Category / Short story

by whatsonsidsmind

120 Bahadur Review: A Sincere Film that Doesn’t Stir Enough

Written By: Siddhartha Krishnan | 4 Min Read

When you think of the great war films of the past, you remember their sheer technical power: the sweeping cinematography, the visceral action, the stirring background score, the meticulous production design, the prosthetics and of course the performances. Yet beneath all that craft, those films endured because they moved you. A war film cannot afford to falter there.

That is why 120 Bahadur, a film about one of the Indian Army’s greatest battles, feels incomplete. Its heart is in the right place, but it needed a sharper mind to match the intelligence and spirit of its own protagonist.

Critics have largely called out the first half for being slow and occasionally dull. The common verdict is that the film takes too long to warm up before it starts landing its punches. That may be true, but for me the issue ran deeper. Something felt missing throughout, even when the second half gathers momentum. And that missing piece was emotional force. The makers seemed to play it too safe when the story needed a touch of madness, especially in the latter half where the stakes demanded bolder choices.

The story of the Battle of Rezang La is the stuff of legend. It is so astonishing that one could easily mistake it for fiction. Having recently visited the Rezang La War Memorial in Ladakh, standing on the very land where the 120 brave soldiers of the 13 Kumaon Regiment’s Charlie Company (almost all from the Ahir community in Haryana) were cremated after facing a 3000 strong Chinese force with outdated ammunition, the enormity of their sacrifice still feels impossible to grasp. They fought till the last man, taking down nearly 1300 enemy soldiers before falling. None of the bodies were found with a bullet to their back. It sounds unreal, yet it happened.

Though this story is well known within the Army, it is tragically unfamiliar to most citizens. And in that sense, I understand the instinct to sanitise the violence so the film can reach a wider audience. On that front, the film succeeds. It is technically strong, shot on real locations, with a powerful story, a capable ensemble cast and in Major Shaitan Singh Bhati a protagonist who stands taller than a hero, almost mythic.

But this was a story that demanded the brutality of war to be shown. It was an essential part of the narrative, unlike many recent Hindi films where violence is used merely as a stylistic choice. If the film had focused solely on camaraderie, bravery and sacrifice, the restraint would have worked. But with an entire second half devoted to the battle, the raw, unforgiving truth of war was needed for the script to fully come alive.

Another criticism the film faced was its restrained performances. I felt this was not a flaw but a conscious and sensible choice by the makers. Imagine a group of soldiers at sixteen thousand feet, in minus twenty four degree cold, conserving every last ounce of energy during a battle that stretches through the night. Shouting stirring lines in such conditions is not only improbable, it breaks authenticity. In choosing restraint, the makers chose truth, and it was the right call.

Where the film does falter is in its dialogue. While avoiding loud, jingoistic monologues was the correct direction, the lines still needed to carry weight, to leave you with the lingering ache that a war film should. They fall short of that. Even the constant humour does not fully land.

Farhan Akhtar, as Major Shaitan Singh, is another important anchor in the film. His performance is balanced and mature, yet there is a sense of something missing. The issue again lies in the screenplay, which does not create enough intrigue or deliver the emotional shocks the story deserves. This is a true event, one that can be easily looked up online. The power, therefore, had to come from how the story was told. Instead, the makers chose a conventional, familiar template seen in films like Border, Shershaah and LOC Kargil.

This story needed a treatment closer to Saving Private Ryan, where the war itself becomes a visceral and shattering experience. A more immersive and relentless portrayal could have left the audience shaken. But the film takes a simpler and more straightforward route, and the impact is not as deep as it could have been.

To conclude, 120 Bahadur is not a bad film by any measure. It approaches one of the Indian Army’s greatest battles with sincerity. But the creative decisions, especially in the screenplay, keep it from reaching the heights it was capable of. Despite its shortcomings, I would still urge audiences to watch it. It is a story of exceptional courage, sacrifice and the true cost of war, one every Indian should know.

Verdict:
IMDb rating: 7/10
My rating: 3/5

Pic Credits: Excel Entertainment

***

About the author:

Siddhartha Krishnan is the author of ‘Two and a Half Rainbows – A Collection of Short Stories’. An enthusiastic blogger he shares his essays, travelogues, book and movie reviews on his blog (www.whatsonsidsmind.com).

by whatsonsidsmind

Good Boy Movie Review: Emotional, Inventive, and Powered by a Dog You Cannot Look Away From

Written by: Siddhartha Krishnan | 5 Min Read

Good Boy (2025) runs on a slender plot, and on an emotional theme that is deceptively simple. But what it delivers both visually and technically is something the makers can genuinely be proud of.

Written and directed by Ben Leonberg, in his feature debut, and featuring his own dog as the protagonist, Good Boy follows Todd, a young man with a chronic lung disease, who moves from New York to his late grandfather’s isolated house in the woods. His sister Vera believes the place is haunted, and could even have played a part in their grandfather’s death. Todd disagrees. For him, the wilderness is sanctuary. His dog Indy though senses something darker, a presence Todd cannot see. What follows is a battle of instinct versus ignorance. Will Indy keep his master safe, or will both be consumed by something hiding in the shadows?

Leonberg got the spark for this film while rewatching Poltergeist (1982), specifically a scene involving a dog. As a lifelong horror fan, having consumed every conceivable sub-genre, I can say with conviction that there is nothing left in horror that is truly new. Innovation now lies in how familiar tropes are reimagined, in how writing and craft can twist the known into the uncanny.

Good Boy is that kind of horror.

Writers Alex Cannon and Ben Leonberg are smart with their writing. They find ways to keep the audience guessing, even with a deceptively thin storyline. One criticism the film has received is that it is too convoluted. I see that as a strength. The writers play with the viewer’s mind. It is entirely possible to have multiple interpretations of the scenes that unfold, especially the slightly bizarre ending that leaves you with many questions. Despite its narrative limitations, Good Boy challenges you as a viewer. The real genius is in showing everything from the dog’s point of view. It makes the scenes tense, emotionally charged, and keeps you uncertain because you are never fully sure what is happening inside Indy’s mind.

The film’s editing is one of it’s strong points. The interplay of past and present, the use of dream-like sequences before snapping back into present reality, is impactful. It adds to the intrigue. There is also a clever rhythm in the cutting. Quick jump cuts are broken by long pauses and silences. This creates mood, dread, and a constant expectation of something evil about to reveal itself.

Just like the editing, the cinematography does not follow a single pattern. For most of its seventy-three-minute runtime, the camera is focused on Indy’s face. It is the need of the script. The camera follows him wherever he goes. The angles are fluid, constantly shifting to capture his expressions and the subtle changes in his behaviour. The action on screen demands that the camera be quick and kinetic in some moments, and completely still in others.

None of this feels like the work of a first time director. There is a visible sense of craft and confidence in how frames are composed. The static shots are haunting and atmospheric. When the camera moves, it injects energy and adrenaline. There are a few sharp jump scares as well, which add to the film’s thrill.

From a technical standpoint, I believe the editing, the sound design and the camerawork elevate Good Boy beyond its limited story. They give the film its power.

But all said and done, the true star of the film is the dog, Indy. It is through his eyes that the entire story is told. The writing and the technical craft would not have saved this film if the performance had failed at this level. As an audience, you are glued to his face. He has the most expressive eyes and a deeply innocent presence. You start rooting for him. You fear for him. You are fully invested in his journey. Although it looks effortless on screen, there is clearly a lot of preparation behind this. The training, the timing, the precision of camera placement, all of it has been done with care.

IndieWire says this about the canine’s performance: “one of the most emotive actors of his generation, regardless of species.” I agree. I cannot remember another dog performance that has left me this stunned. Dog films usually make you laugh or cry or feel a sense of warmth. They often carry messages of loyalty, companionship or healing. But here, I was engaged because of the dog’s sheer emotional pull. I could not take my eyes off him. That is the magic of this film.

Made on a modest budget of $750000, Good Boy, went onto gross $8M worldwide from its theatrical release. Commendable for a small film with high ambitions.

Verdict:

Despite its limitations, Good Boy challenges you as a viewer and keeps you emotionally invested. It is technically inventive, smart in its writing, and more layered than it first appears. At the heart of it all is a protagonist, a dog, whose emotive ability is mesmerizing. Indy carries the film like a star.

IMDb rating: 6.2 out of 10
My rating: 3.5 out of 5

Good Boy is currently running in select theatres in India.

***

About the author:

Siddhartha Krishnan is the author of ‘Two and a Half Rainbows – A Collection of Short Stories’. An enthusiastic blogger he shares his essays, travelogues, book and movie reviews on his blog (www.whatsonsidsmind.com).

by whatsonsidsmind

Why was ‘Two and a Half Rainbows’ chosen as the title for the book?

Dear All,

This is a question that was asked quite often in the last 4 months, either by people who have read the book or those who have contemplated reading it. I thought that this is the right time to answer. Do watch the video and let me know your thoughts.

Warm Regards,

Sid

*******************************************************************************************************************

Grab your copy of ‘Two and a Half Rainbows – A Collection of Short Stories’ from the link below (Available in Paperback and Kindle):
https://amzn.to/2Lx00sU

Also available @ Flipkart & Notion Press store. ebook available @ Google books, iBooks and Kobo.com

by whatsonsidsmind

The Squeal

Squeal

Ashwin and Gautam were the best of friends. In fact, if you were to track their bloodline, they were distant cousins. But these thirteen-year-olds were raised in totally different settings. Ashwin had lived in a village all his life and his father was a farmer, while Gautam’s father was a chartered accountant and he lived in a cosmopolitan city. Gautam’s ancestral house was next to Ashwin’s house and Gautam’s ancestors were also farmers many years back. Ashwin’s family owned acres of agricultural land and had multiple sources of income. His family made earnings from selling rice, fruits, vegetables, milk and poultry. His grandfather was very renowned in his village since he would invariably bag the “The Best Agriculturist Award” every year. Gautam’s family though had only one source of income and that was his father’s salary. Despite the differences in their upbringing, when they met once a year during summer vacations, they were the best of buddies. During summer vacation, Gautam’s father would bring his family to the village and spend a month away from the chaos of the city. Out of these thirty days Gautam would usually spend two weeks with Ashwin. Those days would usually be the most memorable for Gautam.

The vast green expanses of the village were intoxicating to Gautam’s senses and would reinvigorate him. He always seemed to have more energy when he visited his village. In the city he lived in a two-room apartment, where there was hardly any space for his four-member family. There were also no parks nearby where he could play every day, hence he would play cricket with his friends on the street. In the village, space was never a constraint. The houses were big, and he had vast open spaces at his disposal where he and his younger brother Ajay, could play cricket or soccer all day with Ashwin and his cousins. They would start playing as early as 7 a.m in the morning and wind up only by 6 p.m in the evening. They would only take two breaks in between, for breakfast and lunch. Such was their fervour that the discussion on the outcome of the matches would find its way to the dinner table and subsequently into their beds. But this year, Gautam and Ashwin had decided that they would break this routine and do something more adventurous. What that would be was still undecided.

Gautam’s family had just arrived the day before and after their morning match, at breakfast Ashwin came up with an interesting plan. To go cycling to the river in the evening! They would have to skip their evening match for it, but the thought of cycling through paddy fields on the small winding village roads was very luring. The added attraction of their destination was the old dilapidated temple on the banks of the river which had some myths attached to it.

The plan was all ready to be executed! Ashwin arranged for the bicycles and Gautam and Ajay came over to his house around 4 pm. Their parents had asked them to return by 7 pm, so they set off cycling right away. On the way they passed by paddy fields, ponds, houses, shops and temples. Everything looked serene and a cool breeze started blowing within five minutes into their ride. The sky had changed colour to a beautiful mix of saffron and blue. One could hear the cacophony of birds chirping, on their way back to their nests. All this was mesmerizing for Gautam and Ajay, but for Ashwin it was just another day in the park. However, Ashwin was buoyed by just looking at the expressions on the faces of his friends. They reached their destination after cycling for about twenty minutes. They parked their bicycles near a banyan tree on the road and headed towards the river. At first the river was nowhere to be seen since there was heavy vegetation all around. They pushed and lunged through the vegetation and soon reached a clearing and there it was, the river in all its glory. The sound of the flowing river was soothing to the nerves. It instantly calmed the children down. They sat down on a boulder within the waters, very close to the river bank. They had no intention to bathe in the river, but they wanted to soak in all the good energy emanating from this place. Shoals of tiny fish would come and nibble at their feet which was half immersed into the water. “This is heaven!” exclaimed Gautam to which Ajay and Ashwin would give their nod of approval. Just then, Ajay’s eyes fell on the contentious temple. “There it is!” he said. There was silence for a few seconds and then Ashwin replied “Yes, but it would be better if we stay here and not go there”. This was a bit baffling for the two brothers, after all the hype.

“But why?”, enquired Gautam. There was a slight resistance in his voice as he asked. “There are some bad stories associated with this temple, it will not be safe at this hour to go there” replied Ashwin in a commanding tone. “What could possibly go wrong, we came all the way for this?” said Gautam. Ajay also nodded to this with his hands around his hips, as if to suggest to Ashwin that he had no choice but to tag along. The two brothers though were totally dependent on Ashwin here, after all he knew the place inside out. “Okay, have it your way, but don’t blame me if something goes wrong” said Ashwin. The brothers instantly gave their nod of approval to the caveat.

They waded through the waters and reached the other end. At some places the river was just a foot deep and only about ten feet wide, so crossing the river to the other side during summers was easy. They got to the other side and reached the entrance of the old dilapidated structure. According to local legend, the temple was around 200 years old. But there was no way of verifying the same since, there was not much left of this temple. There were enough reasons though to believe the myths associated with the temple, it was quite eerie! Local people of this area say that this temple was destroyed when the river overflowed some thirty years ago. The unfortunate event claimed the lives of three people who were within the temple at that time. People also believe that some strange unexplained incidents have been happening at this place ever since. The boys found an ideal place to sit near the entrance of the temple where they could soak in the nature and yet be within the confines of the structure. The sun was now beginning to set.

At this twilight hour the only street light in the vicinity which was next to the banyan tree, where they had parked their bicycles, was switched on. It was not doing a great job though of illuminating the place. The moon was nowhere to be seen. It was a no moon day or what Indians called “Amavasya”. At this precise juncture, Ashwin said, “I have a set of three true stories to tell you boys related to this place”. Gautam and Ajay were all ears to this. But deep within the two brothers were also anxious because of the atmospherics of the place. “Please go ahead”, said Gautam. “Just the right time for a good ghost story” Ajay added. There was a slight sense of apprehension in his tone though. “Here goes, this is the first one” said Ashwin, as he rubbed his palms and rested his back against the wall of the temple.

Story 1:

Just a month ago, a man was on his way back home after watching a late-night movie show at the local cinema theatre. He was a couple of drinks down and was in urgent need clear his belly. It so happened that he was passing by this area and hence, halted and parked his scooter under the banyan tree. He headed, close to the river. Just then, he felt something on his shoulder, as if somebody had put a hand on it. He turned around but there was no one. He thought that his mind was just playing tricks. As he was about to leave he heard strange sounds coming from near the temple. It sounded like the cries of a human, but he could not be sure about that. Then from very close to the temple, a piece of cloth appeared. It was swaying in the air. On paying close attention, he realized that it was a white sari. But there was no one in the vicinity for a good distance to conclude that it belonged to anyone. There were also no houses close by from where it could have flown, in the night sky. On close inspection, he saw that the sari was taking weird shapes in the air. His heart missed a beat. Then, the strange noise grew louder. It sounded more like a squeal than a cry. It grew louder and louder. At this stage, the man, rushed towards his scooter, but noticed that the sari was flying in the air and moving towards him. It was now right behind him and the squeal continued. He sat on his scooter and fled as fast as he could. The dreaded sari was right behind him for a while until it mysteriously disappeared in the night sky. He reached home safely after a treacherous ten-minute ride on his scooter. After reaching home he told the tale to family members and neighbours. But no one would believe his story. Two days later, the man was found dead on the river bank with a white sari draped on his corpse. Autopsy reports concluded that he had a cardiac arrest.

Ashwin took a deep breath and continued, “I knew that man very well, he used to come regularly to our house as he was a close acquaintance of my father”. An eerie silence followed, and then Gautam asked, “Did this actually happen?”. Ajay’s eyes on the other hand were constantly gaping towards the banyan tree, where the bicycles were parked. “Do you think, I will lie?” asked Ashwin. There was no reply from the brothers, just a hushed “hmm”.

The sun had now seeped into the horizon. Patches of all the rainbow colours, now adorned the sky. The breeze was picking up and it was getting dark. “Next story please!” said Ajay. “Okay, here it goes” said Ashwin.

Story 2:

About a year back, some teenage boys came to the river bank to have some fun. They bathed in the river for a while and then rested just outside the temple. It was getting dark, but they were not in a hurry to head home. Just then they heard strange noises coming from inside the temple, as if somebody was chanting something. This was followed by the sound of footsteps. It came from inside the temple and then moved towards the entrance. The boys could not see anyone though! Just then a loud squeal from near the river bank was heard. The squeal got louder and louder, but there were no humans in sight. One of the boys, then spotted a short man, more like a dwarf with a staff in hand at a distance. He appeared to be coming out of the river. He then turned around and looked at the boys. They got a clear view of him at this juncture. He was wearing a “dhoti and kurta” and was holding a bronze staff in his hand. He had a light stubble on his face and brown eyes. He seemed to be looking intently at the boys and continuously smiling. Just then, a sudden gush of wind blew the sand from the river bank into the air. The boys lost sight for an instant and the man was gone. The boys later discovered, among the three casualties that fateful night thirty years ago, was the temple priest. He was vertically challenged!

“But what was the temple priest trying to convey to the teenage boys” asked Gautam. “Maybe, he was showing them how he met his end!” replied Ashwin. Gautam and Ajay were trying their best to show that they were not scared but failing miserably and Ashwin could clearly notice that. Gautam was changing positions regularly and Ajay would constantly look behind to check if anyone was breathing down his neck.

“Are you ready for the third and final story?” asked Ashwin. “Yes” said the brothers, but there was a slight tremble in their voice now.

Story 3:

This happened a couple of years back. People staying nearby had noticed a certain middle-aged lady coming to this river every day around evening before dusk. At first, they thought she was coming here to take a bath. But later, they discovered that she would simply wonder around the banks of the river for an hour and then leave. Nobody had seen this lady before in this area. People concluded she was not from here, since it was an intimate community, and everybody knew each other. Then one day, an auto rickshaw driver who was standing under the banyan tree and enjoying a smoke, saw the lady treacherously close to the water. It seemed she was holding something in her arms. Looking closely, he saw it was a baby! The baby was squealing loud as this woman gently entered the waters with the baby in her hands. The auto-rickshaw driver shouted and asked her to stop. But to no avail, she kept on going into the waters until she completely drowned into the water. The baby’s squealing slowly ceased. The auto-rickshaw driver could not sleep that night. He went to the local police station the next day and told the police officers about the same. The police investigated, but they did not find any dead bodies near the river. Since, there were no other witnesses to the case, they closed the case.

A month later, the auto-rickshaw driver was coming back home in his rickshaw after a hard day’s work. On the way, a lady stopped the vehicle and asked if he could drop her at the next bus stop. She had a baby in her hand. Then, we come to know that the vehicle met with an accident and the driver died on the spot. The lady and the baby were unharmed and local villagers who rushed to the accident site, recall that the two came out of the accident totally unscathed. But within a minute they were not to be seen anywhere. Police searched for the lady everywhere in the town basis eye witness accounts and description, but she was nowhere to be found.

“Was she a ghost?” asked Ajay. “Could be, but no one really knows! But this place is known for such unfortunate incidents” replied Ashwin. It was dark by now and the boys were hardly able to see each other, although they were sitting quite close to one another. The bulbs in the street light on the road flickered.

“We should leave now!” said Ashwin. He switched on his battery-operated torch and led the way. Just as they started walking, they heard a rumble in the thick vegetation just beside them. “Did you hear that?” asked Gautam. “Yes, I did” said Ajay. There was silence for a minute as the boys scanned the entire area from where they stood. “Maybe it was just the wind!” said Ashwin. The brothers seemed to agree with Ashwin’s analysis. Then, they heard the weirdest noise. It was coming from inside the temple, just a few feet away from where they were standing. It sounded like a squeal. The sound grew louder and louder, just like in the stories Ashwin had narrated. The boys came close to one another and held each other’s hands. The city boys at this stage were shivering. Ashwin could feel the shiver as he held Gautam’s hand. But he too was under a lot of stress now. “What does it sound like?” Ajay enquired, his voice very hushed right now. “I have no clue. I have never heard this kind of a cry before” said Gautam. “Me neither!” said Ashwin. The squealing was only getting louder and it seemed as if somebody was desperate for help. Strangely enough they felt that the sound of the squeal was moving closer to them, as if it had legs! The sounds also had emotions attached to it because it was not one continuous tone and was wavering every now and then.

“This could only be the cries of a human!” said Ajay. To this, Gautam made the statement that would seal the arguments between the three boys and bring the discussion to a closure. “Could it be a baby?” said Gautam. “Yes, that baby! Oh My God!” exclaimed the three in unison. They were convinced that they were in the presence of something supernatural and that it was after their lives. All three boys started screaming and running at full blast towards the banyan tree. “There is a ghost inside this temple!” the three yelled. Hearing the commotion villagers who were passing by on the road stopped and looked at them with intrigue. They even ran towards them, understanding that something was amiss. They thought that the boys would have seen a snake or wild animal, which is common in these parts at this time of the day. One of the villagers even got hold of a stick, in case it was needed. A crowd of around ten people had now gathered as the boys reached the banyan tree on the road. The three took a minute to regain their composure. Then one of the villagers asked, “What happened, kids?”. The three boys looked at each other. Then, Gautam said “We heard someone squealing desperately inside that temple. It’s a baby, the ghostly baby!”. There was silence for a minute, as the people who had gathered, looked at each other completely perplexed. Just then, someone asked, “Did you see the baby?”. It was an old man, slender in build but with a thick moustache. The three boys looked at the old man and then at each other. Ashwin replied, “No, but we are sure it is a baby!”. To this the old man burst out laughing and said, “Sure it is a baby, come I’ll show you.” The old man asked the crowd to disperse as he took the three boys back into the temple. As they reached the temple, they could hear the squealing again. “There it is, it’s the baby! We are doomed.” said Ajay. “Ssh, keep quiet” said the old man.

He lit his torch and went into the inner sanctum of the temple. There in one corner he pointed towards a piece of cloth lying on the floor. He focused the torch light on the cloth and said, “There is your baby!” The three boys were shivering as they held on to each other. The old man said “Don’t worry and look closely. What do you see?”. The three inched closer to the piece of cloth to get a proper view. Alas! It was a baby alright, but a baby cat! It seemed like a huge anti-climax. “Did you kids not know, that baby cats also squeal like human babies when they need their mothers” said the old man. To this the three boys gave no answer and simply gazed back at the old man. They felt that they had just made a mountain of a mole hill. The old man simply smiled back at them and said, “Come, let’s leave it is getting too late!” They headed back to the road. The boys waved goodbye to the old man and thanked him for solving the mystery.

The boys were happy in the end that they had not actually seen a ghost else the experience might have scarred them for life. Then they sat on their bicycles but just before leaving, Gautam asked Ashwin “So the squeal turned out to be that of a cat and not a ghost, unlike in the case of your true stories, isn’t it?”. Ashwin gave back a cheeky grin and replied, “Do you think, I will lie?”.

**********************************************************************************

Credits:

Written by: Siddhartha Krishnan

2nd September 2018

Category: Short story

Bangalore

 

**********************************************************************************