Manjit Thakur / New Delhi

A film Sardar Udham based on the life of a revolutionary is being released on Amazon Prime OTT platform with one of the finest Bollywood actors Vicky Kaushal playing Udham Singh’s role.  Undoubtedly, Sardar Udham Singh’s short and meaningful life is sure to get a huge traction. However, not many would know that the real life Udham Singh too had acted in films – in the Hollywood and the remunerations he received went into funding the activities of the revolutionaries who were fighting against the British.

Born on December 26, 1899, Udham Singh’s short life was so eventful and dedicated to the cause of India’s freedom that youth will surely feel inspired to see it on the screen. At the age of 40, he was hanged for the murder of Michael O'Dwyer, the lieutenant governor of Punjab.

It is noteworthy that Reginald Dyer had ordered the firing in Jallianwala Bagh and O'Dwyer had later condemned his brutal act. However, being a functionary of the British Raj, the O’Dwyer was also responsible for the ghastly killings through unprovoked firing. His mortal remains are kept in Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar.

Sardar Udham Singh in Elephant Boy

While the film will focus on his revolutionary activities, yet it is interesting to know about his eventful career as a Bollywood actor.

Was Udham Singh interested in acting? No. His sole purpose of acting was to raise money for the Gaddar Party—the party of revolutionaries of India. The Gaddar Party was formed by Lala Hardayal to liberate India from British occupation. Sardar Udham Singh acted in the film The Elephant Boy in 1937 and two years later in 'The Four Feathers'.Alexandre Korda's Elephant Boy is based on the story Tumai of the Elephant.that features in Rudyard Kipling's book The Jungle Book. The film also won the best director award at the Venice Film Festival. Jolton Korda's The Four Feathers was about a British officer who disguises himself as an Arab in order to save his comrades.

However, Sardar Udham Singh's character was very small in both these films and both these films were never released in India.

Even before this latest film of Vicky Kaushal, many films have been made on Sardar udhma Singh’s life. Sarfarosh - The Story of Shaheed Udham Singh' made in Punjabi was released in 1976. A year later, in 1977, 'Jallianwala Bagh' was released. Its story was written by Gulzar and Parikshit Sahni played the character of Sardar Udham Singh. After many years, in the year 2000, a film named 'Shaheed Udham Singh aka Ram Mohammad Singh Azad' was made, in which the character of Sardar Udham Singh was played by Raj Babbar.

Udham Singh's childhood name was Sher Singh and he was born in Sunam village of Sangrur district. He was young when his parents passed away. After this he was brought up in the Central Khalsa Orphanage in Putlighar. Udham Singh was serving water to the revelers and was an eyewitness to the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, the darkest chapter in Indian history. The incident dates back to March 13, 1940, when the East India Association and the Royal Central Asian Society were meeting at Caxton Hall in London.

Sardar Udham Singh after his arrest at Caxton Hall, London

While the film will focus on his revolutionary activities, yet it is interesting to know about his eventful career as a Bollywood actor.

Was Udham Singh interested in acting? No. His sole purpose of acting was to raise money for the Gaddar Party—the party of revolutionaries of India. The Gaddar Party was formed by Lala Hardayal to liberate India from British occupation. Sardar Udham Singh acted in the film The Elephant Boy in 1937 and two years later in 'The Four Feathers'.Udham Singh had attended that meeting only to kill Dwyer. Udham Singh had hidden his revolver in a book by tearing off some pages to make place for the pistol.

At the end of the meeting, Udham Singh fired at Michael O'Dwyer but he did not run away after firing. He fired two shots at Dwyer, and the former lieutenant governor of Punjab was killed on the spot. Instead of running away, Singh waited for the officers to come and arrest him.

He was tried in Britain and convicted of murder. He was hanged in Pentonville Prison on July 31 1940.