120 Bahadur Box Office Day 1: War drama starring Farhan Akhtar sees slow march at ₹2.35 crore

Farhan Akhtar-led 120 Bahadur recorded a slow start at the domestic box office on its opening day, collecting ₹2.35 crore on 21 November, as per early trade estimates by Sacnilk. The big-scale war drama arrived in cinemas with a wide release but struggled to draw audiences on Friday.

The film clashed with adult comedy Masti 4, which opened slightly ahead at ₹2.50 crore despite limited buzz. Occupancy for 120 Bahadur averaged around 5% across India, leading to multiple show cancellations in select regions owing to low footfall, according to industry trackers.

Performance Context

The soft debut is notable given the film’s promotional momentum and its distinction as the first movie to premiere across defence theatres nationwide, a gesture honouring the armed forces. However, hype has not translated into opening-day traction.

Hindi exhibitors also point to spillover performance from other releases — Ajay Devgn’s De De Pyaar De 2, for instance, earned ₹2.25 crore on its eighth day — nearly on par with the two new releases.

Weekend Outlook

With word-of-mouth currently mixed but improving, Saturday and Sunday growth will be key. If momentum picks up, the film could target an opening weekend in the ₹8–10 crore range, though trade analysts argue that such a jump may be difficult given the muted start and competition for screens.

A prolonged slowdown could result in reduced show counts for both 120 Bahadur and Masti 4 next week.

Audience & Critical Reception

Online reactions praise:

• The film’s scale and visuals
• Combat choreography
• Background score

Farhan Akhtar’s restrained portrayal of Major Shaitan Singh Bhati has drawn particular appreciation, while Raashii Khanna’s brief role has been described as impactful. Trade analyst Nishit Shaw rated the film 3.5 stars, calling it a “powerful, technically sharp tribute” to the Army.

About the Film

Directed by Razneesh ‘Razy’ Ghai, 120 Bahadur recounts the heroism of 120 Indian soldiers during the Battle of Rezang La (1962). Amitabh Bachchan serves as narrator. The cast includes Vivan Bhatena, Ankit Siwach, Dhanveer Singh, Sahib Verma, Sparsh Walia, Ajinkya Deo and Eijaz Khan. Music is composed by Amit Trivedi with lyrics by Javed Akhtar. The film is jointly produced by Farhan Akhtar, Ritesh Sidhwani and Amit Chandrra.