Sardar Udham: Vicky Kaushal calls being cast in film after Irrfan’s passing ‘bittersweet’

Khan had been director Shoojit Sircar’s initial choice to star in the biographical film, after the two had collaborated on Piku.

Sardar Udham has been raking in rave reviews from both critics and audiences alike ever since its release last month. What should be an ecstatic occasion had been bittersweet for the movie’s lead star Vicky Kaushal, who was chosen to emulate the role in place of the late Irrfan Khan.

Director Shoojit Sircar had initially wanted the role of the Indian revolutionary to be portrayed by Khan. The duo had collaborated previously on Piku.

In a conversation with Times of India, Kaushal revealed that he had never even attempted to try and echo the late star’s standard of acting, which he calls an impossible task. He said that the realisation was a reality check for him, and instead he had tried to do justice to the role as best as he could as a tribute to Khan.

Calling his role in the film ‘bittersweet’, the actor also revealed that a part of him wished that Sardar Udham had indeed been headlined by Khan, just as Sircar had envisioned. Kaushal also said that he considered it his good fortune to be a part of the popular director’s work, saying he had been a long time admirer of Sircar’s work.

Sircar also had nothing but good things to say of Kaushal, hinting at his interest in collaborating with the star yet again in the future.

Sardar Udham traces the story of the titular Indian patriot in his efforts to assassinate Michael O'Dwyer, the Lieutenant Governor of Punjab at the time who was a key figure in the tragic Jallianwala Bagh massacre of 1919. In addition to Kaushal the movie also stars Shaun Scott, Stephen Hogan, Banita Sandhu, Kirsty Averton and Amol Parasher.

ALSO READ: Sardar Udham review: Shoojit Sircar and Vicky Kaushal create a magnificent portrait of the freedom fighter

The film is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.

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