China Opposes Salman Khan’s Battle of Galwan Teaser, Calls It ‘Over-the-Top’ and ‘Factually Incorrect’

China has objected strongly to the upcoming Bollywood film Battle of Galwan, alleging that it distorts facts related to the 2020 Galwan Valley clash between Indian and Chinese troops.

The controversy followed the release of the film's trailer on December 27 by actor Salman Khan, ahead of its scheduled theatrical release in April 2026.

Chinese experts and social media users have criticised the film for what they describe as exaggerated storytelling and a one-sided Indian narrative, arguing that cinema cannot alter historical facts or territorial realities.

Trailer visuals draw sharp reaction from China

Salman Khan plays Colonel Bikkumalla Santosh Babu in the film, a role linked to the Galwan Valley events of June 2020. According to media reports, the teaser opens with the actor delivering a speech to his troops before confronting the enemy. The visuals show close-combat sequences using sticks, with soldiers advancing alongside him.

The trailer quickly drew reactions from Chinese netizens, with several comparing certain scenes to visuals from Game of Thrones. Others questioned the authenticity of the soldiers' uniforms, hairstyles, and whether the portrayal accurately reflected the extreme cold conditions of the Galwan region.

Salman Khan, who is well known in China due to his earlier films, has often been mocked by Chinese netizens for playing invincible characters, a criticism that resurfaced after the trailer's release.

China rejects portrayal of Galwan clash in the film

The film has been promoted as being inspired by the June 15, 2020, Galwan Valley incident, with media narratives highlighting Indian soldiers defending their position against a much larger Chinese force.

Chinese users on Weibo rejected this portrayal. A user identified as "Qingning Riyue v" commented that the film's over-the-top depiction "seriously contradicts the facts". Another user, "Situka 98", mocked the narrative, saying, "When history falls short, Bollywood steps in."

China has consistently maintained that Galwan Valley lies on its side of the Line of Actual Control. A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson had earlier accused Indian troops of crossing the LAC, building infrastructure, and provoking Chinese patrols despite repeated diplomatic objections.

Chinese experts say cinema cannot change borders or history

In 2021, China released official details of the Galwan clash to honour soldiers it said died while safeguarding national sovereignty. Former Defence Ministry spokesperson Ren Guoqiang stated, "We must note that the Galwan Valley skirmish is the Indian military's responsibility."

China said four of its soldiers, including battalion commander Chen Hongjun, lost their lives in the clash, while India reported 20 soldiers killed during the incident.

Chinese military analyst Song Zhongping told Global Times that India's use of cinema to stir nationalist sentiment was unsurprising. "No matter how films dramatise or embellish events, they cannot change the core facts of the Galwan Valley incident," he said, adding, "No matter how 'over-the-top' a drama may be, a nation's sacred territory will never be affected by a film."

Echoing similar views, Lan Jianxue, director of the Department of Asia-Pacific Studies at the China Institute of International Studies, said the film's theme and timing were inappropriate, particularly at a time when China-India relations have only recently shown signs of easing.