Farhan Akhtar's '120 Bahadur' to release in 800+ defense theaters
What's the story
Farhan Akhtar's upcoming war drama, 120 Bahadur, will be the first film to release across India's defense theater network. The film will hit over 800 cinema halls catering to the military community on November 21, reported Variety. It is based on the Battle of Rezang La, a significant event from the 1962 conflict, where 120 Indian soldiers fought against thousands of Chinese forces at an altitude of over 16,000 feet in Ladakh.
Exclusive screening
'120 Bahadur' to be screened exclusively for defense personnel
The film's rollout, led by PictureTime in collaboration with GenSync Brat Media, will be an exclusive screening for defense personnel and their families. This initiative aims to bridge the gap between the entertainment industry and India's armed forces. Sushil Chaudhary, founder-CEO of PictureTime, emphasized that only 30% of India's veteran and family audience has access to defense cinemas despite there being 1.5 million active soldiers and over six million viewers.
Accessibility expansion
'120 Bahadur' aims to expand access to defense cinemas
Chaudhary further stated, "We aim to expand the ecosystem to additionally reach the underserved 70% and we begin with a bang with 120 Bahadur, a film we know will deeply resonate with the forces." The initiative uses PictureTime's mobile cinema network to provide theatrical experiences for soldiers and their families in remote areas across India. Vishal Ramchandani, CEO of Excel Entertainment, expressed gratitude for this opportunity.
Special previews
'120 Bahadur' to honor soldiers on 63rd battle anniversary
Excel Entertainment and Trigger Happy Studios will also release select paid previews on Tuesday, November 18 to celebrate the 63rd anniversary of the battle. This strategy aims to generate early word-of-mouth three days before the film's November 21 release, honoring the 120 soldiers while allowing early audience reactions to drive conversation ahead of release. The film also stars Raashii Khanna, Sparsh Walia, Vivan Bhatena, Dhanveer Singh, Digvijay Pratap, Sahib Verma, and Ankit Siwach among others.