The Delhi High Court has cleared the way for the theatrical release of "120 Bahadur," a film based on the Battle of Rezang La in 1962, scheduled to hit theaters on November 21. This decision comes amidst a dispute over the film's portrayal of historical events, with some claiming inaccuracies and a skewed focus.

A division bench of Justice Prathiba M Singh and Justice Shail Jain addressed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Sanyukt Ahir Regiment Morcha, a charitable trust, along with its trustee and individuals identifying as family members of soldiers who died in the Battle of Rezang La. The petitioners raised concerns about the film's depiction of Major Shaitan Singh Bhati, a recipient of the Param Vir Chakra for his valor in the battle. They argued that the movie unfairly glorifies him under the fictionalized name "Bhati," while diminishing the collective contribution of the Ahir soldiers.

The core of the petitioners' argument was that the film distorts historical truth by presenting Major Shaitan Singh as a lone protagonist, thereby erasing the identity and contribution of the Ahir soldiers who fought alongside him. They contended that this misrepresentation violates the Cinematograph Act of 1952 and the 1991 Certification Guidelines, which aim to prevent films from presenting a "distorted view of history". Furthermore, they argued that the portrayal could potentially wound the sentiments of the deceased soldiers' relatives, possibly contravening the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.

The petitioners had requested the court to direct the filmmakers to change the movie's title to "120 Vir Ahir", include the names of all 120 soldiers in the film, and insert an appropriate disclaimer. However, during the hearing, the petitioner's counsel stated that they were not pressing for a name change at this stage.

The producer's counsel assured the court that the names of all 120 soldiers are included in the film's credits as a tribute. Following this submission, the court disposed of the petition.

Despite the court's decision to allow the release, the controversy surrounding "120 Bahadur" is not entirely over. The Delhi High Court is scheduled to hear the plea challenging the CBFC certification to the film on November 26. The petitioners are still seeking a reevaluation of the film's certification due to the alleged distortion of historical facts.

The film portrays the Battle of Rezang La, a significant event where 120 soldiers, predominantly from the Ahir community, fought valiantly against the Chinese army at a high altitude in the Chushul sector of Ladakh in 1962. The battle is recognized by the Ministry of Defence as a symbol of collective valor. Of the 120 soldiers, 114 were killed in action.