The digital release of the much-anticipated film Satluj, starring Diljit Dosanjh, has hit a major roadblock. Just two days after its premiere on the streaming service ZEE5, the movie has been made unavailable to viewers in India. The film, which chronicles the life of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, faced significant scrutiny long before its digital debut, and its sudden withdrawal has sparked a fresh wave of conversation regarding censorship and artistic freedom.
On Sunday, July 5, ZEE5 confirmed the decision to pull the title from its Indian catalog. In a concise official statement, the streaming platform noted, “In light of the current developments, Satluj will be unavailable in India until further notice.”
Despite the removal from the domestic market, the platform emphasized that it intends to resolve the situation. ZEE5 added that it remains committed to exploring “every appropriate avenue through due process” to bring the film back to Indian audiences. For now, however, the film continues to stream internationally on ZEE5 Global.
The path to Satluj reaching audiences was anything but smooth. Originally titled Punjab ‘95, the project faced extensive certification challenges after its submission to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) in 2022. Reports suggest that the board demanded as many as 127 cuts to the film and insisted on a title change before granting clearance.
Directed by Honey Trehan and produced by Ronnie Screwvala’s RSVP in collaboration with MacGuffin Pictures, the film endured a nearly three-year delay before it finally premiered on ZEE5 on July 3, 2026.
The film centers on the life of Jaswant Singh Khalra, a courageous human rights activist from Amritsar. Khalra gained prominence for his tireless campaigning against the disappearance of thousands of Sikh youths during the height of the Punjab militancy in the 1980s and 1990s. Many of these individuals were subsequently found to have been killed in extra-judicial fake encounters.
A former Cooperative Bank director, Khalra served as the general secretary of the Shiromani Akali Dal’s human rights wing—a body specifically established to investigate allegations of state-sponsored extra-judicial killings. His relentless pursuit of truth eventually made him a target. On September 6, 1995, Khalra was kidnapped from his residence, allegedly by Punjab Police officials. He was reportedly tortured at the Jhabal police station, executed, and his body disposed of near the Harike Bridge on the Sutlej river. The film’s title serves as a poignant reminder of these tragic events.
The sudden removal of the film did not come as a complete surprise to its lead actor. During a live interaction on social media shortly after the release, Diljit Dosanjh had hinted that the film’s availability might be short-lived.
“There was a fear that it could be removed,” Dosanjh remarked to his followers. In a candid moment, he added, “I think you might have downloaded the movie by now. So, now there is no fear.”
His comments reflect the deep anxiety that has surrounded the project throughout its production cycle. As the legal and regulatory discussions regarding Satluj continue, the film remains a potent symbol of the ongoing tension between historical documentation in cinema and institutional oversight. Fans and industry observers now wait to see if ZEE5 will succeed in its efforts to reinstate the film for Indian viewers.
