120 Bahadur is a war drama film that is based on the real-life fight of the Indian army against the Chinese troops at a very high altitude in Ladakh in the mountain ranges of the Himalayas of the year 1962. It is a story about bravery, sacrifice, and honor, but it is also about human beings who are deeply scorched by the cursed war.
To sum things up, the film depicts an incredible battle against all odds in 1962 in which 120 Indian soldiers took on just 3000 enemy Chinese troops and conquered the day. The question is whether or not the movie manages to do justice to that legend. Let's discover!
Movie Untangles Historical Tragedy
The film sets us back to winter of 1962 when it narrates the tale of the Battle of Rezang La that saw the Charlie Company of 13 Kumaon Regiment with its commanding officer Major Shaitan Singh (Farhan Akhtar) being heavily assaulted by Chinese troops.
The film shows extreme conditions in which the Indian side is not only outnumbered but also left to fight against the cold and faced with the enemy in sub-zero temperatures they decided to stand their ground. Film makers make Apart from Just a War Film With a zoom lens, director Razneesh ‘Razy’ Ghai brings viewers closer to the personal stories of soldiers rather than the war.
Most of the characters in the film are based on the fact that the Ahir community (Yadavs) from Haryana and Rajasthan were the heroes of the movie, and they are portrayed as farmer sons-turned-warriors, who took the stories of Lord Krishna and their love of the motherland with them on the battlefield.
Film Review:
Farhan Stands Out Fans of Farhan Akhtar, can now relax and leave their fans' duties. Major Shaitan Singh is not just a character where Farhan Akhtar throws the usual loud, bombastic dialogue and typical Bollywood uptight. It's more a "quiet authority" which he imparts.
His face and his quietness conveys to the audience the major's concern and bravery to an extent. It is a high caliber work that supports and stabilizes the rest of the movie. Moreover, the actors playing minor characters worth praise. The impression which sparsh walia (the radio operator) along with other actors exert is that they are real people.
They play, hold each other's hands in chocolate, and tell of their family members reminding the audience that when the ensuing shooting starts it will be hard to distinguish the soldiers from relationships with the audience, i.e. it will deeply affect us.
Pros and Cons of the Movie Pros:
Visual Representations: Visuals are really amazing. The Himalayan landscapes are not only visually but spectrally well captured through the camera. One almost gets the feeling of the cold wind through just looking at it.
Fighting: The military operations that happen in the second half of the film are convicted and powerful. The audience witness efforts, desperation, and battle maneuvers rather than random gunfire.
Declaration: The film a tribute to the brave- does it well.
The movie avoids excess nationalism (jingoism) and concentrates on respect and bravery.
Cons:
Pace: The initial half acts as if it has all the time in the world to prepare. There may be moments during this part when one feels like checking their phone.
Familiarity: We have seen war movie like "Shershaah", "Uri". So some scenes may seem to be "I have seen this before". The characters' feelings are too predictable even though they work. Decision: Will You See The Movie? 120 Bahadur is film that you should definitely check out if you are a war dramas lover or Farhan Akhtar's fan.
You might suffer through the first half to some extent but the movie later on really pays off with an emotionally powerful and gripping climax. It deserves a solid 3.5-star rating and acts as a reminder of the price of our safety.
Ending: It's a film that will make you walk out of the cinema with a lump in your throat but your head won't be down.
