Particle.news
Download on the App Store

China Criticizes Salman Khan’s ‘Battle of Galwan’ as India Defends Creative Freedom

Indian officials cite creative freedom in response to Chinese state media’s claim that the teaser distorts the 2020 border clash.

Overview

  • Chinese state-run Global Times accused the teaser of presenting a one-sided account, alleging India crossed the LAC and inflated casualty figures.
  • Government sources in New Delhi rejected the criticism and said storytellers are free to choose their narratives without politicisation of cinema.
  • Project sources reiterated that the film is inspired by the Galwan Valley events and is not a biopic of Colonel B. Santosh Babu, framing it as a tribute to soldiers and their sacrifices.
  • The teaser was unveiled on December 27 and the makers have set April 17, 2026, for the theatrical release.
  • Chinese social media users on Weibo voiced objections, Indian industry voices dismissed concerns about impact, and commentator Tehseen Poonawalla defended Salman Khan’s much-discussed on-screen expression as composure.