Mumbai: Salman Khan’s upcoming war drama Battle of Galwan has sparked fresh speculation after reports suggested that the film’s release may be postponed from April 17, 2026, to the Independence Day weekend. However, director Apoorva Lakhia has said he is unaware of any change in the release plan.
Reports indicate that portions of the film’s shoot are still pending and that the project must also be screened for the Ministry of Defence as part of protocol, making it difficult to meet the April deadline.
Amid these claims, Lakhia told The Times of India, “I am not aware,” when asked about a possible postponement.
Meanwhile, Bollywood Hungama quoted a source stating that Battle of Galwan has indeed been pushed to August 14, 2026. “Salman Khan and the makers feel Independence Day week would be a more suitable release window.
With patriotic sentiment at its peak around August 15, Battle of Galwan would be an ideal film for the period,” the source claimed. An official announcement from the makers is still awaited.
If the film does move to the Independence Day weekend, it will face stiff box-office competition from Kartik Aaryan’s Naagzilla and Sunny Deol’s Lahore 1947.
Directed by Apoorva Lakhia, Battle of Galwan revisits the 2020 Galwan Valley clash between Indian and Chinese troops. Based on the book India’s Most Fearless 3, the film depicts the brutal hand-to-hand combat fought with sticks and stones in the absence of firearms, making it one of the most intense episodes in recent Indian military history.
Salman Khan will be seen in a rugged, battle-hardened avatar, while Chitrangada Singh plays a key role. Positioned as a tribute to the courage and sacrifice of Indian soldiers, the film is being billed as a major patriotic release.
