The upcoming big-budget Bollywood film starring Salman Khan, titled 'Battle of Galwan', has found itself in the crosshairs of Chinese state media, drawing sharp criticism for its portrayal of the 2020 border clash between Indian and Chinese troops.
Global Times Leads the Criticism
In a report published on 30 December 2025, China's nationalistic tabloid, the Global Times, launched a scathing attack on the movie. The publication accused the film of being a 'cinematic exaggeration' that distorts historical facts. The criticism centers on the film's narrative, which, according to the Chinese media outlet, presents a one-sided and dramatized version of the violent confrontation in the Galwan Valley.
The clash, which occurred in June 2020, was one of the deadliest confrontations between the two Asian giants in decades. The Indian film industry's decision to produce a major motion picture on the sensitive subject was always expected to draw attention, but the formal censure from an official Chinese media organ underscores the ongoing diplomatic and narrative tensions between the nations.
A Cinematic Flashpoint
The Global Times article explicitly stated that the film 'distorts facts'. This allegation suggests that Beijing views the movie not just as entertainment but as a piece of propaganda that could influence public perception and sour bilateral relations further. The report did not specify which particular scenes or claims it found objectionable, but its broadside is clear in its intent to discredit the film's authenticity before its release.
For Salman Khan, one of India's biggest superstars, this controversy adds a significant geopolitical dimension to the project. The film, which is reportedly a high-octane action drama, aims to bring a nationalistic story to a massive audience. However, it now also serves as a cultural flashpoint, highlighting how popular cinema can become entangled in international disputes.
Repercussions and the Road Ahead
The criticism from Chinese media is unlikely to affect the film's domestic release or its reception among Indian audiences, where patriotic themes often resonate strongly. However, it effectively guarantees that the movie will be banned in China, closing off a major international market. More broadly, it reinforces the deep-seated mistrust and the competing narratives that India and China hold regarding the border standoff.
This incident is not isolated; it follows a pattern where films and media reports from one country about the other are frequently met with official disdain. The 'Battle of Galwan' controversy, breaking at the end of 2025, sets the stage for the film to be one of the most politically charged releases of the coming year. It remains to be seen how the filmmakers and the Indian media will respond to the accusations leveled by the Global Times.
