Meiyang Chang Pays Emotional Tribute to Prashant Tamang as Maatrubhumi Trailer Reveals His Final Role

A bittersweet reaction from a close friend

Singer and actor Meiyang Chang has expressed deep emotion after seeing his late friend Prashant Tamang in the newly released trailer of Maatrubhumi, the Salman Khan-led war drama. The trailer, which arrived this week, drew considerable online conversation, though for Chang the most striking moment was seeing Tamang on screen one last time.

Chang, who shared the stage with Tamang as a fellow contestant on Indian Idol, took to Instagram to describe the moment. He called Maatrubhumi Tamang’s final screen appearance and said he was glad the film is reaching cinemas so audiences who admired the singer can see him in his new look.

Memories and a message to a friend

In his post, Chang recalled the playful exchanges the two shared. He said he would have teased Tamang about his role and joked about why he had not been offered it himself. He also remembered that Tamang had been excited about the project, although he tended to be reserved when discussing his own work. Chang closed by writing that they would still watch the film together in spirit, a sentiment that captured the warmth of their friendship.

From Indian Idol to the big screen

Tamang first rose to prominence as the winner of the third season of Indian Idol in 2007. He went on to build a career in Nepali cinema before moving into Hindi productions, and he drew wide attention for his performance in the web series Paatal Lok. Originally from Darjeeling in West Bengal, he was 43 when he died of a cardiac arrest in January this year.

The role in Maatrubhumi

In Maatrubhumi, Tamang plays the film’s main antagonist. The project was originally titled Battle of Galwan and is inspired by the 2020 clash in the Galwan Valley. Salman Khan stars as an Indian Army officer, and Chitrangda Singh also appears in the cast. Directed by Apoorva Lakhia and produced by Salma Khan under the Salman Khan Films banner, the film, subtitled May War Rest In Peace, faced several delays during post-production before settling on a December 4, 2026 release.

Background

The film has been a long time in the making, and its release marks the end of Tamang’s screen career. Chang’s tribute has resonated with fans who remember Tamang’s journey from reality television to films and streaming work, and it underlines how his colleagues are remembering him as the film approaches theatres.