Actor Farhan Akhtar is set to portray Param Vir Chakra recipient Major Shaitan Singh in the upcoming military action film ‘120 Bahadur’. The film, directed by Razneesh “Razy” Ghai, is inspired by the Battle of Rezang La, a significant event during the 1962 Indo-China war where soldiers from Charlie Company, 13 Kumaon Regiment, demonstrated extraordinary bravery and sacrifice.
Farhan announced his comeback project by sharing a motion poster on Instagram, with a caption, saying, “What they accomplished will never be forgotten. It is an absolute privilege to bring you the story of Maj Shaitan Singh Bhati PVC and the soldiers of Charlie company, 13 Kumaon regiment. Famously known as the Battle of Rezang La, fought on the 18th of November 1962 during the Indo-China war, it is a story of remarkable courage, heroism and selflessness shown by our men in uniform against all odds.”
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Presented by Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan’s Excel Entertainment in collaboration with Amit Chandra’s Trigger Happy Studios, the film’s shooting schedule begins in Ladakh from September 4. The announcement was also made on Excel Entertainment’s official X page, which said, “We embark today to make this film in all humility and with utmost respect to those we represent. 120 Bahadur.”
What they accomplished will never be forgotten.
It is an absolute privilege to bring you the story of Maj Shaitan Singh Bhati PVC and the soldiers of Charlie company, 13 Kumaon regiment.
Famously known as the Battle of Rezang La, fought on the 18th of November 1962 during the… pic.twitter.com/p0elevIHzc
— Excel Entertainment (@excelmovies) September 4, 2024
What is the Battle of Rezang La?
On November 18, 1962, the Charlie Company of the 13 Kumaon Battalion, Kumaon Regiment, faced a powerful Chinese attack at Rezang La Pass in Ladakh. Led by Major Shaitan Singh, the 120 soldiers of Charlie Company fought with incredible bravery, though 110 of them were killed in the battle.
When an Indian search team arrived at the battlefield on February 10, 1963, they found the soldiers’ bodies still holding their guns, with bullets having hit them directly in the chest. Their courage earned them one Param Vir Chakra, eight Vir Chakras, four Sena Medals, and one Mentioned-in-Dispatches, making Charlie Company one of the most honored units in the Indian Army.
Their heroic stand stopped the Chinese forces from advancing and saved the important Chushul airport, preventing China from taking control of Ladakh. Reports say that the soldiers, all from Haryana, managed to kill 1,300 Chinese soldiers while defending the 18,000-foot-high Rezang La.
