Vivan Bhathena endured Ladakh’s extremes for Farhan Akhtar’s 120 Bahadur: 45°C heat burning skin, -16°C at Pangong Lake. Lost two teeth, gained weight as JCO, skipped makeup for authenticity, drawing from real soldiers’ dignity.
Vivan Bhathena recently discussed his pivotal role in Farhan Akhtar’s war drama ‘120 Bahadur’, emphasizing the depth of his preparation for portraying a battle-hardened Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO). With historical records available, he drew interactions with real soldiers to embody a commanding presence that commanded instant respect on set. The shoot pushed boundaries, from scorching 45-degree heat that scorched skin to sub-zero nights at Pangong Lake, where he gained significant weight and endured severe injuries, including losing two teeth.
Vivan Bhathena on Ladakh weather
The actor, speaking to Mid-day, opened up about Ladakh’s harsh filming conditions for;120 Bahadur’, starting amid September’s blistering heat. He said that they started in September, which was 45 degrees plus. Got burnt to a crisp. The weather then turned brutal with early-morning chills, as he noted that they wake up every morning at 4 am. It’s minus 9, minus 10 till they reached a point where we were at Pangong Lake at minus 16.
Vivan Bhathena’s authenticity approach
He further said, “The moment the wind used to start, it just goes into your neck. And it hurts for years.” He also faced serious physical setbacks, revealing, “I lost two teeth on the set. My teeth broke inside my mouth, literally shattered inside my gums. I had to get them pulled out.” Despite the severity, the army doctors remained unfazed, telling him, “They were like, yes, this is very common with everyone. You don’t have the habit of compression.”Bhathena explained, “We wanted to be those soldiers. Excel makes sure we tell the truth. We make sure we look the part and feel the part. We didn’t use any makeup except for blood effects. We never tried to look pretty on screen. We wanted to look as rough and as burned as possible.” Above all, he aimed to capture their inherent honor: “When we saw the soldiers, what they actually looked like—there is a dignity to that. If you see someone’s base, someone’s makeup… your orders get disconnected immediately.” Go to Source
