Sardar Udham Singh first look: Vicky Kaushal returns as the firebrand freedom fighter after Uri’s success, see pic

Sardar Udham Singh first look: Vicky Kaushal looks intense as he plays the freedom fighter. The film is being shot in St Petersburg.

The first look of Uri actor Vicky Kaushal from Sardar Udham Singh, a biopic on the legendary freedom fighter, is out shows him on the streets of St Petersburg. The actor sports a suave hairstyle and a wound mark on his right cheek and can be seen dressed in an overcoat. Vintage cars and a Russian woman can also be seen in the frame.

Sardar Udham Singh first look: Vicky Kaushal plays the freedom fighter in his biopic.

Sardar Udham Singh is being directed by Shoojit Sircar and has been written by Ritesh Shah and Shubendu Bhattacharya. Earlier, actor Irrfan Khan was chosen to play the lead role but had to be replaced by Vicky after he was diagnosed with neuroendocrine tumour and couldn’t return for an action role.

Vicky Kaushal on the sets of Sardar Uddham Singh biopic.

Director Shoojit Sircar (centre) and Vicky Kaushal (right) on the sets of Sardar Uddham Singh biopic.

In a recent interview to Mumbai Mirror, Shoojit said about casting Vicky Kaushal, “There’s a burning intensity and anger that I saw in his eyes during our first meeting itself, that convinced me he was the one right man to play Udham.” He added, “The film is based on Udham Singh’s life, particularly one event which we had already researched. Since Vicky is from Punjab, a Sikh family, it’s a huge responsibility for him too.”

The filmmaker is shooting for the film in St Petersburg and Vicky even shared a small video of the city on his Instagram stories. Talking about the shoot in Russia, Shoojit said, “This is my first period film and it’s hard to create that environment and these characters that are a part of our history. The Russians love India... They love Raj Kapoor and Shashi Kapoor, Amitabh Bachchan and Mithun da (Chakraborty). If you want something you only sing “ Jimmy Jimmy’ from Disco Dancer.”

Vicky Kaushal shared a video of St Petersburg on his Instagram stories.

The filmmaker said that the film will be shot on the outskirts of London, parts of Ireland and Germany and India. “We will be shooting for six-seven months, all through the year during different seasons. The film is scheduled for a 2020 release,” he said.

Vicky Kaushal is elated to be a part of the film and had earlier said in a statement, “Since the time I started working as an actor in the industry, there was a wish list of the directors I wanted to work with. Shoojit sir was always on top of that list. So it is like a dream come true that he is finally directing me. And, what better story than Udham Singh! Being a Punjabi, I have always heard about his stories, heard about his life as I was growing up and he has always come across as a mysterious character. The more mysterious a character, the more stimulating it becomes for an actor and for the director as well. I am so looking forward to becoming Udham Singh and translating Shoojit sir’s vision. I just feel that this is one person whose life story India should know and I am really excited for this journey to start.”

Who was Udham Singh?

A member of Ghadar Party, Sardar Udham Singh killed General Michael O’ Dwyer, the former lieutenant governor of the Punjab in India, in London on 13 March 1940. O’ Dwyer ordered the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in Amritsar in 1919. Singh was hanged in July 1940. While in custody, he used the name Ram Mohammad Singh Azad, which represents the three major religions of Punjab.

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