120 Bahadur: Action Packed Historical Drama is All About Guts and Glory
This, albeit late, was a move used by filmmakers to deal with wars and patriots and, as a result, to satirize the enemy.
Cinema, a by-product of the war, filled our archives with films about terrorism. Even Bollywood filmmakers perceive that there is only a thin dividing line between terrorism and war. Director Razneesh ‘Razy’ Ghai salutes Major Shaitan Singh, hero of the 1962 Sino-Indian war, with ‘120 Bahadur’.
Focusing on the plight of resources, with oblique remarks directed at a former prime minister, is now part of history, folklore and new wisdom politics. Needless to say, the movie touches on this, but not too flippantly. Not in Vivek Agnihotri’s style. Razy decides to take history as it is, without exaggerating the failures. He avoids turning the film into a contemporary political tool based on narratives or endless information from WhatsApp groups.
The script of the film, written by Sumit Arora and Rajiv G. Menon, is an almost elastic extension of Kaifi Azmi’s ‘Kar chale hum fida jaan-o-tann sathiyon / Ab tumhare hawale watan sathiyon (We have given our lives; now the homeland is in your hands, my comrades)’, the all-time best Rafi rendition of Raag Bhairavi and Pradeep’s historical song ‘Aye mere watan’. ke logo’ (O people of my beloved country…)’.
‘Kat gaye sar hamaare / Toh kuch gham nahi / Sar Himalay ka hum ne na jhukne diya’ sung by Kaifi in the famous song ‘Haqeeqat’ Even though we lost our lives, we did not suffer; for we have never allowed the proud head of our motherland, the Himalayas, to bow)’ is the central theme of courage that constitutes ‘120 Bahadur’.
The battle is taking place in Rezang La, a mountain pass in Ladakh, amidst China’s surprise aggression. Betrayal (courtesy of Amitabh Bachchan), element of surprise and lack of preparedness for battle, as mentioned in the baritone narration, may sound naive today. Whether defense rations in the 1960s were a luxury that the then developing country could afford is a historically controversial debate. Let us not forget that the wisdom of hindsight is not what functional politician-statesmen possess.
We have a 120-member Charlie Company of 13 Kumaon Regiment consisting of Ahirs in Rezang La. Ahirs are traditional farmers. Today there is a memorial for the brave 120 soldiers led by Major Shaitan Singh (Farhan Akthar). The monument may not be the biggest statue warranting tourist attraction, but for the truly patriotic (forget the paradox), the monument is just cement and mortar dedicated to a great cause, a brilliant struggle and, to quote contemporary historians, a lesson not taught in schools.
Statistically, 120 soldiers defended their positions against the 3,000-man Chinese army. It is also stated that Rezang La is important to prevent the Chinese from advancing towards an area where they can control our showcase region, J&K.
Running for over two hours, the film is about the bravery, bravery of the Indian Army and the strategic role of the Battle of Rezang La in the larger geopolitical scenario.
The filmmaker, unknowingly or knowingly, moves away from the nationalism that hits him in the chest. Perhaps this is in keeping with the patriotic attitude of the 60s. This saves the audience from unnecessary melodramas and strains. Also maybe because our current relationship with the villain in the game is a bit risky.
The filmmaker decides to avoid the path of constructing a hate narrative that is thematically characteristic of our patriotic films when the border is on the west side. In fact, in the final stages of the film, a Chinese army official salutes the bravery of Major Shaitan Singh.
The winner of the Param Veer Chakra award has a great story and ‘Hum peeche nahihangenge (We won’t go back)’ is an echo of Kaifi’s lyric ‘Kheench do apne khoon se / Zameen par lakheer / Is Taraf aane paye na Ravan koo’ (We draw a line on the earth with our own blood. Let no Ravana, no enemy, ever cross)’.
Courage and determination in the absence of proper nutrition, heat wear in freezing conditions is more than just human endurance and patriotism.
The cast, which includes Ankit Siwach, Vivan Bhatena, Ajinkya Deo, Eijaz Khan, Brijesh Karanwala and Devendar Ahirwar, portrays the brave 120 people who sacrificed their lives for the nation as patriots and not as soft targets, where patriotism does not just satirize liberals but consists of harsher things. Raashi Khanna makes an indescribable appearance as the wife who tells the viewers about the bravery of the Rajput clan and how the nation is always the first priority of the soldier.
For me, an incurable pacifist, war is always a tragedy beyond heroism. Heroics are as real as tragedy, war’s caste cousin. Most of the performances in the film are adequate at best. From a technical standpoint the music is a huge let down and the cinematography (Tetsuo Nagata) is superb.
Farhan Akhtar may be his own critic after seeing the final result. The director, who gave immense impact and purpose to ‘Lakshya’, especially Hrithik Roshan, fails to replicate the same here. Typically sincere and deeply emotional, this man fails in the area of delivering dialogue, at least within the limited perception of the ordinary Indian’s understanding of a sentimental patriot. Having said that, his monologue to the soldiers is much more impressive than ‘Chak De’s inspirational speech.
As a Farhan Akthar fan, I was a little disappointed. However, he, too, probably like Abhay Deol, is someone who understands his craft and adjusts it according to sane parameters rather than dramatic demands.
In the ultimate analysis, the film is a reminder of what Pradeep said when he wrote: ‘Jab ghayal hua Himalay / Khatrein mein padi azaadi / Jab tak thi saans lade wo / Phir apni laash bichaadi… Jo shaheed hue hai unki / Zara yaad karo qurbaani (When the Himalayas were wounded, freedom itself was in danger…. They fought as long as they had breath – and when “They lost their breath and laid their bodies on the ground. Remember, even for a moment, the martyrs who made such sacrifices.”
