IMAGE: A scene from Battle of Galwan.
Former Bigg Boss contestant Tehseen Poonawalla has hit back at trolls who have been criticising Salman Khan after the Battle of Galwan teaser was released on his birthday.
A section of social media users began trolling Salman over a brief moment where he was seen smiling slightly.
They felt the smile did not match the serious nature of a war film, based on real events and the sacrifices of soldiers.
Amid all the criticism, Poonawalla stepped in to defend the actor.
Photograph: Kind courtesy Tehseen Poonawalla /Instagram
Taking to his X account, Poonawalla said the trolls were ‘missing the point’.
‘Those trolling Salman for that slight smile in the #BattleOfGalwan teaser are missing the point. That isn’t casual — it’s composure. It’s calm aggression. It’s the look of a soldier who understands what he’s walking into and refuses to panic when the enemy is right in front of him,’ Poonawalla posted.
‘When a soldier steps onto the battlefield, there are only two outcomes: He either wins and protects his nation, or he sacrifices himself for it. For a soldier… both are victory. And the teaser makes that mindset clear with those lines: ‘Jawaano yaad rahe, zakham lage toh medal samajhna aur maut dikhe toh salaam karna… Aaj nahi toh phir kabhi. Maut se kya darna, usse toh aana hi hai.’
‘That smile isn’t weakness. It’s acceptance. It’s courage. If the film keeps this tone, there’s serious potential here. #BattleOfGalwan #SalmanKhan.’
The film is based on the Galwan Valley clash between India and China on June 15-16, 2020, where 20 Indian soldiers lost their lives.
Following the clashes, tensions between India and China rose, with the army deploying formations near the Galwan Valley, along the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh, and undertaking activities such as surveying border areas to prevent ‘possible’ Chinese aggression.
Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff
