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ShowbizSalman Khan's singing comeback sparks a row as 'Teri Sexy Beauty' divides fans of his war film
Salman Khan's return to playback singing after 11 years has turned into a debate about tone, after a playful romantic track landed in a film inspired by the 2020 Galwan clash.
Bollywood star Salman Khan is back behind the microphone for the first time in 11 years, and his comeback has become a talking point for reasons that go well beyond the song itself. The track, 'Teri Sexy Beauty', was released in the early hours of 4 November from his upcoming film Maatrubhumi, and it pairs the actor with Chitrangda Singh in a playful, romantic number.
The song was written and composed by Sajid Khan, with female vocals by Muskaan and additional vocals by Sajid Khan himself, and it was released on the Salman Khan Films Music YouTube channel. Caesar Gonsalves choreographed the number, which opens with Salman entering a recording studio, putting on his headphones and singing, while Chitrangda is seen playing the guitar.
For many fans, the headline was simply the return of Salman the singer. His last major playback outing was 'Main Hoon Hero Tera' from the 2015 film Hero, and before that he sang 'Hangover' in the 2014 blockbuster Kick. An 11-year gap is a long time in Bollywood, and a new vocal performance from one of the industry's biggest stars was always going to draw attention.
The reaction, however, has not been uniformly celebratory. Since the song appeared, social media criticism has gathered around a single question: does a light, flirtatious romantic track belong in a patriotic soldier drama inspired by the June 2020 clash between Indian and Chinese troops in the Galwan Valley? Reports on 5 November described a wave of trolling and debate online, with some viewers arguing that the tone jars with the film's subject.
That tension is at the heart of Maatrubhumi, previously titled Battle of Galwan. Directed by Apoorva Lakhia and produced by Salman Khan Films, the film is a military drama built around one of the most sensitive episodes in recent India-China relations, and its makers have already faced a long and difficult road to release.
The film was originally scheduled to arrive in theatres in April this year, but it has still not been given a revised release date. It has reportedly undergone reshoots and is yet to receive a screening date with India's Central Board of Film Certification, leaving its theatrical future uncertain even as its music continues to roll out.
'Teri Sexy Beauty' is the fifth song released from the film, and by the makers' own description it is the peppiest track so far. The earlier songs include the patriotic title track, composed by Himesh Reshammiya, written by Sameer Anjaan and sung by Shreya Ghoshal and Arijit Singh, along with 'Main Hoon', 'Chand Dekh Lena' and 'Jai Hind'.
Salman himself announced the new track with a characteristically playful caption, writing about an early-morning departure and a flight taking off with his 'sexy beauty'. The joke landed with fans who enjoy his larger-than-life persona, but it also fed the online argument, with critics saying the framing underlined the mismatch between the song and the film's solemn backdrop.
Supporters of the track have pushed back, arguing that a war film can still contain romance, family life and lighter moments, and that a single song should not be judged as the whole film. They also point out that Bollywood soundtracks have long mixed patriotic, romantic and dance numbers, and that audiences will judge the balance only when they see the finished film.
What is not in doubt is the commercial logic of the release. With no release date announced, the songs are keeping Maatrubhumi in the news, and a Salman vocal performance is a far louder announcement than a routine track. Reports have also suggested the film's trailer could arrive on 6 November, which would give the music campaign a natural next step.
For now, the debate itself has become part of the film's story. Whether 'Teri Sexy Beauty' is remembered as a fun comeback or as a misstep will depend on how the full film handles its Galwan-inspired material, and on whether audiences accept a romantic interlude inside a story about soldiers. Until the film reaches cinemas, that argument is likely to run on.
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