New Delhi, 19 Nov

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday allowed the release of Farhan Akhtar-starrer 120 Bahadur on 21 November, disposing of a plea that challenged the film’s CBFC certification for allegedly distorting historical facts about the 1962 Battle of Rezang La.

A bench of Justices Prathiba M Singh and Shail Jain said it was “too late” to alter the film’s title, release date or content ahead of its theatrical debut. The court noted that the filmmakers had already included the names of soldiers at the end of the movie as a tribute.

The petitioners, Sanyukt Ahir Regiment Morcha, its trustee, and family members of soldiers who died in the battle, agreed that the title need not be changed if all 120 soldiers’ names appear. The bench directed that the film be released in its current form, while allowing petitioners to verify the credits once it is in theatres.

“If any corrections are required, they shall be carried out in the OTT release,” the court said, adding that the OTT version must clearly list all 120 soldiers along with their regiments.

The PIL accused the film of sidelining the collective valour of the Ahir soldiers who formed the bulk of the Rezang La company and instead presenting a “fictionalised” narrative by focusing solely on Major Shaitan Singh under a changed name. The petitioners argued that this violated CBFC guidelines against distorting history and Section 356 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which penalises imputations against deceased persons that hurt the sentiments of their relatives.

Earlier in the day, the plea was listed before another bench but could not be heard as the court did not assemble. Given the urgency, the film releases on Friday, the petitioners sought an immediate listing before the current bench.

During the hearing, Justice Singh said that if the film is based on real soldiers, “there should be no hesitation” in acknowledging them on screen. However, with the release just days away, the court declined to halt or modify the theatrical version.

The petitioners argued that the battle, fought at an altitude of 18,000 feet, is recognised by the Ministry of Defence as a symbol of extraordinary collective bravery. Of the 120 soldiers, 114 were killed while defending the Rezang La Pass, the first line of defence for the Chushul airfield. The company was composed predominantly of Ahir (Yadav) soldiers from Rewari and nearby regions.

The trust had earlier sought a stay on the film’s release and urged authorities to require a disclaimer acknowledging the Ahir community’s role.

‘120 Bahadur’ portrays Major Shaitan Singh, who was posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra. The film will hit cinemas nationwide on 21 November.

Farhan Akhtar's war epic '120 Bahadur' is set to create history after it becomes the first film to screen exclusively for the defence community in over 800 cinema halls across India when it releases in theatres worldwide.