Among the types of storytelling that exist in the world of cinema, war films are often in a position to pay homage and risk the triteness at the same time. Farhan Akhtar, when he said that “120 Bahadur” is comparable to a sequel to “Lakshya,” made people incredibly expectant. But then, when someone sees “120 Bahadur,” he/she might just realize no one could bet that high.
A Valor Tale Deprived of Depth
“120 Bahadur” is a story about the very brave Major Shaitan Singh Bhati and his 120 soldiers of the Charlie Company who during the Battle of Rezang La in the 1962 India-China war. The film is supposed to be a tribute to these brave-cum- heroic soldiers, but it does not achieve that because the film is mostly like a textbook description of war rather than a depiction with depth that could make it unforgettable.
The story opens with a voiceover by Amitabh Bachchan full of nostalgia and with a slight twist of sadness giving the betrayal of China to India as a background during for a long Brotherhood special thing. Nevertheless, this initial part loses its originality very fast, stepping onto a common path with black and white news reels and motifs, which are the so numerous in historical dramas.
Characters With No Cause
One of the most catchy points of “120 Bahadur” is Farhan Akhtar’s performance of Major Shaitan Singh Bhati. His acting communicates so subtly but powerfully a clear determination and he really lives the character of a commander who is taking his men for/in a fight ruled by/beating insuperable opponents. Even so, it is the script that deprives his character of any depth. The soldiers are hardly more than elements on the battlefield when the script does not give them any characterization beyond their dress code.
The soldiers themselves come off as a blend of unadventurous people that are together just for the sake of it rather than out of real camaraderie. Their interactions are not very emotional, which is why they will struggle to establish a powerful link to the audience. This limitation of character building can be seen on the side of the enemy, too—a stereotypical wicked Chinese military man whose deeds rather than giving protection seem like stirring up some cheap patriotism.
An Overused Pattern
The film’s story is structured in such a way that it heavily relies on cliché which everyone is already tired of. Starting from troops making songs near the fire to the expected losses coming after talking about the family’s epic relationships, “120 Bahadur” becomes the stereotypical war film with each box on such a list being ticked. Though the combat scenes are of a mix of styles and progress—from firefights to close-quarters fighting—they, in the long run, to become rather repetitive and lacking the force of feeling that should have been the factor to keep the viewers’ attention.
The movie “120 Bahadur” goes a long way to glorify patriotism and passion that soldiers stand for, not having an overt tone of propaganda or division towards the adversary, i.e., China, but it fails to bring out a new outlook on the happening under review or at least make the history pass before our eyes in a sensible manner.
Technical Merits Undermined by Narrative Weakness
Despite the narrative weakness, the film “120 Bahadur” still has something to show off on, when it comes to its technical side. Director Rajneesh Ghai is successful in bringing the chaotic essence of the war on the screen through the use of effective camera work, and art direction that gave the setting its realism. The background score complements many of the scenes by adding the tension and the atmosphere while the songs themselves turn out to be more of a letdown.
Nevertheless, these technical aspects cannot be equal to a weak plot. On the one hand, Sparsh Walia gives a powerful performance as Sepoy Ram Chandra Yadav (the character we follow the most throughout the film), but the film still looks like it was made carelessly.
Final Thoughts
“120 Bahadur” is a film that is respectful but at the same time, it is not, and the reason is that it does not go beyond the explicit dullness that every time might not be possible to produce a new concept about such an old human quality as heroism.
For those looking for a film that weaves deep or wise. Storytelling is one of the strongest assets of this film, accompanied by well-developed characters; the movie “Lakshya” exemplified Farhan Akhtar’s earlier achievements in the same manner. Still, many would find it lacking in comparison to what was initially promised.
To sum things up, even though the motives of paying tribute to the sacrifices of the unsung heroes made in the battles and adversities of the wartime period are praiseworthy, they somehow fail to come up with a spot on the screen where what they say and what they mean would match truly for the target audience wanting not just another war movie that would retell history in a minimalistic way, but the one genuinely and originally showing a different aspect or higher spirit of the heroes whose true value was only at the surface.
