Salman Khan’s Maatrubhumi postponed again, now set for December 4 release

After months of delays, a title change and plenty of uncertainty, Salman Khan’s Maatrubhumi: May War Rest in Peace now has a release date of December 4. Sources say the makers have obtained the required clearances, including the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) nod. The date was announced today at the film’s trailer launch in Mumbai.

The date was changed again only hours before the event. The team had settled on November 20, but the film was moved to December 4 at the last minute. Posters and banners at the venue that carried the earlier date had to be covered with black tape.

“The team had a meeting a couple of days ago to finalise the release date, when they decided to have the trailer launch on Friday, just before Diwali. All publicity items were also ready. But just a couple of hours before they could go live with the trailer launch, there were certain unprecedented changes. The team had to act swiftly and make the changes not just on the trailer but also on the posters and banners. As of now, everyone is just hoping there are no other complications, and the film finally releases smoothly,” the source added.

The film was first announced as Battle of Galwan and drew on the June 2020 clash between Indian and Chinese troops in the Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh. It is still unclear whether the final version keeps that inspiration and the Indo-China context. The clash took place along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and killed 20 Indian soldiers, and it remains one of the most serious military flashpoints between the two countries in recent years.

Maatrubhumi was originally due in April this year but was postponed. The reported reason was that the makers had to reshoot some portions after the censor board was reluctant to certify the film because of its Indo-China context. There was talk that it might open around Independence Day, but sources told India Today that Salman wanted the film to be seen as an emotional family story and not only as a patriotic drama.

Salman plays Colonel Bikkumalla Santosh Babu, the commanding officer of the 16 Bihar Regiment, who led Indian troops in the confrontation and was posthumously awarded the Maha Vir Chakra for his bravery. Chitrangda Singh plays the female lead, with Mukesh Rishi, Ankur Bhatia, Zeyn Shaw and Abhilash Chaudhary in key roles. Vijay Raaz is reportedly the narrator.

The sensitive subject was not the only thing that changed. The makers renamed the film from Battle of Galwan to Maatrubhumi: May War Rest in Peace, a sign that they had moved away from promoting it as a straight war drama. Director Apoorva Lakhia has said the film goes beyond a military confrontation and looks at humanity, sacrifice and the emotional cost of war.

There was also a change involving the book behind the project. Authors Shiv Aroor and Rahul Singh, whose book India’s Most Fearless was initially linked to the film, announced that they had ended their association with it, saying the project had moved beyond their account of the Galwan clash.