Just two days after its release, streaming platform ZEE5 has pulled Satluj, a film based on the life of Punjab human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, starring Diljit Dosanjh, from its catalogue in India.
In a statement on Sunday, the platform said the film will remain unavailable in India till further notice “in light of the current developments”. It also said that it was exploring legal options to bring the film back to audiences in India and reiterated its support for the filmmakers and their creative vision.
ZEE5 did not disclose the reasons behind the decision.
The film, directed by Honey Trehan, was released on July 3 under the title Satluj after spending years in a certification dispute with India’s Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). It was originally titled Punjab 95.
Jaswant Singh Khalra was a prominent human rights activist from Punjab who gained recognition for exposing alleged illegal killings and secret cremations by the Punjab Police during the 1980s and 1990s.
The film follows Khalra’s investigation into the alleged abuses and portrays his abduction and killing. Several Punjab Police personnel were later convicted in connection with his abduction and murder.
The film’s removal has renewed debate over censorship and freedom of expression in India, with social media users questioning why a film that had finally secured a release was withdrawn within days.
Reacting to the development, a politician from Punjab commented that he was “shocked and saddened” by the film’s removal, calling it “an assault on our collective memory, truth, and freedom of expression.” He said Punjab deserved to confront its past “with honesty, not suppression.”
In an Instagram post, actor and singer Diljit Dosanjh appeared to criticise the film’s removal, writing, “#IChallengeTheDarkness 🪔 Shaheed Jaswant Singh Khalra Ji 🙏🏽 #Panjab95 SATLUJ Naal V Oh Hee Hoyea Jo Khalra Saab Naal Hoyea c.” The Punjabi phrase translates to, “The same thing has happened to Satluj as happened to Khalra Sahib,” suggesting a parallel between the film’s removal and the obstacles faced by the late human rights activist.
