More than three years after running into censors, the film of Diljit Dosanjh has finally arrived. Previously titled “Punjab ‘95”, the film premiered on ZEE5 on Friday under its new title “Satluj”. The film was streamed worldwide on ZEE5 in its entirety.
Directed by Honey Trehan, the film is based on the life of human rights worker Jaswant Singh Khalra. Dosanjh plays Khalra, who investigated the cremation of thousands of unidentified bodies in Punjab from 1984 to 1994. Khalra went missing in 1995. In 2005, four Punjab Police officers were convicted of his abduction and murder, and sentenced to seven years' jail terms, which was then increased to a life sentence by the Punjab and Haryana High Court in 2007.
Film With Three Titles
This project's difficult path to release has been epically lengthy and stormy. Originally, it was called "Ghallughara", which is a term associated with the "massacre" of Sikhs in 1746, 1762 and 1984. When the producers of RSVP approached the Central Board of Film Certification with a request for certification in late 2022, their six-month procedure saw the censor board clear the film, after the presentation was mandated to have 21 cuts and a mandatory title change to “Punjab ‘95.”
Under that title, the film had been slated for a worldwide release in 2025, uncut everywhere except India — but that release did not happen either. It has now emerged as "Satluj."
No Compromises, Say, Makers
Both Dosanjh and Trehan pointed out that the current streaming version is uncut. Dosanjh referred to the film as a story of “belief, bravery and compassion, and listed it among his most significant roles. In a note posted on social media, Trehan noted that the team had refused to release a compromised cut of the film and thanked Dosanjh and the rest of the producers for being there for the film.
Other cast members include Arjun Rampal, Kanwaljit Singh, Suvinder Vicky and Geetika Vidya Ohlyan. The film is produced by RSVP and MacGuffin Pictures.
ALSO READ: Taylor Swift's Net Worth Is 20 Times More Than Travis Kelce. Here's A Look At Their Combined Wealth
Essential Business Intelligence, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice, Daily Fuel, Gold and Silver Prices and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.
