The highly anticipated military drama 120 Bahadur, detailing the heroism of Major Shaitan Singh and the Battle of Rezang La, debuted with a disappointing opening day collection of just ₹2.35 crore, though night shows showed slightly better audience turnout.
November 22, 2025: Farhan Akhtar’s big-screen return in the patriotic military drama 120 Bahadur has begun with a slow march at the domestic box office. The film, which recounts the extraordinary courage of 120 soldiers during the 1962 Indo-China War, opened to muted figures on Friday, November 21.
According to early box office estimates from industry tracker Sacnilk, the Razneesh Ghai-directed film, produced by Excel Entertainment and Trigger Happy Studios, collected a modest ₹2.35 crore on its opening day. This figure places the film below initial expectations, though many trade analysts believe the film’s strong patriotic theme could help it gain momentum over the weekend.
Occupancy Trends Show Weekend Hope
Despite the low opening figure, audience footfall improved significantly throughout the day, suggesting that strong word-of-mouth could drive numbers on Saturday and Sunday.
- The total all-India occupancy for Day 1 stood at 8.58%.
- Night shows recorded the highest footfall at 14.70%.
- Evening shows followed with 8.53% occupancy.
- Morning shows had the lowest turnout at 4.52%.
Cities like Chennai and Jaipur showed slightly better initial response, leading the country in occupancy rates.
The Story of Rezang La
The film stars Farhan Akhtar as Major Shaitan Singh Bhati, a posthumous recipient of the Param Vir Chakra, India’s highest military honor. 120 Bahadur focuses on the heroic final stand of the Charlie Company of the 13 Kumaon Regiment at Rezang La on November 18, 1962, where 120 Indian soldiers fought against overwhelming Chinese forces.
In a unique promotional event coinciding with the release, the film is set to make history with an extraordinary screening today (November 22) at the Rezang La War Memorial Auditorium in Chushul village, Ladakh. At an altitude of 16,452 feet, this will be the highest-altitude film release ever, bringing the story directly to the soldiers and residents near the actual combat site.
With the film’s budget reportedly around ₹85 crore, a significant jump in collections will be critical for 120 Bahadur to achieve a respectable first weekend total and remain competitive against other current releases.