Maatrubhumi: Salman Khan’s war film on the 2020 Galwan clash

Salman Khan’s next big film is a war drama inspired by one of the most serious border incidents between India and China in decades. First announced as Battle of Galwan, the film was retitled in March 2026 as Maatrubhumi: May War Rest in Peace. Here is what is known.

The real event

On the night of 15 June 2020, Indian and Chinese troops clashed in the Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh, along the disputed Line of Actual Control. The fighting took place without firearms, under long-standing agreements between the two countries, but it was brutal. Twenty Indian soldiers died. China later acknowledged four deaths among its troops.

It was the first deadly clash on the India–China border since 1975, and it led to a long military stand-off and many rounds of talks between the two sides.

Colonel Santosh Babu

Among the Indian soldiers killed was Colonel Bikkumalla Santosh Babu, the commanding officer of the 16th Battalion of the Bihar Regiment. He was posthumously awarded the Maha Vir Chakra, India’s second-highest wartime gallantry award. Several of his soldiers also received gallantry awards.

In the film, Salman Khan plays a character based on Colonel Santosh Babu.

The makers

• Director: Apoorva Lakhia, who previously made Shootout at Lokhandwala (2007).
• Production: Salman Khan Films.
• Co-star: Chitrangada Singh has been announced in a leading role.

The project marks one of the few times Khan has played a character based on a real person.

The title change

In March 2026 the makers changed the film’s title from Battle of Galwan to Maatrubhumi: May War Rest in Peace. “Maatrubhumi” means “motherland”.

Release date

Different release dates have been reported, but no final date has been officially confirmed at the time of writing. We will update this article when it is announced.

A change of direction

Khan is best known for action entertainers such as Dabangg, Ek Tha Tiger and Tiger 3, in which he plays larger-than-life heroes. Maatrubhumi is a different kind of project: a film based on real events and real people, with a serious tone. It follows Bajrangi Bhaijaan (2015), one of his most admired films, in showing a more emotional side.

Films about the armed forces

Indian cinema has a long tradition of war films, from Haqeeqat (1964), set during the 1962 India–China war, to Border (1997) and LOC: Kargil (2003). More recent films such as Uri: The Surgical Strike (2019) and Shershaah (2021) found large audiences. Maatrubhumi joins this tradition while focusing on a recent event that many viewers remember clearly.

Sensitivity and responsibility

Films about real military events carry special responsibility to the families of the soldiers and to historical accuracy. As with any film inspired by real incidents, some elements are likely to be dramatised, and viewers should treat it as a dramatisation rather than a documentary record.

Why fans are watching closely

After Sikandar (2025), fans are eager to see Khan in a role that tests him as an actor. A war drama based on the Galwan clash could be one of the most talked-about Hindi films of its year.

This article will be updated when the release date and trailer are announced.