Salman Khan’s highly anticipated war drama is officially stuck in regulatory limbo. The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has withheld the clearance certificate for Maatrubhumi until further notice. This bureaucratic roadblock makes it highly unlikely the Apoorva Lakhia-directed project will hit its scheduled August Independence Day release window.
The film originally aimed for an April 17 Eid premiere before sliding to August. Produced by Salma Khan, the movie features Salman Khan as Colonel Santosh Babu, the real-life commanding officer of the 16 Bihar Regiment during the deadly June 2020 Galwan Valley skirmishes. Co-starring Chitrangda Singh, Abhilash Chaudhary, and Ankur Bhatia, the production has walked a diplomatic tightrope from day one.
The filmmakers are navigating a strict procedural hurdle because of the geopolitically sensitive military subject matter. Before the CBFC can even issue a formal review, standard protocol dictates the creators must secure explicit approvals from the Indian Army and the Ministry of Defence. This multi-tiered vetting process is exactly why the clearance certificate is on hold, putting the August timeline in serious jeopardy.
The delays follow extensive strategic shifts behind the scenes. Back in December 2025, the film’s initial teaser dropped under the original title Battle of Galwan. It triggered immediate backlash on Chinese social media and from state-affiliated outlets like the Global Times, which accused the production of distorting facts. Government authorities informally advised the makers to tone down the anti-China rhetoric.
The studio responded with significant reshoots, dropping explicit mentions of China, changing the title to Maatrubhumi, and fictionalizing the conflict to focus heavily on an emotional human drama. But even with those concessions, the final cut is still waiting for a green light.