China stunned by the teaser of 'Battle of Galwan' (Photo-X)
Digital Desk, New Delhi. Chinese media has expressed strong objection to the teaser of actor Salman Khan's upcoming film 'Battle of Galvan' on the clash of brave Indian soldiers with the Chinese army in Galvan Valley in May, 2020. In response to this, on the 1.12 minute teaser of the film, Indian government sources say that it is an artistic expression.
This big budget Hindi film has faced criticism from the Chinese government's main newspaper Global Times. The Chinese newspaper says that things have been exaggerated in the film and facts have been distorted.
The film is directed by Apoorva Lakhia, in which Salman plays the role of Bikkumalla Santosh Babu, who sacrificed his life along with 19 other soldiers of the 16 Bihar Regiment while protecting Indian territory in the 2020 war. He was posthumously awarded the Mahavir Chakra, India's second highest wartime gallantry award.
Teaser released on Saturday
The teaser of the film was released on Saturday on Salman's 60th birthday. It shows the actor posing with a group of military officers and Indian soldiers, who are ready to attack members of the Chinese Army PLA.
A government source said, “India has a tradition of cinematic expression. A film named 'Haqeeqat' was made in 1964 and its subject was the India-China war of 1962. Recently a film titled '120 Bahadur' was based on the famous battle of Rezang La. Cinema is an artistic expression and India does not ban it.
While Chinese newspaper Global Times described the film as propaganda and cited a "Chinese expert" and several Weibo (Chinese internet media) accounts as finding fault with various aspects of the teaser. "Bollywood films mostly provide entertainment-based, emotionally charged portrayals, but no amount of cinematic exaggeration can rewrite history or shake the PLA's determination to defend China's sovereign territory," the newspaper claimed.
The film will be released on 17th April
This film of Salman Khan will be released on 17th April. It is noteworthy that on June 15, 2020, twenty Indian Army soldiers sacrificed their lives in the Galvan Valley clashes. In February 2021, China officially acknowledged that five Chinese military officers and soldiers were killed in the clashes, although it is widely believed that the death toll on the Chinese side was far higher. (With inputs from news agency PTI)