His Words Still Carry the Same Emotion: Kavi Pradeep Ji’s Daughter, Mitul Pradeep on ‘Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon’ Being Part of Teaser 2 of 120 Bahadur

Teaser 2 of 120 Bahadur, Excel Entertainment and Trigger Happy Studios’ upcoming war drama, pays homage to the immortal words of Kavi Pradeep Ji and the soulful voice of Lata Mangeshkar ji through the patriotic anthem Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon. Released on Sunday, 28th September, marking Lata ji’s birth anniversary, the special tribute teaser has received an overwhelming response. The anthem, originally written as a salute to the soldiers and martyrs of the 1962 India–China war, is especially significant as 120 Bahadur is also based on the same war. Almost six decades later, Kavi Pradeep ji’s heartfelt lyrics still continue to stir the soul of the nation, reminding everyone of the courage, sacrifice, and spirit of India’s brave soldiers.

Sharing her thoughts on Ae Mere Watan ke Logon being a part of Teaser 2 of 120 Bahadur, Mitul Pradeep, daughter of Kavi Pradeep and Secretary of the Kavi Pradeep Foundation, said, “My father, Kavi Pradeep ji, wrote Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon as a tribute to the sacrifice of Major Shaitan Singh Bhati, PVC, and his brave soldiers of Charlie Company, 13 Kumaon Regiment, who laid down their lives in the Battle of Rezang La during the 1962 India-China War. Decades later, his words still carry the same emotion and remind us of the sacrifices of our armed forces. I congratulate the makers of 120 Bahadur, a film that celebrates the spirit of those 120 soldiers who stood their ground against all odds for our country. Including a few lines of these legendary lyrics in a special unit of this film continues to honour the very heroes it was written for.”

The story behind the song is as remarkable as its legacy, while strolling along Mahim beach in late 1962, Kavi Pradeep ji borrowed a pen from a fellow walker and penned the opening stanza on a scrap of foil torn from his cigarette pack. It was composed by C. Ramchandra and sung by Lata Mangeshkar ji in 1963 and since then, Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon has become one of India’s most loved and celebrated patriotic songs.

Directed by Razneesh ‘Razy’ Ghai and produced by Ritesh Sidhwani, Farhan Akhtar (Excel Entertainment), and Amit Chandrra (Trigger Happy Studios), the film is an Excel Entertainment production and releases in cinemas on 21st November 2025.