Political analyst and former Bigg Boss contestant Tehseen Poonawalla has come out in support of Salman Khan amid online criticism over the actor’s expression in the teaser of his upcoming film Battle of Galwan. After a section of social media users mocked Salman for a brief smile seen in the teaser, Poonawalla defended the actor and argued that the moment was being misunderstood.
Reacting to the trolling, Tehseen stated that the smile was not casual or out of place, but reflective of a deeper emotional and psychological state.
According to him, the expression conveyed composure rather than carelessness. He explained that the look represented controlled intensity and calm aggression - the mindset of a soldier who understands the gravity of the situation he is about to face and refuses to panic even when confronted by the enemy.
Tehseen further drew attention to the dialogues featured in the teaser, which he believes reinforce this mindset. Addressing the criticism directly, Tehseen concluded that the smile should not be mistaken for weakness.
"Those trolling Salman for that slight smile in the Battle Of Galwan 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 refused to panic when the enemy is right in front of him," he wrote on X.
"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," he added.
While there were reports that the Battle of Galwan would hit the big screens on Eid 2026, the film is slated to release a month after Eid on April 17, 2026.
Directed by Apoorva Lakhia, Battle of Galwan stars Chitrangada Singh in the lead role. The movie also stars Zeyn Shaw, Ankur Bhatia, Abhilash Chaudhary, Vipin Bhardwaj, and Heera Sohal.
According to reports, the movie is based on the real-life 2020 clash between Indian and Chinese troops in the Galwan Valley.
