China's Angry Reaction To Salman Khan's "Battle Of Galwan" Stirs Row

The recently released teaser of actor Salman Khan's war drama 'Battle of Galwan' has triggered a strong reaction from China, with its state media claiming it "distorts facts". The Salman Khan starrer is based on the 2020 clashes between Indian and Chinese troops in Galwan in eastern Ladakh.

The movie is directed by Apoorva Lakhia and also stars Chitrangada Singh as the female lead alongside Zeyn Shaw, Ankur Bhatia, and Vipin Bhardwaj. In the film, Salman Khan plays Colonel Bikkumalla Santosh Babu, the commanding officer of the 16 Bihar Regiment, who died while fighting intruding People's Liberation Army (PLA) troops.

What Chinese Media Said

An article in China's state-run newspaper, Global Times, alleges that the events of the June 2020 clash portrayed in the movie "do not align with the facts." Citing so-called "experts", the report controversially dismisses the "Battle of Galwan" as an "over-the-top" film, dismissing Santosh Babu's sacrificial bravery as a "so-called pivotal role".

It claims, "The Bollywood films at most provide an entertainment-driven, emotionally charged portrayal, but no amount of cinematic exaggeration can rewrite the history or shake the PLA's determination to defend China's sovereign territory."

The Galwan River valley, with its harsh climate and high-altitude terrain, lies along the western sector of the Line of Actual Control (LAC), close to the Aksai Chin region in eastern Ladakh.

The Global Times article falsely claims that the Galwan Valley is located on the Chinese side of the Line of Actual Control. It places the responsibility of the June 2020 clashes on India, claiming that Indian troops crossed over the LAC and provoked a fight.

It claimed the "acts of the Indian army have seriously undermined the stability of the border areas, threatened the lives of Chinese personnel, violated the agreements reached between the two countries on the border issue, and breached the basic norms governing international relations."

New Delhi has officially acknowledged that it lost 20 troops in the brutal hand-to-hand combat. The Chinese article, however, alleged that "India exaggerated casualty figures, distorted facts, and attempted to mislead the international community and smear the Chinese military."

On the contrary, Beijing, which earlier denied any casualties in the clash, later claimed it lost four troops, gravely underplaying the number.

The article also claimed that India uses films, especially Bollywood productions, "to stir nationalistic sentiment is unsurprising, reflecting a deeply rooted cultural and political tradition."

"No matter how 'over-the-top' a drama may be, a nation's sacred territory will never be affected by a film," the report quoted Song Zhongping, a Chinese military expert, as saying.

Reactions in India

Indian filmmakers have slammed the Chinese mouthpiece for fabricated claims.

Talking to NDTV, filmmaker Ashoke Pandit noted that the Chinese reaction to the film's trailer was obvious, as "when an Indian filmmaker makes a film, he definitely sees to it that our enemy country's activities are exposed."

"We as a nation are a strong nation, and our security forces are really brave to fight their battles for the country. So it's basically a kind of insecurity which Global Times feels," he said.

Actor and producer Rahul Mitra also reacted to the controversy, noting that Global Times' reaction wasn't surprising, as it's a "government mouthpiece".

"Films are made with proper research because that is the foundation of any good script, and with people like Apoorva Lakhia and Salman Khan, they're notable names; I don't think they will just make anything to distort facts just to make a film," Mitra said.

He also slammed the Chinese media for labelling the film a "nationalist melodrama", saying, "Filmmaking is a very tedious process, and research is a very, very important part of it."

India's Response

Government sources have told NDTV that it has no role to play in the film and that those who have concerns regarding the movie can approach India's Ministry of Defence for clarifications. "India is a country with freedom of expression, and cinematic expression is an integral part of it. Indian filmmakers are free to make films as per this artistic freedom. Those who may have concerns on this particular film are free to approach India's Ministry of Defence for any clarifications. Government has no role to play in this film."