Finally, Salman Khan can breathe a sigh of relief. Maatrubhumi: May War Rest in Peace is on its way to reach the audience at last. The trailer of Apoorva Lakhia’s directorial feature will be unveiled today, where the superstar will announce its release date. From what mid-day has heard, the war drama will most likely be a December 11 outing, arriving about a fortnight before Shah Rukh Khan’s much-anticipated King.

A trade source revealed that Maatrubhumi — which has had a tough road to release — has got the greenlight from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).

“Recently, the film not only got the No Objection Certificate from the Ministry of Defence, but also secured the CBFC certificate. While Shraddha Kapoor’s Eetha will hit the screens on December 4 and Shah Rukh Khan’s King on December 24, there is a string of Hollywood releases that month. Avengers: Doomsday and Dune: Part Three have booked December 17 and 18 slots respectively, while Jumanji: Open World will arrive on December 25. So, Salman Khan Films is aiming for the December 11 window.”

That’s almost eight months later than the intended release. Originally titled Battle Of Galwan, the Eid 2026 release was to chronicle the 2020 India-China clash in the Galwan valley. However, in March, it was rechristened Maatrubhumi, with reports indicating that the makers had to reshoot portions and soften its stance amid the easing of hostilities between India and China.

The source added, “The film was also taking time as the VFX work went on till this month. While Salman and his team had to creatively sacrifice certain elements in the narrative, he was clear from day one that it would be an anti-war movie and show China in a good light. Salman was also certain that he didn’t want to depict too much violence.”