Hyderabad:Vicky Kaushal, who brought the life of India's first Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw on the big screen in the 2023 film Sam Bahadur, recently reflected on its box office clash with Ranbir Kapoor's Animal. Released on December 1, the movie found itself in competition with the crime thriller Animal. Vicky likened the Animal and Sam Bahadur clash to a test match and said that Sam Bahadur diverged from the typical masala film, aiming for a different impact.
In a recent interview with a magazine, Vicky discussed the Sam Bahadur and Animal release clash. Reflecting on the same, the National Award-winning actor said, "With Sam, we always knew it was a Test match; we knew it was not the quintessential masala film that Animal was―it had the shock value and one knew it would create waves at the box office."
Vicky noted a gradual rise in discussions surrounding Sam Bahadur as weeks passed, expressing joy at its screenings continuing into January, indicating sustained audience interest. The biographical war drama featured Vicky as the lead, with Sanya Malhotra and Fatima Sana Shaikh in prominent roles, directed by Meghna Gulzar and produced by Ronnie Screwvala.