The legendary composer-writer-director and poet Gulzar’s battle track ‘Badhte Chalo’ for Vicky Kaushal’s upcoming biopic ‘Sam Bahadur’, which is the first song from the film will now be played during India-New Zealand cricket semi-finals.
What distinguishes this song from a lot of other military tracks in Indian cinema is that it involves several historical war cries from various regiments of the Indian Army into its lyrics. Even more, to make it as authentic as possible, the song utilises actual soldiers to do the war-cry.
Some of the war-cry used in the song include the motto of the Madras Regiment, Maratha Regiment, Sikh Regiment, Jammu & Kashmir Rifles, Rajputana Rifles, Rajput Regiment, Garhwal Rifles, Bihar Regiment, and the Kumaon Regiment.
Every person involved in the song is an actual soldier, adding a layer of sincerity and connection to the themes of valour, honour, courage, self-sacrifice, and duty.
Done in a 1990s style fashion, this anthem is very old-school which not only captures the essence of battle cries but also pays homage to the unsung heroes who form an integral part of the nation’s defense.
The combination of Gulzar’s poetic brilliance and the genuine presence of soldiers already makes this a very moving and powerful piece. On the cricket field, this track is more than likely to leave an indelible mark on the audience during this significant cricket event much like it was for some of the other songs previously used such as ‘Jai Shree Ram’.
