Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai
Mumbai, Nov 6: Bollywood superstar Salman Khan has dismissed rumours that the Government of India pressured the makers of his upcoming war drama ‘Maatrubhumi’ to alter its script over its portrayal of China.
Salman addressed the speculation on Friday while attending a special event for the film along with his co-stars in Mumbai's Andheri West area.
Rejecting claims that the government had intervened in the film's storyline, Salman told the media that reports suggesting pressure to rewrite the script were completely baseless.
“So, this narrative that we are going against China, and our government has put pressure on us to change its script, and rewrite it, all this is nonsense. It's not true at all. We have made a film on soldiers, their families, and what they go through, what the soldiers from both sides go through. So, there are no negative forces in this,” he said.
Explaining the film's central theme, Salman said the story revolves around circumstances that bring soldiers from opposing sides into conflict, despite their mutual respect and understanding.
“These are just circumstances. Circumstances are negative. And how these soldiers, their nation comes first. They like each other, but then when a situation comes, the nation comes first. And both the sides are trying to solve this,” he added.
The film, which was earlier titled ‘Galwan’, is based on the India-China military clash in the Galwan Valley of eastern Ladakh on June 15, 2020, during the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The confrontation took place amid a wider border standoff along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), when troops from both countries clashed while attempting to patrol disputed areas.
The violent encounter claimed the lives of 20 Indian soldiers, while China also suffered casualties. It was the deadliest military confrontation between the two countries in more than four decades and significantly escalated bilateral tensions.
Following the clash, both nations increased troop deployments along the border and initiated diplomatic and military-level discussions to prevent further escalation.
India and China have since taken steps to improve bilateral relations, reopening multiple channels of communication as part of ongoing diplomatic efforts.