Dhruv Rathee alleges Maatrubhumi underwent reshoots over its portrayal of China.
Salman Khan’s war drama is based on the 2020 Galwan Valley clash.
Maatrubhumi reportedly received ministry clearance, with a November release under consideration.
YouTuber Dhruv Rathee has alleged that Salman Khan’s upcoming film Maatrubhumi: May War Rest in Peace underwent reshoots because the government did not want China to be portrayed negatively. His claims have reignited debate over the war drama, previously titled Battle of Galwan, and its depiction of the 2020 India-China clash.
Rathee made the remarks during a press conference in Delhi on October 11. A clip of his comments circulated on social media, drawing reactions from viewers and Salman Khan fans.
What Dhruv Rathee said about Maatrubhumi
Rathee alleged that the government was reluctant to allow the film to be released in its original form. He said, “Ek film aa rahi thi Salman Khan ki, jismein China ke khilaaf kuch cheezein thi. Aur sarkaar ki itni himmat nahi ho rahi ki us film ko release hone de” (There was a Salman Khan film that had some things against China. The government didn’t have the courage to allow the film to be released).
He further claimed, “Salman Khan ki film ki poori reshooting karwai gayi aur ye kaha gaya, ‘Nahi, nahi, isko China ke favour mein karo. Hum uske itne against nahi ja sakte’” (The entire film was reshot, and they were told to make it favourable to China).
Social media reacts to the claims
The remarks triggered debate online. One user wrote, “Matlab wo hamare jawan bhi maar diye aur hum china bhi mention nhi kar sakte” (They killed our soldiers, and we can’t even mention China).
Another commented, “Exactly that was the issue, that’s why Salman Khan lost interest in the movie.”
One user also expressed concern over the reported changes, writing, “#Maatrubhumi had to go through 40% reshoot and title change due to govt clearance, it's concerning. Hope the core story of our soldiers is still intact.”
Maatrubhumi release update
The film is based on the 2020 Galwan Valley clash, in which 20 Indian Army personnel died. According to reports, the revised version received clearance from the Information and Broadcasting Ministry in September and is expected to be submitted to the CBFC.
A November release has been reported as a possibility, with November 13 mentioned as a potential date. No final release date is confirmed in the supplied report.
Rathee’s comments came after he was detained by Delhi Police ahead of a proposed protest in Delhi on October 10. He was released early on October 11 and later described the incident as an “abduction”.
