New Delhi, March 16 Bollywood superstar Salman Khan announced on Monday that his upcoming film, "Battle of Galwan," has been renamed "Maatrubhumi."
The highly anticipated film, based on the 2020 Galwan Valley conflict between India and China, is directed by Apoorva Lakhia, known for "Shootout at Lokhandwala."
The actor did not provide a reason for the sudden name change. The film now also features the tagline, "May War Rest In Peace." The new title is likely inspired by the film's opening track, "Maatrubhumi," sung by Arijit Singh.
"May War Rest In Peace. #Maatrubhumi," Salman wrote in the caption of the film's poster, which features the new title.
The film is inspired by the military standoff in eastern Ladakh in May 2020. Clashes at the Galwan Valley in June of that year resulted in a severe strain in relations between India and China. Twenty Indian Army personnel lost their lives in the Galwan Valley clashes.
In February 2021, China officially acknowledged that five Chinese military officers and soldiers were killed in the clashes, although it is widely believed that the death toll on the Chinese side was much higher.
Khan plays the role of Bikkumalla Santosh Babu, who, along with 19 other soldiers of the 16 Bihar Regiment, lost his life during the clash.
On Khan's 60th birthday, he shared the teaser of the film, which drew criticism from China's Global Times. The newspaper claimed that the movie was a cinematic exaggeration and blamed it for distorting facts.
A government source at the time said, "India has a tradition of cinematic expression. A movie titled 'Haqeeqat' was made in 1964, and its theme was the India-China war of 1962. Another film, '120 Bahadur,' was recently made on the legendary battle of Rezang La. Cinemas are an artistic expression, and India does not restrict them."