Salman Khan in ‘Battle of Galwan’
NEW DELHI: A teaser of Salman Khan-starrer Battle of Galwan, based on the clash between Indian and Chinese soldiers in Galwan Valley in 2020, has been racking up viewership in millions and has drawn critical commentary from Global Times, a Chinese Communist Party mouthpiece aimed largely at an international audience. The film, directed by Apoorva Lakhia, has Salman playing the role of Col Bikkumalla Santosh Babu, who laid down his life along with 19 other Indian soldiers while defending Indian territory in eastern Ladakh. The clash also left an unspecified number of Chinese soldiers dead. Col Babu was posthumously awarded India’s second-highest wartime gallantry honour, the Maha Vir Chakra. Global Times claimed the movie has sparked controversy for “distorting facts”. Referring to the 1.12-minute teaser, which has crossed over 20 million views in three days, it quoted a Chinese expert as saying Bollywood films offer an entertainment-driven, emotionally charged portrayal. It added that no amount of cinematic exaggeration could rewrite history or shake People’s Liberation Army’s determination to defend China’s sovereign territory. The teaser opens with a voice-over by Salman’s character saying, “Soldiers, remember, if you get wounded, treat it like a medal, and if you see death, salute it,” and shows Indian soldiers bracing for combat as Chinese troops run towards them. According to Army sources, Indian soldiers led by Col Babu regrouped quickly and launched a ferocious response during the high-altitude standoff there.
