Mumbai, 14 March, 2020: Sardar Udham, directed by Shoojit Sircar and featuring Vicky Kaushal in the lead role, will hit the theatres on January 15, 2021. The film was earlier scheduled to release on October 2 this year. The new release date seems to have been chosen after it was announced earlier on Friday that Ranveer Singh’s Jayeshbhai Jordaar and John Abraham’s Satyamev Jayate will clash with the film of October 2.

The film is a biopic on Sardar Udham Singh, the revolutionary who assassinated Michael O’Dwyer, the former Lieutenant Governor of Punjab in British India in 1940, to avenge the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre.

Sharing the update on Instagram, Vicky wrote, “On March 13th 1940, #SardarUdham singlehandedly assassinated Michael O’ Dwyer in London to honour the lives lost at the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. His story deserves justice onscreen. Keeping that in mind, we will now see you in cinemas on 15th January 2021!”

He also shared a picture of himself as Sardar Udham Singh. He is seen in a sharp grey suit with a green waistcoat and a grey hat. 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.

In an interview to Mumbai Mirror, Shoojit said about casting Vicky, “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.”

Vicky 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.”

The project is a Rising Sun Films Production, backed by Ronnie Lahiri and Sheel Kumar. The movie was earlier scheduled to release on October 2 this year.