It takes immense courage to lay down one’s life for the country — and extreme caution to retell the story of a war hero. Salman Khan, who had been scouting for stories to take up after AR Murugadoss’s Sikandar, has finally locked in a script that resonated with him. Set to be directed by Apoorva Lakhia, Khan’s next film is based on a chapter about Colonel Bikumalla Santosh Babu from the book India’s Most Fearless 3 (2022), authored by Shiv Aroor and Rahul Singh. The writers — currently covering the recent India–Pakistan conflict, Operation Sindoor, and the subsequent ceasefire — are recognised experts in defence, military, and security reportage.

Colonel Babu, who led the 16 Bihar Regiment during the 2020 Galwan clash, was martyred while confronting Chinese troops in the Galwan Valley region of Ladakh on June 14, 2020. He was among the Indian soldiers to have been killed in action against the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA). In 2021, he was posthumously awarded the Maha Vir Chakra, India’s second-highest wartime gallantry honour.