Mumbai: Farhan Akhtar’s war drama 120 Bahadur is winning hearts in an entirely new way, thanks to special screenings held for the hearing-impaired community across India. Organised by producers Excel Entertainment and Trigger Happy Studios in collaboration with India Signing Hands, these screenings featured Indian Sign Language (ISL) interpretation and closed captions, and were held on August 9 across ten cities, including Mumbai, Delhi, Pune, Ahmedabad, and Surat. More than 1,500 Deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers turned up — many experiencing a mainstream theatrical film in an accessible format for the very first time.
Reactions captured after the screenings speak volumes about how deeply the film resonated. Several attendees admitted they were moved to tears, describing goosebump-inducing moments while watching the incredible true story of 120 Indian soldiers who held their ground against an overwhelming Chinese army. For many in the audience, it wasn’t just their first time watching 120 Bahadur — it was their first time watching any major film with sign language interpretation at all.
A number of viewers spoke about how the ISL interpretation helped them truly connect with the soldiers’ courage and the weight of their sacrifice. One attendee shared that this screening was how they discovered the story for the first time, while another singled out the interpreter — a CODA (Child of Deaf Adults) — for doing a brilliant job bringing the film to life through signing.
The overwhelming response has also led to calls for more theatres to offer this kind of accessibility going forward. As one viewer put it simply, the dialogues and the signing matched so well that the whole experience felt seamless and complete. Many others echoed the same hope — that more films find their way to audiences through ISL in the future.
For Farhan Akhtar, who both stars in and produces the film, this response has clearly struck a personal chord. He described 120 Bahadur as a story about courage, sacrifice, and the human spirit — one he always felt should be within everyone’s reach. Making it available in Indian Sign Language, he said, means so much to him because it opens the door for more people to genuinely experience and connect with these soldiers’ story.
Perhaps the most powerful moment came from a Deaf attendee’s review, who shared that for the first time in their life, they didn’t need anyone to explain what was happening on screen — the heroes were speaking to them directly, and for once, they felt truly seen by the country these soldiers gave their lives for. It’s a moment that captures exactly why these screenings matter, and why they may well set a new benchmark for inclusive cinema in India going forward.
120 Bahadur is produced by Excel Entertainment (founded by Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar) and Trigger Happy Studios (founded by Amit Chandrra). Directed by Razneesh “Razy” Ghai, the film brings to life the legendary 1962 Battle of Rezang La, tracing the last stand of Charlie Company under Major Shaitan Singh Bhati, PVC — a role played by Farhan Akhtar — as 120 Indian soldiers faced off against nearly 3,000 Chinese troops.
The film marks a physically demanding and deeply personal project for Farhan. Having previously explored the world of the armed forces as a director with Lakshya, he now steps in front of the camera for the first time to portray a real-life military hero — adding a new, deeply human dimension to his relationship with stories of soldiers and sacrifice.
