Salman Khan's Battle of Galwan renamed Maatrubhumi due to political reasons? Know here

The Salman Khan-starrer war drama based on the 2020 India-China conflict, originally titled Battle of Galwan, has been renamed Maatrubhumi: May War Rest in Peace. Directed by Apoorva Lakhia, the title change aims to move away from a solely conflict-focused narrative and convey a deeper, more emotional, and peaceful message. 

Why was Battle of Galwan renamed?

A source confirmed to Bollywood Hungama that the Battle of Galwan title change to Maatrubhumi is related to the current diplomatic sensitivities surrounding India and China.

“Salman Khan was advised in certain official and strategic quarters to not only rethink the title of the film, but also tone down the anti-China portions. Taking that feedback seriously, Salman chose to align the film with the larger national mood and preserve the broader sensitivity of the subject. As a result, the title was changed and a substantial portion was reworked, with the conflict being fictionalized,” it shared. 

The source also said that the film's budget had increased due to reshoots, although Salman was reportedly not bothered by the additional cost. The source also revealed that a significant portion of the script has been rewritten to transform the film into a more emotionally resonant patriotic saga. 

"The changes also came after inputs from relevant quarters, and the new version is said to explore a more intimate dynamic between Salman Khan and Chitrangda’s characters. At its heart now, it is the story of an army officer balancing love amid conflict in many ways, this is the real Love & War,” the source added.

More about Maatrubhumi

Maatrubhumi (2025/2026) is a Bollywood war drama directed by Apoorva Lakhia and starring Salman Khan as Colonel B. Santosh Babu, portraying the June 15, 2020, border clash between Indian and Chinese troops. The plot follows Indian soldiers engaging in hand-to-hand combat to defend territory. While the film was originally slated for April 10, reports suggest it could be postponed to later this year. The makers have not yet officially confirmed any revised release schedule.

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