Salman Khan’s ‘Battle of Galwan’ Trailer Sparks Diplomatic Firestorm Between India and China
The controversy highlights a growing trend where Bollywood filmmakers are accused of acting as “toadies of the Modi regime” to avoid state-led reprisals, such as tax raids or investigations.
By Rakesh Raman
New Delhi | December 30, 2025
The release of the trailer for the upcoming film Battle of Galwan has ignited a heated geopolitical debate, with Chinese state media accusing the production of distorting historical facts while the Indian government defends the project as an exercise of artistic freedom.
Cinematic Portrayal of a Deadly Conflict
Scheduled for an April 2026 release, the film stars superstar Salman Khan as Colonel Bikkumalla Santosh Babu, a commander from the Indian Army’s 16 Bihar regiment. The movie is set against the backdrop of the 2020 Galwan Valley clash, a violent confrontation in which the Indian Army confirmed that 20 Indian soldiers were killed by Chinese troops in the Ladakh region of the western Himalayas.
The trailer, released by Khan on December 27, 2025, has drawn significant attention due to the actor’s popularity. However, Khan is often teased by Chinese audiences—who know him from Bajrangi Bhaijaan—for playing “invincible” roles in plots that are frequently viewed as “too simplistic” with “exaggerated” visual effects.
International and Domestic Backlash
The Global Times and Chinese experts have dismissed the film as an entertainment-driven, emotionally charged portrayal. One expert asserted that “no amount of cinematic exaggeration” could rewrite history or weaken the resolve of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) regarding territory. In response, Indian government sources maintained on December 30 that filmmakers have the right to exercise their freedom of expression without interference.
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However, the film also faces harsh criticism from domestic observers who label it as “cinematic propaganda”. Critics argue the movie is an attempt to spread “lies about Indian victory“ to bolster the image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. These sources claim that while the film portrays a heroic narrative, the Modi administration has “sheepishly” ignored the fact that China continues to illegally occupy approximately 38,000 square kilometers of Indian territory in Ladakh.
Bollywood and the State
The controversy highlights a growing trend where Bollywood filmmakers are accused of acting as “toadies of the Modi regime” to avoid state-led reprisals, such as tax raids or investigations. According to some perspectives, these films are produced for a “one man audience”—Prime Minister Modi—aiming to hide policy failures and promote the nationalist agenda of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
By focusing on nationalist themes, these productions – such as the recent Bollywood film Dhurandhar – are expected to generate “easy money” from the domestic majority while allegedly spreading hate against regional rivals and minority groups.
By Rakesh Raman, who is a national award-winning journalist and social activist. He is the founder of a humanitarian organization RMN Foundation which is working in diverse areas to help the disadvantaged and distressed people in the society.
