Farhan Akhtar will take time to get over 120 Bahadur’s box office failure, says mother Honey Irani

Honey Irani spoke about the emotional impact of film failures, addressing Farhan Akhtar's response to 120 Bahadur’s underwhelming performance.

Veteran screenwriter Honey Irani has addressed her son, actor-producer Farhan Akhtar’s emotional reaction to the under‑performance of his recent war film 120 Bahadur, saying setbacks in cinema are part of life and advising him not to take the film’s reception to heart.

Honey Irani addressed Farhan Akhtar's feelings about the disappointing performance of 120 Bahadur in a new interview.

Honey on Farhan's disappointment after 120 Bahadur failure

In an interview with journalist Vicky Lalwani, Honey spoke about the disappointment that follows when a project that had so much hard work and investment behind it doesn’t meet expectations. “We have all gone through it. He has gone through it, Zoya has gone through it. It is your personal loss because aapne itni mehnat ki hai uss film pe. Itna kaam kiya, itne log involved hain, itna paisa laga hai. Vo cheez agar nahi chalti hai to takleef to bohot hoti hai (you have worked so hard on that film, so many people are involved, so much money has been spent; if it doesn’t succeed, it hurts). I have always told them one thing that never take success to your head and failure to your heart. This is a part of life.”

Despite positive reviews for its performances and portrayal of bravery, the film struggled at the box office. It earned only modest box-office returns, an estimated ₹24 crore worldwide against a reported budget of ₹80–90 crore, according to Sacnilk.com.

Honey referenced the unpredictable nature of audience response, noting that sometimes films that exceed expectations become hits while others, even well‑crafted ones, don’t. She pointed to the example of Kagaz Ke Phool, calling it a masterpiece, didn’t do well. She explained that Farhan would need time to move past 120 Bahadur’s box office results, saying it’s normal to be hurt but that recovery takes time. “To get over it, you have to move on to other things. But it takes time. It has just happened. It will take some time, and it is fine. He should take his time and get over it,” she said.

About 120 Bahadur

120 Bahadur is a 2025 Indian Hindi‑language historical war drama directed by Razneesh Razy Ghai and produced by Farhan Akhtar’s Excel Entertainment and Trigger Happy Studios. The film depicts the valour of 120 Indian soldiers of Charlie Company who fought in the Battle of Rezang La during the 1962 Sino‑Indian War, with Farhan playing Major Shaitan Singh Bhati, a Param Vir Chakra awardee. It was released on 21 November 2025.