Battle of Galwan: Mumbai schedule of Salman Khan`s film gets cancelled

August was meant to be go-time for Salman Khan’s Battle of Galwan. In July, mid-day had reported that an elaborate set was being built at Mehboob Studios in Bandra for the first leg of Apoorva Lakhia’s directorial venture (Cameras ready for action, July 20). However, the plans have changed at the last minute. It has been learnt that the war drama’s Mumbai schedule has been called off, and the project will now roll in Ladakh between August 22 and September 3.

Colonel B Santosh Babu

The decision apparently has to do with continuity concerns, among other things. An insider says, “It’s a creative decision. The makers want to start directly with the action scenes. Also, Salman sports a distinct look, and for continuity purposes, there couldn’t have been a 30-day gap between the Mumbai and Ladakh stints. Apoorva felt that the sequences would need to be shot in succession. So, for now, the film’s Mumbai schedule is postponed indefinitely. They will take a call in the last leg whether a song sequence or patch work needs to be done in the city.” The dismantling of the Bandra set has begun, adds the insider.

Apoorva Lakhia

Battle of Galwan will chronicle the India-China military clash that took place in June 2020, with Khan stepping into the shoes of Colonel Bikkumalla Santosh Babu. While rumours suggest that the film has hit a roadblock with the Ministry of Defence due to its subject, the source denies it, stating, “The film is about a soldier’s bravery. It’s not villainising another country. The makers wouldn’t have announced the film without permissions in place.”

Salman Khan plays Colonel Bikkumalla Santosh Babu in ‘Battle of Galwan’. The soldier was posthumously awarded the Maha Vir Chakra in 2021.