Salman Khan’s long-delayed war drama Maatrubhumi has taken its clearest step towards cinemas yet. The film’s trailer was passed by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) on Wednesday, November 4, receiving a U/A 16+ certificate, and trade reports now point to two possible release windows: November 20 or December 11.
The development matters because Maatrubhumi has spent much of 2026 in limbo. Originally announced as Battle of Galwan and initially slated for release in April 2026, the film was postponed amid reported concerns over its content and its references to China. It was later renamed Maatrubhumi: May War Rest in Peace, and reports in early October said the film had received a government no-objection certificate after revised versions were submitted. The trailer clearance is a separate, concrete milestone — but it is not the same as the film itself being certified.
According to Bollywood Hungama, which cited the CBFC website, the trailer runs for 4 minutes and 43 seconds. That is unusually long for a theatrical trailer, and it suggests the makers intend to lay out the film’s full emotional arc — the soldiers, the families waiting at home, and the film’s stated message of peace — rather than relying on a short teaser-style cut. The report adds that Jio Studios will handle all-India distribution, and that an announcement of the new release date is expected within a few days.
Why the November 13 date slipped
Until this week, November 13 had been the date most closely associated with the film. Trade coverage in early October reported that Salman Khan was eyeing the post-Diwali period, when audiences would still be in a festive mood, for the release. That plan, however, depended on the censor process moving quickly — and it has not.
The film itself is yet to receive a censor certificate, and Bollywood Hungama’s latest report quotes a source saying that, with the delay, a release next week is now unlikely. November 20 has therefore emerged as the front-runner, with December 11 held as the alternative. Neither date has been officially confirmed by Salman Khan Films, so both should be treated as reported targets rather than locked dates.
What Maatrubhumi is about
Maatrubhumi is directed by Apoorva Lakhia and stars Salman Khan in the lead role, with Chitrangda Singh in a key role. It is set against the backdrop of the 2020 clash between Indian and Chinese forces in eastern Ladakh’s Galwan Valley, which took place on the night of June 15-16, 2020.
Yet the film has consistently been described as something other than a straightforward war film. The full title — Maatrubhumi: May War Rest in Peace — signals a peace message, and reports following the government clearance said the revised version presents India-China relations in a more positive light than earlier cuts.
That long road is part of why the trailer clearance has landed as news in itself. Maatrubhumi was first teased around Salman Khan’s birthday in late December 2025, was expected in April 2026, then in August, then in November. Each shift has been driven by the same bottleneck: getting a sensitive subject past official scrutiny.
What it means for the box office calendar
If November 20 holds, Maatrubhumi would arrive in a crowded but navigable window. It would follow the Diwali-season releases and land just ahead of the late-November slate, giving a Salman Khan-led drama a relatively clear run at family audiences. A December 11 date, by contrast, would push it into the Christmas-season corridor, where it would face stiffer competition from the year’s biggest year-end releases.
Either way, the film’s commercial prospects will hinge less on its opening weekend than on whether audiences embrace its tone. A war drama built around a peace message is a delicate proposition: it must honour the soldiers at its centre without turning a real and recent tragedy into spectacle.
What happens next
Three things to watch: the official release-date announcement, the public release of the trailer itself, and — most importantly — CBFC certification of the feature film, without which no reported date can hold.
For now, fans have something firmer than a rumour: a certified trailer, a distributor in place, and two dates under active consideration. After a year of delays, that counts as momentum.
Frequently asked questions
When will Maatrubhumi release? No date has been officially confirmed. Trade reports say the makers are considering November 20 or December 11, after the earlier November 13 target slipped because the film’s censor certificate is still pending.
Has the Maatrubhumi trailer been released? The trailer has been passed by the CBFC — U/A 16+, 4 minutes 43 seconds, on November 4 — but its public online release had not been reported at the time of writing.
Is Maatrubhumi the same film as Battle of Galwan? Yes. The film was initially announced as Battle of Galwan and was renamed Maatrubhumi earlier in 2026. Its full title is Maatrubhumi: May War Rest in Peace.
Who directs and stars in Maatrubhumi? Apoorva Lakhia directs, Salman Khan stars in the lead role, and Chitrangda Singh plays a key role. Salman Khan Films produces the film, with Jio Studios handling all-India distribution.
Is the film itself certified yet? No. The film is yet to receive its censor certificate, which is why the release date remains unconfirmed despite the trailer clearance.