1962: The War in the Hills

1962: The War in the Hills is an Indian Hindi-language war drama streaming-television series for Disney+ Hotstar, written and directed by Mahesh Manjrekar. Inspired by the 1962 Sino-Indian war, the series features Abhay Deol, Sumeet Vyas, Rohan Gandotra, Mahie Gill and Akash Thosar in leading roles. The series showcases a fictional account of real battles fought in Galwan Valley and Rezang La where 125 Ahir soldiers of the Indian Army were tasked with defending against a 3000 strong People's Liberation Army[1][2]

1962: The War in the Hills
Promotional poster
GenreWar Drama
Based onChina-India War
Written byMahesh Manjrekar
Directed byMahesh Manjrekar
Starring
ComposerHitesh Modak
Country of originIndia
Original languageHindi
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes10 (list of episodes)
Production
ProducerAjay Chacko
Production locationIndia
CinematographyKaran B. Rawat
EditorSarvesh Parab
Production companyArre Studios
Release
Original networkDisney+ Hotstar
Original release26 February 2021 (2021-02-26)

The series released on 26 February 2021 on Disney+ Hotstar[3] and received mostly mixed reviews from critics, who criticized its long run time and visual effects.[4][5]

Plot

The official synopsis reads,[1]

Inspired by true events, 1962: The War In The Hills is a fictional take about one of the fiercest battles ever fought. 124 Indian soldiers of ‘C Company’ of an Indian army battalion fought 3000 Chinese to the last man and last bullet; led by their leader Major Suraj Singh Hailing from the village of Rewari, this is also a story about their personal battles, their life beyond their uniforms and their times of love, heartbreak, longing and celebration. They band together in the harshest battlefield and hold up a strategic pass that stopped the infiltrating army from taking over a prime airstrip fighting till their last breath to protect what truly belonged to the nation – Ladakh.

Cast

Episodes
No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal release date
1"Hindi Cheeni Bhai Bhai?"Mahesh ManjrekarMahesh Manjrekar26 February 2021 (2021-02-26)
In 1962, Major Suraj Singh of the Kumaon Regiment acquires critical intelligence from the border. Meanwhile, the soldiers in his unit deal with friendship, love, rivalry and marriage.
2"Love and War"Mahesh ManjrekarMahesh Manjrekar26 February 2021 (2021-02-26)
India learns about China's expansionist plans. Back in Rewari, a love triangle implodes when Radha chooses Kishan over Karan.
3"1 Step Forward, 2 Steps Backward"Mahesh ManjrekarMahesh Manjrekar26 February 2021 (2021-02-26)
While India goes ahead with the Forward Policy, the Chinese depute Major Lin to lead their offensive. At the same time, Rewari is all set for Sepoy Gopal's wedding.
4"Ceasefire?"Mahesh ManjrekarMahesh Manjrekar26 February 2021 (2021-02-26)
Suraj's meticulous planning bears fruit when they recapture Tooka Post. However, the victory is short-lived and the situation goes downhill.
5"Independence Day"Mahesh ManjrekarMahesh Manjrekar26 February 2021 (2021-02-26)
Hardham takes an extreme step to seek justice for Gopal. Later, when Radha's parents decide to fix her marriage to Karan, Jaya spills the beans about Kishan.
6"At War"Mahesh ManjrekarMahesh Manjrekar26 February 2021 (2021-02-26)
As border tensions intensify, war becomes inevitable. Back in Rewari, Ram Kumar opens up about his wife and Radha goes on a hunger strike.
7"Road to Shaksa La"Mahesh ManjrekarMahesh Manjrekar26 February 2021 (2021-02-26)
Major Khattar sends C Company to Shaksa La, and the only way to reach the post is on foot. Soon they realise that courage is not enough to manoeuvre the difficult terrain.
8"Vidhur Ashram"Mahesh ManjrekarMahesh Manjrekar26 February 2021 (2021-02-26)
Knowing her secret, Suraj refuses to leave Shagun, but she convinces him to go to Chuhul HQ. Moreover, no one but Suraj believes the Chinese will attack from Shaksa La.
9"The Last Stand"Mahesh ManjrekarMahesh Manjrekar26 February 2021 (2021-02-26)
Radar returns injured and bloody to Chuhul HQ and recounts the events that took place in Shaksa La. Back home, Jaya and Shagun have to fight their families and their demons.
10"Escape to Victory"Mahesh ManjrekarMahesh Manjrekar26 February 2021 (2021-02-26)
The ceasefire is declared at a heavy cost. The soldiers' families mourn them, but Radha believes Kishan is alive. Meanwhile, Rinpa sees someone unexpected at the Chinese camp.

Production

Development

In July 2019, Hotstar had announced its collaboration with Arre Studios to produce a new series showcasing the life of soldiers, based on the backdrop of the Sino-Indian war happened in 1962 and roped in Mahesh Manjrekar to direct the series.[8] A source from the online portal Peeping Moon stated that Abhay Deol will act in the series as Major Shaitan Singh who was the frontrunner of the Indian Army during that period.[8] The team kickstarted the casting process in the very same month which was ended in August 2019.[8] It was touted to be one of the most costliest Hotstar original productions. The series producer Ajay Chacko stated that "We haven’t treated the series as an OTT show but three feature films rolled into one. It took us about two-and-half years from the inception to finish. It’s not an ordinary show, but one with many firsts."[9]

Casting

The project came into news in mid-November 2019 with Abhay Deol being confirmed as the lead actor in the series.[10] Sumeet Vyas and Akash Thosar were also confirmed to play the pivotal characters in the series. Thosar stated that he eventually wanted to join the Indian Army since he was passionate in the profession during his childhood, but as it failed to happen, he eventually became an actor.[11] Thosar stated that he was about to play a fictional soldier which he stated it as his "dream come true moment". He further stated that he had to gain 10 kilos for his role and also performed stunts for the first time.[11] Vyas also stated that the biggest challenge in the series is doing stunt sequences, since he was initially a part of comedy and romantic genre series.[11] In February 2021, Mahie Gill was announced to pair opposite Abhay Deol as Shagun Singh's wife. This marked their reunion of Deol and Gill after the 2009 film Dev.D.[12]

Filming

Shooting of the series began in September 2019.[13] As the series requried stunts and action sequences, the production team roped in Don Lee, an internationally acclaimed stunt choreographer who is known for films such as Pirates of the Caribbean and Star Trek for the stunts.[9] Most of the series were shot in Ladakh and Panchgani.[14] Actor Rohan Gandotra about the shooting in Ladakh eventually stated that it was a surreal experience and he also had developed health issues citing shoot in high altitude.[15] He stated that " Shooting in high terrain can be a challenge, especially with harsh weather conditions. But we trained really well and once we got to the shoot, everything made sense. It made me wonder — if we find it so tough to shoot for a few days, imagine what our soldiers go through on a daily basis."[16] By December 2019, the makers had wrapped the shoot and entered post-production which has been completed few days before the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown in March 2020 was announced.[11]

Soundtrack
1962: The War In The Hills
Soundtrack album by
Hitesh Modak
Released19 February 2021
Recorded2020–2021
GenreSoundtrack
Length44:55
LanguageHindi
LabelDisney+ Hotstar
ProducerHitesh Modak
Hitesh Modak chronology
Jinde Meriye
(2020)		 1962: The War In The Hills
(2021)
Singles from 1962: The War In The Hills
  1. "Hum Shaan Se Jalne Nikle Hai"
    Released: 5 February 2021

The soundtrack and score is composed by Hitesh Modak and lyrics for the soundtrack album were penned by Lavraj. The music video for the first song "Hum Shaan Se Jalne Nikle Hai" was released first on 5 February 2021.[17] The entire soundtrack featuring 11 songs have been released on 19 February 2021. The album features vocals by Hitesh Modak, Vijay Prakash, Salman Ali, Sukhwinder Singh, Farhad Bhiwandiwala, Aanandi Joshi, Shailey Bidwaikar, Shamika Bhide, Susmirata Dawalkar, Maanuni Desai and Sanket Naik.[18]

All lyrics are written by Lavraj

No.TitleSinger(s)Length
1."Hum Shaan Se Jalne Nikle Hai"Vijay Prakash, Salman Ali08:57
2."Moh Ki Dori"Sukhwinder Singh, Aanandi Joshi03:50
3."Black Turtle"Hitesh Modak03:25
4."Hum Shaan Se Jalne Nikle Hai" (Rap)Hitesh Modak, Farhad Bhiwandiwala01:13
5."Ladli Tu"Shailey Bidwaikar00:46
6."Soja Meri Aankhon Ke Taare"Shailey Bidwaikar07:29
7."Moh Ki Dori" (Sad Version)Hitesh Modak, Aanandi Joshi07:24
8."1962: Opening Credit"Hitesh Modak, Maanuni Desai00:44
9."Vaishnav Jan To"Hitesh Modak, Shamika Bhide, Susmirata Dawalkar03:21
10."Vande Mataram"Hitesh Modak, Shailey Bidwaikar, Sanket Naik03:52
11."Mere Sau Karam Tere Shaan Pe Qurbaan Hai"Shailey Bidwaikar02:54

Release

Originally planned for a 2021 release, the series was advanced for a November 2020 release as the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League will end on this month.[19] It is mostly due to the anti-Chinese sentiment prevailing in India after the Galwan Valley disputes happened in June 2020. However the slated release did not happen due to certain reasons.[19] On 26 January 2021, coinciding with Republic Day, the first look of the series was released through social media platforms which featured references to the 2020 Galwan Valley clash.[19] The official trailer of the series was released on YouTube on 12 February 2021.[1] The series premiered through Disney+ Hotstar on 26 February 2021.[20]

Reception

Saibal Chatterjee of NDTV gave two-and-a-half out of five stars and stated "The depiction of the titular war just about passes muster. The women who embody the tragic consequences of military conflict steal the show and nudge it into an unusual orbit, making 1962: The War In The Hills far more watchable than it would otherwise have been."[21] Kirti Tulsiani of Zoom TV gave two-and-a-half out of five stars and stated "The show, in that regard, is a must-watch as it humanises soldiers in the day and age where people often end up using their stories as tokens of patriotism on social media. However, there are flaws too. If you are ready to overlook the dramatisation of many moments and also expect some creative liberties, then 1962: The War in the Hills is a show you can watch."[22]

Ektaa Malik of The Indian Express gave one-out of five stars saying "the show pretends to be a period piece, but fails miserably".[4] Rohan Naahar writing for Hindustan Times panned the series describing "Shrill, tacky, and jaw-droppingly amateurish, Abhay Deol's Hotstar war drama is the worst show on a mainstream Indian platform."[5] Jyoti Kanyal of India Today wrote "1962: The War On The Hills is a highly disappointing war drama. The plot is not engaging, you cannot empathise with any of the characters, and to top it all, there's no adherence to any logic."[23]

References
  1. Rawat, Kshitij (12 February 2021). "1962 The War In The Hills trailer: Abhay Deol-starrer drama takes us back to original Galwan Valley clash". The Indian Express. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  2. "Trailer Talk: 1962 The War In The Hills On Disney+Hotstar Starring Abhay Deol Is A Prescient Reminder Of India's Loss In A War Against China". Film Companion. 28 January 2021. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  3. Cyril, Grace (27 January 2021). "Abhay Deol's Indo-China war drama 1962 The War In The Hills to drop on Feb 26". India Today. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  4. "1962 The War In the Hills review: We suffered through this Hotstar Special so you don't have to". 27 February 2021.
  5. "1962 The War in the Hills review: Hotstar owes us a Vacation in the Hills for suffering through Abhay Deol's awful show". Hindustan Times. 26 February 2021.
  6. "Mahesh Manjrekar directs his son Satya Manjrekar in 1962: The War in the Hills". Bollywood Hungama. 11 February 2021. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  7. "Mahie Gill opens up about her powerful role in 1962: The War In The Hills". Mumbai Live. 4 February 2021. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  8. "Exclusive: Abhay Deol to play an army officer in Hotstar's next web show on Indo-China war". Peeping Moon. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
  9. Service, Tribune News. "1962: The War In The Hills has all the ingredients of a stunning spectacle". Tribuneindia News Service. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
  10. "As we said it! Abhay Deol roped in for Mahesh Manjrekar's costliest Hotstar web show based on the Indo-China war". Peeping Moon. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
  11. Scroll Staff. "'1962: The War in the Hills': Sumeet Vyas and Akash Thosar on 'a dream come true'". Scroll.in. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
  12. "Mahie Gill to reunite with Abhay Deol in 1962 The War In The Hills". The Indian Express. 4 February 2021. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
  13. "Abhay Deol and Mahesh Manjrekar napping on the set is hilarious. Seen yet?". India Today. 21 November 2019. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
  14. "'1962: The War In The Hills has been a surreal experience'". The New Indian Express. 12 February 2021. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  15. Keshri, Shweta (25 February 2021). "Rohan Gandotra shares how he shot in harsh weather in Ladakh for 1962 The War in the Hills". India Today. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
  16. "It's been a surreal experience working on 1962 The War In The Hills: Rohan Gandotra". Cinema Express. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
  17. "Hum Shaan Se Jalne Nikle Hai - Original soundtrack of 1962: The War In The Hills is out". Cinema Express. 5 February 2021. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  18. 1962: The War In the Hills by Hitesh Modak, retrieved 29 March 2021
  19. Hungama, Bollywood (17 September 2020). "SCOOP: Abhay Deol-Mahesh Manjrekar's web series on Indo-China war preponed to cash in on the anti-China sentiment : Bollywood News - Bollywood Hungama". Bollywood Hungama. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
  20. Cyril, Grace (27 January 2021). "Abhay Deol's Indo-China war drama 1962 The War In The Hills to drop on Feb 26". India Today. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
  21. "1962: The War In The Hills Review - Abhay Deol Is Perfectly Cast In This Military Action Drama". NDTV.com. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
  22. "1962: The War in the Hills review: Abhay Deol, Akash Thosar shine in the war drama series". www.zoomtventertainment.com. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
  23. Kanyal, Jyoti (26 February 2021). "1962 The War On The Hills Review: Abhay Deol web series is a big disappointment". India Today. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
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