Salman Khan’s next movie, Battle of Galwan, has caused a storm of protests from the Chinese government-backed media. The teaser of the film, launched on Salman Khan’s birthday, was a major hit and got a lot of attention not only in India but also abroad. However, the Global Times, an official Chinese media outlet, has come down heavily on the film claiming it to be a distortion of history and one that spreads hatred towards China.
The movie Battle of Galwan was characterized in the Global Times as a “nationalist melodrama” and it went on to say that the film incorrectly portrays the Galwan Valley clash of 2020. The Chinese news outlet said that it was the Indian army that which was trying to provoke the battle and added that Delhi was playing back Beijing’s long-standing claim that the troops had crossed over to this side into what it terms ‘Chinese territory’. Furthermore, it has also said that India has been, so to speak, gradually irreversibly changing the facts to justify the scenario and put China in a bad light.
The touching sentiments of a Chinese army analyst named Song Zhongping were quoted in the editorial piece stating that the movie will not in any way hinder China’s military will to protect the area it claims as its own. This commentary shows that the Chinese government continues to be very sensitive to artistic and cinematic representations of the Galwan incident.
The narrative of the movie draws upon the violent clash that erupted in June 2020 along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh. The Indian Army which initially numbered 20 (including the officer Colonel Bikkumalla Santosh Babu from Telangana) and, during the fight, suffered an ambush from the Chinese military, got martyred in the process. It is stated that the Chinese also had some casualties but they have not publicly acknowledged them.
Sources claim that the movie “Battle of Galwan” depicts the life and times of Colonel Santosh Babu, with Salman Khan as the hero. The director is Apoorva Lakhia, and the actress sharing the limelight with him is Chitrangada Singh. The teaser showcases powerful dialogues that emphasize the good traits of Indian soldiers: their bravery, fidelity, and character, which have made a considerable impression on the audience.
The film is about to hit the theaters and it has turned out to be one of the hottest talkies in the industry not just because of its patriotic storyline but also the political reactions from the world which it has drawn.
