120 Bahadur Ending Explained: The Real Story Behind the Tears and Pride (Spoiler Alert!)

If you have just walked out of the cinema hall wiping tears from your eyes, or if you are planning to watch 120 Bahadur (released on November 21, 2025) and want to know the history before you go—you have come to the right place. Grab a cup of chai, because we need to talk about this. This isn’t just a movie ending; it is a chapter of Indian history that was almost forgotten. Directed by Razneesh 'Razy' Ghai and starring Farhan Akhtar, this film tells the story of the Battle of Rezang La (1962).

Here is the simple, easy-to-understand breakdown of that heart-wrenching yet heroic climax.

The Final Stand: 120 vs. 3,000

Imagine this: You are standing 18,000 feet above sea level in Ladakh. It is freezing cold (minus 10 degrees!), the air is so thin you can barely breathe, and you have no heavy artillery support. Suddenly, you see nearly 3,000 enemy soldiers charging at you.

This is exactly what the climax of 120 Bahadur shows.

• The Order: The headquarters actually told Major Shaitan Singh (played by Farhan Akhtar) and his Charlie Company (13 Kumaon Regiment) to retreat (come back) because the situation was hopeless.

• The Decision: Major Singh asked his men—mostly from the Ahir community—what they wanted to do. They chose to stay. They chose to fight to the last man and the last bullet.

Why? Because if they left, the enemy would have an open road to capture the Kashmir airbase. They didn't fight for a medal; they fought to save their country’s land.

The Enemy’s Salute: A Moment of Goosebumps

One of the most powerful scenes in the ending is something you rarely see in war movies.

After the brutal battle is over, and silence falls over the snowy mountains, a Chinese officer walks up to the body of Major Shaitan Singh. Instead of disrespecting him, he places a revolver in Major Singh’s hand.

Why is this important? It symbolizes pure respect. Even the enemy had to bow down to the courage of these Indian soldiers. It shows that bravery has no borders. The Chinese knew that these 120 men fought like tigers against an army that was twenty times bigger than them.

The Sad Reality: Who Survived?

The ending of 120 Bahadur doesn't give us a fake "happy ending." It hits us with the hard truth.

• The Survivors: Out of the 120 brave souls, only about 6 to 7 soldiers survived.

• The Witness: The story we are watching is actually being told by a radio operator who survived. If he hadn't made it back, nobody would have known how heroically these men died.

• The Impact: The movie credits reveal that these men killed over 1,300 enemy soldiers before falling. They stopped the Chinese advance completely.

Why This Ending Matters Today

The film ends not with loud music, but with a quiet tribute. It lists the names of all 120 soldiers.

For a long time, the Battle of Rezang La was overshadowed by the general defeat of the 1962 war. But this movie corrects that mistake. It reminds us that even in a lost war, there were battles where Indian soldiers were absolutely invincible.

Major Shaitan Singh was later awarded the Param Vir Chakra, but as the movie shows, every single man on that mountain was a hero.

Q1: Is the ending of the movie 120 Bahadur based on a true story or fiction? A: Yes, it is 100% based on a true story. The ending depicts the real-life Battle of Rezang La fought on November 18, 1962. The movie accurately shows how 120 Indian soldiers from the 13 Kumaon Regiment refused to retreat and fought against nearly 3,000 Chinese troops to protect Ladakh and the Chushul airbase.

Q2: Did a Chinese officer really give a revolver to Major Shaitan Singh as a sign of respect? A: Yes, historical accounts support this powerful moment. After the battle, when the bodies were recovered months later, it was noted that the enemy had shown a rare sign of respect to the fallen commander. The scene in the movie where the Chinese officer returns the weapon symbolizes the universal recognition of Major Shaitan Singh’s incredible bravery, even by his enemies.

Q3: How many soldiers actually survived the Battle of Rezang La in real life? A: Out of the 120 men who fought, only 6 brave soldiers survived. As shown in the film, the majority of the company, including Major Shaitan Singh, made the supreme sacrifice. The survivors, who were mostly severely injured or sent back to report the situation, are the reason we know the minute-by-minute details of this heroic last stand today.

Q4: Was the 13 Kumaon Regiment in 120 Bahadur really made up of Ahir community soldiers? A: Yes, that is historically correct. The Charlie Company of the 13 Kumaon Regiment was an all-Ahir company (soldiers from the Yadav community), mostly hailing from the Ahirwal region of Haryana and Rajasthan. The movie stays true to this fact, highlighting their specific war cry and close-knit brotherhood.

Q5: Why is the battle in 120 Bahadur considered one of the greatest last stands in history? A: It is considered legendary because 120 men stopped 3,000 men. Unlike other battles where soldiers might surrender when outnumbered, these men fought until they ran out of ammunition and then fought with bayonets and bare hands. They inflicted heavy casualties on the enemy (over 1,300 killed), effectively saving the Chushul sector from being captured.