Maatrubhumi first review out: Subhash Ghai calls Salman Khan's film a 'must watch'

WHile fans ar thirstily ready and waiting(p) for Salman Khan’s next big-screen outing Maatrubhumi, the shoot has already received its number one review — and it comes from celebrated filmmaker Subhash Ghai. Recently, he took to X (formerly Twitter) to share his first impression of the film after watching its rough cut and called it a “must watch.”‘A must watch’Ghai shared a photo with Salman Khan along with Kabir Khan, Sooraj Barjatya, Chitrangda Singh, Siddharth Roy Kapur, Riteish Deshmukh, David Dhawan and others on X and wrote, "So beautiful to see my favourite directors together@food square today to watch a rough cut of a Apoorva lakhiya film MATRI BHUMI@ starring #salman khan based on a warm story of indo china soldiers with their respective emotions for their nations n families. A must watch film." Maatrubhumi controversySalman Khan’s film has been stuck in limbo for quite some time. The film was originally slated to release on April 17.After the teaser was unveiled earlier, the film drew criticism from China’s Global Times, which accused the makers of distorting facts. Later, India’s Ministry of External Affairs also clarified that it had “no role” in such cinematic ventures.The teaser showed Salman leading military personnel during a standoff in eastern Ladakh amid the 2020 Galwan Valley clash. During the clash, 20 Indian Army personnel lost their lives, and the incident severely affected India-China relations.Maatrubhumi was earlier titled Battle of Galwan, but the makers later renamed the film to broaden its narrative scope beyond a single military clash and to ease geopolitical tensions with China. Reports also suggested that certain portions of the film were being reshot. Salman on the challenges of shooting in LadakhEarlier, while speaking to PTI, Salman Khan had opened up about the physical challenges involved in shooting the film. “Of course, it is physically demanding in every year, month, day and hour. I have to give a lot more time now. Earlier, I used to finish all this in a week or two. Now, it takes more time. I have been running, working out, kicking and punching. In this film, all these things are required. For Sikandar, the action and character were different. But for Galwan, everything is different,” he said.He added, “Shooting in Ladakh, at high altitude, is extremely difficult. It can’t be like ‘action karte karte behosh ho gaya’ (I can’t blackout while performing). For it, I have to take proper training. We have to shoot in freezing cold water there. When I signed the film, it felt amazing, but it is a very difficult film to do. Out of the 20-day Ladakh schedule, I have to shoot for at least eight days in that icy water.”