Salman Khan rejects claims that 'Matribhumi' script was changed

Bollywood actor Salman Khan's new film 'Matribhumi: May We Rest In Peace' has become mired in controversy even before its release.

The film, based on the 2020 Galwan clash, was first titled 'Battle of Galwan'. Claims have since emerged that along with the title change, several changes were also made to the story.

Government sources have claimed that these changes were made keeping in mind the improvement in diplomatic relations between India and China.

At the trailer launch event in Mumbai on Friday (6 November), however, Salman Khan denied these allegations. He described the claims that the script was changed or the release delayed because of government pressure as "nonsense".

According to government sources, the film directed by Apoorva Lakhia was initially planned around the 2020 Galwan clash. In that clash, 20 Indian soldiers were killed in a face-off with Chinese forces.

Later, however, the script was changed considering the current state of India-China relations. It has even been claimed that nearly 40 percent of the scenes were re-shot.

According to sources, India's defence ministry had objected to the initial script portraying China directly as the adversary. Later, instead of the nationalist and military-conflict angle of the war, greater emphasis was placed on its human value and on the lives of the people involved.

The film was announced in July 2025. Its teaser was released nearly 10 months ago.

China's state-run media outlet 'Global Times' had criticised the film's teaser. Its allegation was that the clash that took place in the Galwan Valley in June 2020 had been distorted in the film.

Shiv Aroor and Rahul Singh, co-authors of the 'India's Most Fearless' book series, have raised objections to the film. Announcing the end of their association with the film, they claimed that its story had moved far away from the account of the Galwan clash described in their book. On the social media platform X, Shiv Aroor said they decided to step away from the project because of the changes to the story.

Earlier, YouTuber Dhruv Rathee had also alleged that a few scenes of the film were asked to be re-shot to portray China in a positive light.

Salman Khan, however, does not agree with these allegations. At the trailer launch event, he made it clear that 'Matribhumi' is not a biopic. He also rejected the idea that the film is being made on the life of Colonel B Santosh Babu, who was killed in the Galwan clash. Salman said he wanted to make a film in which, alongside the conflict between the soldiers of the two countries, its human side would also come through. In his view, the mere presence of Indian and Chinese soldiers in the film does not mean it will have a negative impact on relations between the two countries.