Apoorva Lakhia Arrives on Crutches for Maatrubhumi Trailer Launch Following Paragliding Accident

Director Apoorva Lakhia walked into the official trailer launch of his upcoming military action film Maatrubhumi: May War Rest in Peace using a walking stick, revealing he had recently suffered a severe paragliding accident. Speaking at the event alongside lead actor Salman Khan, Lakhia explained that his leg plaster was removed after seven weeks of recovery, Bollywood Hungama reported.

Paragliding injury at the trailer launch

The trailer reveal brought together the key creative team and cast members behind the project. Alongside Apoorva Lakhia and lead actors Salman Khan and Chitrangda Singh, the event was attended by an ensemble cast including Ankur Bhatia, Heera Sohal, Dayashankar Pandey, Jason Tham, Abhilash Chaudhary, Vipin Bhardwaj, Samar Gill, and Tenzin Bodh.

Lakhia addressed his physical condition directly during the stage presentation. The director explained that the paragliding mishap forced him into a seven-week immobilization period before doctors could finally remove the plaster cast from his leg. Despite the injury, Lakhia joined the cast to introduce the first official footage of the war drama.

Script overhaul and government pressure claims

The film’s trajectory to the screen included a title change and narrative overhaul. Originally conceptualized and announced under the title Battle of Galwan, the production team later reworked the project into Maatrubhumi: May War Rest in Peace.

During the trailer event, lead actor Salman Khan publicly addressed media reports claiming political interference in the writing process. Khan explicitly denied that the Indian government had pressured the production team to alter the script, Hindustan Times reported. Addressing the topic during the media interaction, Khan stated that the film has nothing against China, clarifying that the script adjustments were creative decisions rather than the result of state censorship or diplomatic pushback.

The official trailer released by the makers positions the film as an emotional war drama. It combines high-intensity combat scenes led by Khan with subplots involving romance and personal trauma, featuring Chitrangda Singh in a prominent central role opposite the lead actor.

Playback singing comeback after 11 years

Beyond his lead role on screen, Salman Khan has contributed to the movie’s soundtrack. Press Trust of India reported that Khan has returned to playback singing after a gap of 11 years, recording the track “Teri Sexy Beauty” for the film.

The track serves as a romantic musical number within Apoorva Lakhia’s directorial effort, adding a contrast to the film’s heavy focus on military conflict, trauma, and battle sequences. The song marks Khan’s first official film vocal performance in over a decade.

Directorial past and the Zanjeer remake

Lakhia’s directorial career has featured major commercial releases over the years. In 2013, the director remade the classic 1973 action film Zanjeer. The original film, directed by Prakash Mehra, launched Amitabh Bachchan into stardom and established his famous “angry young man” screen persona.

Lakhia’s 2013 remake starred Telugu actor Ram Charan in the lead role alongside Priyanka Chopra, attempting to modernize the cop drama for contemporary audiences. However, the film faced heavy criticism upon release, with viewers and critics noting that the modern version stripped away the soul of Mehra’s original work, The Indian Express reported.

With Maatrubhumi, Lakhia returns to directing a large-scale ensemble project, working with actors Ankur Bhatia, Heera Sohal, Dayashankar Pandey, Jason Tham, Abhilash Chaudhary, Vipin Bhardwaj, Samar Gill, and Tenzin Bodh to bring the military story to theaters.