Actor-singer Diljit Dosanjh's film Satluj, originally titled Punjab '95, has triggered a political controversy in Punjab after it was removed from streaming platform ZEE5 in India just two days after its digital premiere on July 3.
Directed by Honey Trehan, the film is based on the life of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, portrayed by Diljit Dosanjh. Khalra is known for exposing thousands of alleged extrajudicial killings and secret cremations during Punjab's militancy era, between 1984 and 1994, before he was abducted and murdered in 1995. The film seeks to chronicle his life, work and sacrifice.
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The film had remained embroiled in a prolonged censorship battle for more than three years, with the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) reportedly seeking 127 cuts before its release. Although Satluj was eventually released on ZEE5 in its uncut version, the platform removed it shortly afterwards, citing "current developments". ZEE5 said the film would remain unavailable in India until further notice while it explores legal and due process avenues to restore it on the platform.
The takedown sparked widespread criticism from political parties and Sikh organisations. The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) condemned the move, describing it as an attack on truth, freedom of expression and Punjab's collective memory.
Amritsar, Punjab: SGPC Chief Secretary Kulwant Singh Mannan says, “Diljit Dosanjh has made this film and it was sent to the censor board in 2022. The film was titled ‘Punjab 95' by Diljit Dosanjh, is based on the life and struggle of Jaswant Singh Khalra. The film shows incidents… pic.twitter.com/b1laXhjzwT
— IANS (@ians_india) July 5, 2026
SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal termed the decision "arbitrary", while the SGPC urged the Union government to restore the film, saying it honours Khalra's legacy.
"Shocked and saddened by the arbitrary removal of Satluj from ZEE5 in India. A powerful film that courageously unveils Punjab's painful history and honours the supreme sacrifice of S. Jaswant Singh Ji Khalra cannot be silenced this way. This is not mere censorship – it is an assault on our collective memory, truth and freedom of expression," said SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal on X.
"I strongly condemn this move. Punjab deserves to confront its past with honesty, not suppression," he added.
Shocked and saddened by the arbitrary removal of #Satluj from #ZEE5 in India.
— Sukhbir Singh Badal (@officeofssbadal) July 5, 2026
A powerful film that courageously unveils Punjab's painful history and honours the supreme sacrifice of S. Jaswant Singh Ji Khalra cannot be silenced this way.
This is not mere censorship — it is an… pic.twitter.com/yfrkMKYq5D
Former cricketer and Rajya Sabha MP Harbhajan Singh took to X (formerly Twitter) to voice his support for the film, drawing a sharp contrast between colonial atrocities and internal betrayal.
Jallianwala Bagh stands as one of history's greatest massacres. It was carried out by a colonial regime. But the question that haunts me after watching Jaswant Singh Khalra is different:
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) July 5, 2026
What is more painful than oppression by an outsider? When those entrusted to protect their… pic.twitter.com/zb71vPhKss
Congress MP Tariq Anwar said the issue should not be politicised if the film is based on facts, while Punjab minister Aman Arora urged against unnecessary politicisation of the matter.
Reacting to the removal, Diljit Dosanjh shared a clip from the film on social media with the message, "I challenge the darkness", and the hashtag #IChallengeTheDarkness, in an apparent response to the film's removal.
BJP National Spokesperson RP Singh also weighed in, stating that the 1990s continue to be a painful chapter in Punjab's history.
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"In the 90s, there was violence in Punjab, and in the name of violence, innocent people were killed, and they were murdered. They were killed by the police, and the police personnel who stood against this and said, 'this is wrong,' those 2,000 police personnel were also killed. And this is a bitter truth, a chapter of Punjab that hasn't healed yet. Jaswant Singh Khalra had raised this whole issue, and later, Jaswant Singh Khalra himself died in a suspicious manner," Singh said.
Delhi: On Diljit Dosanjh's film Satluj, BJP National Spokesperson R.P. Singh says, "In the 90s, there was violence in Punjab, and in the name of violence, innocent people were killed, and they were murdered. They were killed by the police, and the police personnel who stood… pic.twitter.com/dgJQxoiUfK
— IANS (@ians_india) July 5, 2026
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