120 Bahadur Cast/Actors: Farhan Akhtar, Raashii Khanna, Ankit Siwach, Vivan Bhatena, and more
120 Bahadur Director: Razneesh Ghai
120 Bahadur Production House: Excel Entertainment and Trigger Happy Studios
120 Bahadur Movie Release Date: 21 November 2025
120 Bahadur Movie Available On: Theatrical Release
120 Bahadur Released/Available In Languages: Hindi
120 Bahadur Movie Runtime: 2h 28m
120 Bahadur Movie Review:
It’s heart piercing when sole survivor Sepoy Ramlal Yadav (Ankit Siwach) makes it back to camp. But debriefing will be made credible only when the weather clears for facts to be verified.
There are certain stories of valour that must be documented and the martyrdom of Major Shaitan Singh (Farhan Akhtar) who defended and saved India’s Chushul airfield from the Chinese, falls into this category. A cinematically unchronicled victory on the 1962 war with China, 120 soldiers put their lives on the line against a 3,000 strong enemy bent upon dining at Chushul the next evening.
The battle of Rezang La is poignant and Farhan Akhtar makes a sincere army man. The fire in his men which overcomes snowbound locales, woeful lack of warm clothes and equipment to keep the Chinese away is a valiant chapter of the 1962 war.
However, the route taken by director Razneesh Ghai and writers Sumit Arora and Rajiv G Menon is so familiarly predictable that the noble intent gets lost right away. A large part of the film is spent on establishing the army atmosphere, the camaraderie and the various soldiers with routine flashbacks to their personal lives. JP Dutta had done it way back in 1997 with Border where ‘Sandese aate hain’ had gone into the precious familial moments of each soldier. This time around, although the same situations are woven in, making room for at least four songs, there isn’t a single tune that lingers.
Razneesh’s narration therefore seems like it’s come off an old template, offering nothing new to the existing library of war cinema. The sepoy’s briefing and what follows are worth a watch but they come at the fag end after having tested the viewer’s patience for an hour and more.
Another drawback is perhaps the absence of face value with unknowns cramming the battalion. Combined with a screenplay that creates no freshness, it adds up to a film that doesn’t completely engage the audience.
One is also not sure if a story against the Chinese whips up enough fervour in India today. Using a frequent ‘Dada Kisen ki jai’ as a war cry or an ‘Ahir hain hum’ does not fuel the required passion.
Which is a pity for Indians must relate to stories like Shaitan Singh’s martyrdom and what he did for the country.
But ultimately, 120 Bahadur is a bit like the 1962 war. Our soldiers won the battle of Rezang La. But India lost the war. Farhan has a beautiful story to tell. But loses it with a narration that doesn’t sparkle most of the way.
Watch it or not: If you can retain your patience, the climax is worth the wait.
120 Bahadur Movie Review Score Rating: 2.5 out of 5 (i.e. 2.5/5)
120 Bahadur Official Trailer:
Credits: Excel Movies
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