Beyond the Uniform: Can Vicky Kaushal Break Free from Bollywood’s Patriotic Trap

In 2019, Vicky Kaushal uttered three words that would come to define a cultural moment: "How's the josh?" The line, from the film Uri: The Surgical Strike, wasn't just dialogue, it became a national chant. Used by politicians, schoolteachers, sports coaches, and even the Prime Minister, it transformed Kaushal from a promising indie actor to a full-blown national icon. But in the wake of Uri's unprecedented success, a deeper question remains: was this Kaushal's moment of arrival, or was it the beginning of being 'typecasted' for his journey?

A Star Born in Uniform

Uri was more than a box office hit; it was a cultural artefact of its time. Released months before the 2019 Indian general elections, the film dramatized India's retaliation against the 2016 Uri terror attack, portraying the Indian Army's surgical strikes with a slick, heroic tone. The film catapulted Vicky Kaushal into an archetype: the disciplined, no-nonsense soldier-hero who gets the job done. Kaushal, with his accessible charisma and military makeover, became the face of that reassurance.

Nationalism as a Narrative Tool

Post-Uri, Kaushal's choices show a continued flirtation with nationalistic themes, but with nuance. In Sardar Udham (2021), directed by Shoojit Sircar, he played the revolutionary who assassinated Michael O'Dwyer in retaliation for the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. Unlike Uri, Sardar Udham didn't wear his patriotism on his sleeve. It was a meditative, introspective film about trauma, colonial violence, and resistance. Here, nationalism was not triumphant; it was mournful, even haunted.

But nationalism returned to the foreground with Sam Bahadur (2023), where Kaushal portrayed Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, India's legendary war hero. The film celebrated military leadership during the 1971 Indo-Pak war, placing Kaushal once again in uniform, this time with charisma, sharp wit, and a dignified defiance that echoed Manekshaw's real-life persona.

While less overtly jingoistic than Uri, Sam Bahadur reinforced the military-as-messiah narrative. It further cemented Kaushal as Bollywood's go-to face for respectable, sanitized nationalism, making him not just an actor, but a symbol. Cut to the current geo-political situation and the whole India-Pakistan tension, while there was a chatter about the film on 'Operation Sindoor', Vicky Kaushal emerged to be a fan-favourite name who should be cast in the film. While Akshay Kumar has already become the flag bearer of 'national hero' with his films and the themes he chose earlier, Vicky is yet another name that now floats in this sea.

The Double Bind of the ‘Nationalist Star’

Vicky Kaushal finds himself in a peculiar position, embraced by a mainstream that now equates patriotism with military valor, but also admired by critics and cinephiles who value depth and emotional complexity. He straddles both spaces: the nationalist blockbuster and the contemplative biopic. But that straddling comes with a risk. And once cast, it's hard to recast them. Kaushal's image has become inextricably tied to a particular kind of patriotism, one that is valorous, action-driven, and politically charged.

Art, Choice, or Calculation?

This begs the question: is Kaushal consciously curating his image in line with dominant sentiments? Or is he simply choosing well-written, high-impact roles that happen to reflect national pride? Unlike certain contemporaries who actively endorse political figures or campaigns, Kaushal maintains a studied neutrality off-screen.

It's likely that the answer lies in between. Kaushal is an actor who knows the power of the moment. In a post-Uri India, patriotic narratives don't just sell, they shape stardom. But his filmography also includes quieter, politically ambiguous films like Govinda Naam Mera or Manmarziyaan, suggesting a desire to not be boxed into a single archetype.

What Next?

As Kaushal turns 37, his next choices will determine whether he deepens the Uri-moulded legacy or breaks free from it. If Bollywood continues to lean into patriotic cinema as both art and propaganda, Kaushal may be called upon again to play the soldier, the martyr, the national icon. The josh, after all, is still high. But the real test of his stardom will be whether he can reimagine patriotism for a new generation, less chest-thumping, more compassionate; less slogan, more soul.

In the end, perhaps it doesn't matter whether he chose nationalistic cinema or it chose him. What matters is what he does with it next.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of IndiaForums.com, its editors, or its affiliates. Readers are encouraged to form their own views.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of IndiaForums.com, its editors, or its affiliates. Readers are encouraged to form their own views.