Farhan Akhtar is no stranger to war dramas or stories rooted in real events. But with 120 Bahadur, his latest film on the Battle of Rezang La, the actor is navigating not just a powerful chapter of history but also comparisons to Dharmendra’s iconic Haqeeqat. In a conversation with mid-day’s Sit With Hitlist, Farhan clarified that while parallels exist, the two films stand miles apart in storytelling approach.
Farhan wished Dharmendra watch 120 Bahadur
“Haqeeqat was very loosely based on the Battle of Rezang La. They didn’t call it that, and none of the characters used the original names,” he said. “But it was definitely based on that battle, Indians outnumbered, fighting off the Chinese, and all of them martyred.”
Farhan acknowledged that the events that inspired Haqeeqat and 120 Bahadur share the same historical beat, but the films diverge sharply in treatment. “It’s similar in terms of the event, but a very different syntax in the way the story’s been told. Very, very different. In Haqeeqat, the battle happens much later; it’s also a love story,” he explained.
What he hopes for, however, is a blessing from the film’s original star. “I’m really keen that Dharamji watches this film. I love Haqeeqat, and I think it’ll be a nostalgic feeling for him to see 120 Bahadur. (Farhan said it before the tragic demise of Dharmendra)
Revisiting Ladakh — Then vs Now
The conversation turned to shooting conditions for war films—something Farhan has experienced firsthand across decades. He recalled how films of the ’60s and ’70s embraced real locations with limited resources. “Haqeeqat is not a studio film. They definitely went up into the hills and mountains, maybe Ladakh or somewhere similar. Shooting in those barren, rugged landscapes must have been an experience,” he said.
That “lived-in experience,” he believes, is irreplaceable. “You can’t match up to shooting at real locations. Back then, if you tried to recreate that on a set, people would accept it. Today, they’d say, ‘Please go.’ Audiences want authenticity.”
Farhan compared his long, strenuous shoot for Lakshya to the far more streamlined schedule of 120 Bahadur. “We spent five months shooting Lakshya. 120 Bahadur was done in two months straight. That’s why Lakshya was over three hours, and this one is about two hours and five minutes.”
But the real difference, he noted, lies in the evolution of technology and infrastructure. “When we went in 2003, infrastructure wasn’t great. No mobile phones. Everything was film; you’d shoot, send it back, wait for it to be processed, and only then know if you could move on. Now, what you’re shooting is what you’re seeing. Digital has changed everything.”
“The infrastructure in Ladakh today, even at the furthest points, is really good. Connectivity is excellent. On that level, it was a lot simpler this time,” he pointed out.