Farhan Akhtar's 120 Bahadur sets record as first film to release across India’s 800 defence theatres

Farhan Akhtar's 120 Bahadur is all set to make history in Indian cinema. Excel Entertainment’s war drama will be released across more than 800 defence theatres on November 21, which is a landmark moment for film distribution. As per reports, this step has been taken to ensure that soldiers, veterans, and their families, particularly those posted in remote and inaccessible regions, will be among the first to be able to experience the movie.

120 Bahadur makes history

The initiative was carried out by PictureTime in collaboration with GenSync Brat Media. Reportedly, it uses mobile cinema technology to make the film available at defence bases. As per a report by India Today, this large-scale deployment focuses on reducing the gap in accessing quality cinema for the armed forces community.

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Aim of the initiative

Talking about the initiative, Sushil Chaudhary, founder and CEO of PictureTime, said, "India has 1.5 million active soldiers and nearly 20 million veterans and family members. But only about 30% have access to defence cinemas. Our goal is to reach the underserved 70%-starting with 120 Bahadur, a film we believe will deeply resonate with the forces."

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For Excel Entertainment, the defence-first release is a milestone, CEO Vishal Ramchandani revealed. “120 Bahadur honours the courage and sacrifice of our armed forces. We are privileged that the soldiers whose spirit the film celebrates will be the first to watch it with their families. This initiative gives the film’s message an even more meaningful impact.”

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About 120 Bahadur

The film is directed by Razneesh “Razy” Ghai, and it showcases the Battle of Rezang La, which is one of the most heroic chapters in India’s military history. It is produced by Ritesh Sidhwani, Farhan Akhtar, and Amit Chandrra. The cast of 120 Bahadur includes Raashii Khanna, Sparsh Walia, Vivan Bhatena, Dhanveer Singh, Digvijay Pratap, Sahib Verma, Ankit Siwach, Devendra Ahirwar, Ashutosh Shukla, Brijesh Karanwal, Atul Singh, and senior officers Ajinkya Deo and Eijaz Khan, with Farhan in the lead.

The film will release globally on November 21, 2025.