Salman Khan: @BeingSalmanKhan/X
Govt pressure to rewrite Maatrubhumi script? What Salman Khan says
Salman Khan says the makers have independently developed a new version of the story, focusing on the experiences of soldiers on the border
Salman Khan's Maatrubhumi: May War Rest in Peace has been on quite a journey even before it hit the big screen. Originally announced as Battle of Galwan, the film, inspired by the 2020 India-China military clash, has since changed its title and attracted considerable speculation about its storyline.
Amid reports that the government had concerns about its alleged anti-China narrative and had pressured the makers to rewrite the script, Salman Khan has finally broken his silence. Dismissing the reports as "nonsense", the actor says the film's progress was an independent creative decision''.
Speaking at the film's trailer launch in Mumbai on Friday, Salman said the makers had independently developed a new version of the story, focusing on the experiences of soldiers and their families on both sides of the India-China border.
“There's this whole narrative that we're making a film against China and that the government pressured us to change or rewrite the script. All of that is absolute nonsense. It's not true at all. We've made a film about soldiers, what they go through and what their families endure, on both sides of the border. There's no negativity in the film. It's just that the circumstances are negative,” he said (translated from Hindi).
The title change was another aspect of the film that Salman addressed at the trailer launch. The actor clarified that Battle of Galwan was never intended to be the film's final title, despite being used in its initial promotional material, including the teaser. According to Salman, the team had always planned to settle on a different name as the project progressed.
Explaining how they eventually arrived at Maatrubhumi, Salman said the title was taken from a song composed by Himesh Reshammiya for the film.
Produced by Salman Khan, Maatrubhumi: May War Rest in Peace also features Chitrangda Singh, Mukesh Rishi, Ankur Bhatia, Zeyn Shaw and Abhilash Chaudhary in key roles. The film is scheduled to hit theatres on December 4.