Salman Khan’s Maatrubhumi remains without a certification screening from the Central Board of Film Certification, according to reports published on October 27, despite reportedly receiving government clearance after requested modifications were made. The delay has left the film’s release plans in limbo, even as its makers are reported to be eyeing November 13, 2026 as a possible release date.
The film, directed by Apoorva Lakhia and based on the 2020 Galwan Valley conflict between India and China, was previously titled Battle of Galwan. It is among the most closely watched upcoming Bollywood releases, not only because of its star, but because of its sensitive subject matter and the long road it has already travelled to reach cinemas.
According to reports in Bollywood Hungama and Zoom TV, the makers applied for censor certification at the beginning of October. A screening that was assured for Monday, October 26 did not take place, leaving the production waiting for a date from the certification body. No confirmation from the CBFC itself is on record in these reports, and the current position rests on trade reporting rather than an official statement.
Reports further state that Salman Khan has flown to Delhi a few times to request that the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting facilitate the screening. Trade sources quoted in the reports stress that the actor is not seeking special favours, but only a screening date, having made the changes the ministry wanted. That distinction matters, because it frames the issue as one of process and timing rather than content approval.
The reported government clearance, following those modifications, makes the absence of a screening all the more striking to those following the film. Certification is a routine but essential step before any film can be released in India, and without a screening there can be no certificate, and without a certificate there can be no release. For a film of this scale, the timetable is therefore tight, even if a screening were arranged promptly.
Maatrubhumi was originally scheduled for release in April 2026 and has faced multiple delays since then. Each postponement carries its own costs, from marketing plans that must be reworked to release windows that must be renegotiated, and the latest uncertainty adds to a production history already marked by shifting dates.
The makers are now reported to be eyeing November 13, 2026 for release. According to the reports, that date has been chosen in part to avoid clashes with other films, reportedly Yeh Prem Mol Liya, Gunmaaster G9 and Eetha. Those titles are named only as reported clashes to avoid, and the release strategy will ultimately depend on whether certification arrives in time to make the date viable.
For audiences, the immediate question is simpler: when will Maatrubhumi actually reach cinemas? On the basis of the reports available, the answer remains uncertain. The film is reported to have government clearance, the requested changes are reported to have been made, and a November 13 release is reported to be the target. What is still missing is the screening itself.
Until the CBFC sets a date and the film is viewed for certification, November 13 remains an ambition rather than a confirmed release. The coming days will therefore be crucial, not only for Salman Khan and the film’s makers, but for exhibitors and audiences waiting to see a story drawn from one of the most sensitive episodes in recent India-China relations brought to the big screen.
