Much like our political leadership, Bollywood largely remains silent on our battles and skirmishes with our northern neighbour. This week is a glorious exception, as director Razneesh Razy Ghai brings a tale of valour from the Chinese front as he makes us relive the battle of Rezang La, where 120 Indian bravehearts from the plains thwarted the dragon’s designs on Chushul Airfield to occupy the entire Ladakh during the Sino-Indian war on November 21, 1962.
On the 63rd anniversary of the battle, 120 Bahadur traces the fierce resistance offered by the Charlie Company of the Kumaon Regiment, led by Major Shaitan Singh Bhati (Farhan Akhtar), which inflicted heavy casualties on the Chinese army, forcing them to declare a unilateral ceasefire. While India suffered a setback in the war, the military resolve shown at Rezang La remains an abiding symbol of national pride. Refusing orders to retreat, the soldiers mounted a heroic last stand, fighting hand-to-hand and to their last bullet and last man.
120 Bahadur (Hindi)
Director: Razneesh Ghai
Cast: Farhan Akhtar, Rashii Khanna, Vivan Bhatena, Ankit Siwach, Ajinkya Deo, Eijaz Khan
Duration: 137 minutes
Storyline: Based on the true story of the 120 brave soldiers of Charlie Company led by Major Shaitan Singh, who made a legendary last stand at the freezing Rezang La pass to thwart the Chinese aggression during the 1962 Sino-Indian War.
Unlike the generic chest-thumping, jingoistic celebrations of military milestones that Bollywood churns out, 120 Bahadur is a sincere, technically proficient tribute that gives both heart and mind their due on the battlefield. It aligns the beats and the attitude and swagger that are very much of today, without diluting the details of the military manoeuvre in a punishing environment.
More importantly, it showcases the varied social composition of our armed forces, something that our mainstream cinema fails to underline or provide token representation. The battle was fought by Ahir soldiers from the plains of Haryana and Rajasthan. These were sons of farmers, and as Shaitan Singh says in the film, they had imbibed stories of their fathers fighting to save their lands. The film gives us a sense of their purpose and resolve without being didactic.
Despite their exploits in world wars, it suggests why Ahirs were considered an indisciplined lot by the colonial masters and how Shaitan Singh channels their grit and love for the motherland and Lord Krishna into a ferocious force with the war cry Dada Kishan Ki Jai echoing through the socio-political chambers. Ahirs believe they belong to the lineage of master strategist Krishna and hence consider him as their forefather (dada).
Told in flashback mode in the voice of a genial radio operator who is transformed during the battle, the film’s signals are not superficial. It is not part of the narrative, but the film has come at a time when Ahirs or Yadavs are demanding recognition for their contribution and a separate regiment on the lines of Sikh and Jat formations.
Bhati is a Rajput, but Shaitan Singh carries resonance in the Gurjar belts as well, where Bhati is a common surname. It reflects that while being true to one’s caste identity, one could fight for a national cause. Among the soldiers, there is a Dahiya who can sing and Yadav who loves his chocolate. The bursting youthful energy seeps through the screen.
Years after Dharmendra depicted him in Chetan Anand’s much-acclaimed Haqeeqat, Farhan Akhtar relives the legend of Shaitan, who outsmarted the Chinese. Anchoring the film’s emotional core, Farhan embodies a role that demands quiet authority and unyielding resolve with striking authenticity. He transforms a revered historical figure into a deeply human leader whose calm demeanour masks the raging storm inside.
It is all in the hawa, the ether, and Farhan portrays the current that flows through Shaitan, right. He invokes clenched jaw, the iron fist when required, and there is a cadence to the dialogue delivery as per the emotional fervour of the scene. Over the years, Farhan’s films exude a kind of cheeky flair and smart irreverence that is very today. He brings that shrewd swagger to Shaitan Singh, who not only looks at the enemy in the eye but also thinks out of the box to outwit the Chinese at their own game.
Ghai, who impressed with his ambition in Dhakad, puts his potential into kinetic action here. He provides Farhan the ground to fire his limited but effective acting ammunition by creating visceral battle sequences in stunning Himalayan surroundings captured by Japanese cinematographer Tetsuo Nagata. Whether it is the artillery fire or hand-to-hand combat, he takes the audience to the centre of the cold desert, making them feel the bruises, the cuts, and smell the blood on the sheets of snow.
The highlight is the scene where a cornered Shaitan takes down a smug Chinese general by his sheer courage and presence of mind. Having said that, the film gives the mighty Chinese their due and captures them with low-angle shots to generate their towering stature and the benefit of height on the battlefield.
The uneven accent of the support cast jars, and despite Rashii Khanna’s efforts to keep the home story devoid of clichés, the film occasionally stumbles on emotional pacing, and some clichés do creep into the storytelling. It may not be a genre-defining epic, but 120 Bahadur deserves your time and attention.
120 Bahadur is currently running in theatres.
Published – November 21, 2025 01:54 pm IST
