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New Delhi, July 6
Diljit Dosanjh’s long-delayed film Satluj, originally titled Punjab ’95, has been withdrawn from ZEE5 in India just two days after its digital release. The film, inspired by the life of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, was removed from the platform after remaining caught in censorship issues for more than three years.
In a statement issued on Sunday, ZEE5 announced that Satluj would remain unavailable in India until further notice. The streaming platform said it was exploring all appropriate legal and procedural options to make the film available to Indian audiences again at the earliest.
The platform thanked viewers for the overwhelming response received during the film’s brief availability. It said the support shown by audiences and subscribers meant a great deal to everyone associated with the project and reaffirmed its commitment to the film and its creative vision.
Directed by Honey Trehan, Satluj stars Diljit Dosanjh as Jaswant Singh Khalra, the human rights activist who investigated the cremation of thousands of unidentified bodies in Punjab between 1984 and 1994 before disappearing in 1995. In 2005, four Punjab Police personnel were convicted in the abduction and murder case, with the Punjab and Haryana High Court later enhancing their sentences to life imprisonment.
The film has witnessed a prolonged release journey.
It was removed from the Toronto International Film Festival lineup in 2023 without an official explanation and reportedly faced demands for 127 cuts from the Central Board of Film Certification. An earlier worldwide release planned under the title Punjab ’95 also did not materialize. Before the film’s release, Dosanjh had described it as one of the most meaningful projects of his career, saying Jaswant Singh Khalra’s courage and sacrifice inspired him to portray the role. Trehan had also said the film was made with honesty and sensitivity as a tribute to resilience and the human spirit.
Apart from Dosanjh, the film also features Arjun Rampal, Kanwaljit Singh, Suvinder Vicky and Geetika Vidya Ohlyan in key roles. ZEE5 has not announced when Satluj will return to its platform in India.
