Mumbai: After his gripping performance as a courageous soldier in "Uri: The Surgical Strike", actor Vicky Kaushal has been cast to tell the heroic tale of Shaheed Udham Singh in a biopic. He says it's an honour. "An absolute honour to be roped in to play Shaheed Udham Singh in his biopic to be directed by Shoojit Sircar sir. Can't wait for this journey to start next month," Vicky tweeted on Monday. Actor Irrfan Khan was originally supposed to play Udham Singh.

Vicky, a versatile actor, and Sircar, a master storyteller, are joining hands for the very first time for the project, to be produced by Ronnie Lahiri under the banner Rising Sun Films.

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The actor will bring alive the story of Udham Singh, who assassinated Michael O' Dwyer, the former lieutenant governor of Punjab in pre-Independence India, in revenge for the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in Amritsar in 1919.

Singh was subsequently tried and convicted of murder and hanged in July 1940.

Sircar said in a statement: "I have been waiting to tell the heroic tale of Shaheed Udham Singh for a very long time. It is a story very close to my heart. For it, I needed an actor who could give his heart and soul to the film, be with me and tell the story together.

"Vicky fits the bill perfectly. I have seen his work and the dedication he brings to it. I'm very happy he is on board this project."