The Delhi High Court on Wednesday paved the way for the timely release of the war drama ‘120 Bahadur’ on November 21, disposing of a petition that sought to halt the film’s release over allegations of historical distortion.
A bench of Justices Prathiba M Singh and Shail Jain permitted the theatrical release, noting that it was too late to mandate changes to the film’s title or content with the release date just two days away. The High Court also took into account the producer’s assurance that the names of the soldiers would be mentioned at the end of the movie as a special tribute.
The Core of the Controversy
The petition, filed by the Sanyukt Ahir Regiment Morcha, a charitable trust, and families of the martyrs, challenged the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) certificate granted to the film. They alleged that:
- Distorted History: The film, based on the Battle of Rezang La in the 1962 Sino-Indian War, distorts historical truth by singularly glorifying Major Shaitan Singh Bhati (who was awarded the Param Vir Chakra) as a lone protagonist under a fictionalized name.
- Erasing Collective Identity: The petitioners argued that the portrayal erases the collective identity and contribution of the 113 predominantly Ahir (Yadav) soldiers of the C Company of the 13 Kumaon Regiment, of whom 114 attained martyrdom in the legendary last stand.
- Demands: The plea sought the quashing of the CBFC certificate and demanded the film’s title be changed to ‘120 Vir Ahir’ to acknowledge the community’s role.
Court’s Conditional Order for Release
While declining to stop the theatrical release or mandate a title change, the High Court bench acknowledged the petitioners’ concern for honoring the soldiers.
The court passed the order after the petitioners’ counsel stated that the issue of the title was acceptable if the names of all the soldiers were properly acknowledged.
- Theatrical Release: The film is permitted to be released in theatres across the country on Friday, November 21, as scheduled.
- OTT Correction Mandate: Noting an ambiguity over whether the names of all 120 soldiers were included in the tribute, the bench directed the petitioners to watch the film. If any corrections or additions are required to the names and regiment details, they must be done for the Over-The-Top (OTT) platform release.
The court stressed that if the film relates to real warriors who fought, there should be no hesitation in giving their names and proper recognition.