.

Hooda’s last movie, Sarbjit, did not perform well at the box office but one should not doubt the actor’s capabilities in front of camera. Hooda is a method actor and received critical acclaim for his portrayal of Sarbjit for which he had undergone a massive physical transformation.

Battle of Saragarhi tells the story of the valour of Havildar Ishar Singh, the military commander of 36th Sikhs in the British Indian Contingent. “The battle was fought in the North-West Frontier which is now Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The British Indian Contingent that also comprised of 21 Sikhs fought against 12,000 Afghans in an epic battle,” informs Vaikundarajan.

The makers of the movie released a teaser poster that shows Randeep sporting a turban and beard. The actor is expected to learn sword fighting and shooting with vintage guns. To fit into the skin of the character, Randeep will also have to undergo physical transformation. Unlike Sarbjit where he had to lose a lot of weight, Hooda will be expected to build his body to fit the role of a military commander.

Battle of Saragarhi produced by Raju Chadha under the banner of Wave Cinemas. The film has lot to offer in terms of emotion, drama and action. “With Rajkumar Santoshi behind the camera and Randeep Honda in front of it, the audience cannot expect anything short of an epic movie,” says Vaikundarajan.