Salman Khan’s 'Maatrubhumi' was reshot to please China? Dhruv Rathee makes explosive claim

Bollywood actor Salman Khan’s upcoming war drama Maatrubhumi: May War Rest in Peace has become the center of a debate that goes beyond Bollywood. YouTuber Dhruv Rathee has alleged that the film was reshot under political pressure to make its portrayal of China more favorable, raising questions about how India’s 2020 military clash with China will be represented on screen.

Rathee made the claims during a press conference in India's capital New Delhi on Sunday (11). A clip from the event has since circulated widely on social media, with his remarks drawing reactions from Salman Khan fans and viewers questioning the film’s reported changes.

‘We can’t go so strongly against them’

Rathee alleged that the government was reluctant to allow a film critical of China to reach theaters in its original form.

"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 said.

He then claimed that the production underwent extensive reshoots, with the makers allegedly instructed to change how China was portrayed.

"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, ‘No, no, make it favourable to China. We cannot go so strongly against them')," Rathee added.

These are Rathee’s allegations. The information available does not independently establish that government pressure caused the reported reshoots.

‘They killed our soldiers’: The reaction that took off

One social media response captured the frustration some viewers expressed over the possibility that the film’s portrayal of China had been softened.

"Matlab wo hamare jawan bhi maar diye aur hum china bhi mention nhi kar sakte (I mean, they killed our soldiers, and we can’t even mention China)."

The comment referred to the 2020 Galwan Valley clash, in which 20 Indian Army personnel were killed during a confrontation with Chinese troops. The incident remains a sensitive subject in India, making the film’s treatment of the conflict particularly significant for audiences.

Another user agreed with Rathee’s assessment and wrote, "Exactly that was the issue, that’s why Salman Khan lost interest in the movie."

A Salman Khan fan page also shared the video, writing, "Well, even if not Salman Khan, at least Dhruv Rathee spoke up correctly about the film #Maatrubhoomi."

The reactions reflect an online debate over whether a film based on a military confrontation should present the conflict directly or take a more restrained approach. They do not, however, establish why the filmmakers made any changes.

From Battle Of Galwan to Maatrubhumi

The film was originally announced as Battle of Galwan before being renamed Maatrubhumi: May War Rest in Peace. The change has attracted attention alongside reports of reshoots and questions about how the movie will depict the India-China conflict.

According to reports cited by India Today, the film received a no-objection certificate from the Information and Broadcasting Ministry in September and was expected to move to the Central Board of Film Certification for review. November 13 was reported as a possible release date, although the information provided does not confirm a final release schedule.

For now, Rathee’s remarks have put the movie’s creative choices under renewed scrutiny. Whether the final film reflects the changes he alleges remains to be seen.

The larger question is what audiences will see when Maatrubhumi reaches theaters: a direct portrayal of a painful military confrontation, or a more restrained account of an event that continues to shape public discussion of India’s relationship with China.