Salman Khan breaks silence on ‘romantic look’ trolls in Battle of Galwan teaser, explains the expression – Watch
After weeks of online jokes, Salman Khan finally explains why he smiled in uniform in the Battle of Galwan teaser.
When the teaser of Battle of Galwan dropped, it quickly grabbed attention for its intense theme. Directed by Apoorva Lakhia, the film is based on the 2020 Galwan Valley clash between India(BHARAT)n and Chinese troops. Salman Khan plays Colonel Bikkumalla Santosh Babu, who lost his life along with 19 soldiers of the 16 Bihar Regiment while defending India(BHARAT)n territory.
But instead of only discussing the film’s subject, social media zoomed in on one particular frame. In the clip, Salman’s character, dressed in uniform and holding a wooden log, is seen smiling briefly as the enemy approaches. That expression did not go down well with many viewers.
Social media calls it ‘out of place’
Soon after the teaser release, users on X began trolling the actor. Several people felt the smile looked “romantic” and did not match the seriousness of a war situation. Memes, jokes and sharp comments followed, with many questioning the choice of expression in such a tense moment.
The discussion continued for weeks, with the frame being shared repeatedly across platforms.
Salman finally responds at a public event
Nearly a month later, Salman Khan addressed the criticism during an ISPL event. While speaking to former cricketer Mohammad Kaif, the moment came up in a light-hearted way. Kaif handed Salman a cricket bat instead of the wooden log and asked him to recreate the same pose from the teaser.
Salman obliged and then used the moment to explain what he meant through that expression.
He said, “Ab kisi ko ye samajh mein aata hai ki ye romantic look hai, lekin Colonel hoon bhaiya. Aur ye Colonel ka look hai, jo ki samajhta hai ki apne team waloon ko, apne jawanon ko kaise hosla dena hai. (Now, some might think this is a romantic look, but I am a Colonel. And this is the look of a Colonel, who understands how to encourage his team, his soldiers.)”
LATEST: Salman Khan Hits back at all the trolls regarding Battle of Galwan teaser!
“Mai colonel hu movie me, Mujhe Calm rehna parega. Kuch log bs faltu ka troll karte. Mai chila bhi sakta hu, but suit ni karega” #SalmanKhan #BattleOfGalwan pic.twitter.com/MY1PY3LgeA
— Being ADARSH
(@IBeingAdarsh_) January 31, 2026
“This is how it has always been”
Salman then added with a roar like a soldier, “Iss sabka koi matlab hai nahi, iss look ka koi matlab hai nahi. Toh aise hi chalta aaya hai aur aise hi chalta rahega, aap sabki dua se. (None of this is required. It has always been this way and it will continue to be, with all your blessings.)”
The clip from the event has now gone viral on fan pages.
Earlier, users had posted comments like, “In what world does a Soldier give romantic expressions while the enemy is advancing with an army?” and “It was supposed to be an intense teaser, but I laughed so hard.”
Battle of Galwan is set to release in theatres on April 17 and also stars Chitrangada Singh as the female lead.
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