In a shocking revelation, actor Vivan Bhathena has detailed the immense physical toll and extreme conditions he endured while filming Farhan Akhtar's upcoming war drama, '120 Bahadur'. Bhathena, who plays a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO), underwent a transformative and brutal process to authentically portray a battle-hardened soldier, a commitment that even cost him two teeth.
Battling Ladakh's Merciless Climate
Speaking to Mid-day, Bhathena described the filming schedule in Ladakh as a trial by fire and ice. The shoot commenced in September, facing scorching temperatures exceeding 45 degrees Celsius. "We got burnt to a crisp," the actor recounted. The conditions then swung violently to the opposite extreme as the production moved into colder months, with early morning calls at 4 am in freezing chills of minus 9 to minus 10 degrees Celsius.
The most severe cold was experienced at the iconic Pangong Lake, where the mercury plunged to a bone-chilling minus 16 degrees. Bhathena highlighted the piercing wind, stating, "The moment the wind used to start, it just goes into your neck. And it hurts for years." This drastic shift in climate and the physically demanding shoot also led him to gain significant weight for the role.
The Price of Authenticity: Shattered Teeth and No Makeup
The actor's dedication to realism resulted in serious physical injury. He disclosed, "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." Remarkably, army doctors on location treated this as a common occurrence, casually noting his lack of "habit of compression."
Bhathena emphasized that the entire cast, under the banner of Excel Entertainment, was committed to "telling the truth." Their approach was stripped of any vanity. "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," he explained. This was inspired by the real soldiers they interacted with, whose worn appearances carried a profound dignity that the actors sought to emulate to ensure their performances commanded instant respect.
Embodying the Spirit of a Soldier
Beyond the physical transformation, Bhathena immersed himself in preparation. With historical records at his disposal, he drew from interactions with real-life JCOs to build a commanding presence. The goal was not just to look the part but to fundamentally feel and inhabit the mindset of a seasoned soldier. He aimed to capture their inherent honor and resilience, believing that any artificiality in appearance would immediately disconnect the audience from the authenticity of the orders given and the struggles portrayed on screen.
The filming of '120 Bahadur' stands as a testament to the lengths actors go to for cinematic realism, with Vivan Bhathena's ordeal in the punishing landscapes of Ladakh marking one of the most physically challenging chapters of his career.
