UPDATED: Diljit Dosanjh has addressed the removal of “Satluj” from ZEE5’s Indian catalogue, saying in a video posted to Instagram that he had expected the film would be taken down.
ZEE5 pulled the Honey Trehan-directed drama, inspired by the life of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, from its Indian catalogue less than two days after its July 3 premiere. The platform did not specify a reason for the removal. “Satluj” remains available on ZEE5 Global for audiences outside India.
Dosanjh, who plays Khalra, said, in a video posted to Instagram, translated from Punjabi: “The thing I already sensed on Friday, that this might happen – it wasn’t a surprise to me. I felt that the film would probably be banned on Monday, once offices opened, but I had no idea it would happen already on Sunday evening. That’s why we couldn’t promote the film, and that’s why we released it without telling anyone in advance. If we had announced it and promoted it two days before, it would never have run at all. But now I’m relieved that the film has reached every home. You have the film, people have downloaded it, and today’s youth are talking about it. This morning I saw a video of the film being screened with a projector at a gurdwara. Now, every home is talking about Jaswant Singh Khalra ji — the more you try to stop this, the more people will talk about it. We’ve been fighting for this for the past four years.”
PREVIOUSLY: ZEE5 has removed “Satluj,” the Diljit Dosanjh-starrer inspired by human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, from its Indian catalogue less than two days after the film’s July 3 premiere, the platform said in a statement posted to Instagram. The film remains available on ZEE5 Global for audiences outside India.
The platform did not specify a reason for the removal.
“The response to ‘Satluj’ since its release has been truly overwhelming,” ZEE5 said. “We are deeply grateful to every viewer who chose to subscribe, watch and champion the film. Your love and support have meant a great deal to us and to everyone who brought this story to life. At ZEE5, we stand firmly by ‘Satluj’ and the creative vision behind it. We believe powerful storytelling has the ability to inspire, endure and leave a lasting impact. We remain committed to championing authentic and meaningful narratives. In light of the current developments, ‘Satluj’ will be unavailable in India until further notice. We remain committed to exploring every appropriate avenue through due process to bring the film back to our audiences at the earliest opportunity. Our commitment to creators and to stories told with conviction, artistic integrity and purpose remains unwavering.”
The platform’s Instagram caption struck a more defiant note: “‘Satluj’ may have paused. But the conversation it started hasn’t.”
EARLIER: “Satluj,” the Honey Trehan-directed drama inspired by the life of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, began streaming globally on ZEE5 Global on July 3, in full and without cuts, three years after the film first ran into trouble with India’s censor board.
Produced by RSVP and MacGuffin Pictures, the social drama stars Diljit Dosanjh alongside Arjun Rampal, Kanwaljit Singh, Suvinder Vicky and Geetika Vidya Ohlyan. It traces Khalra’s decades-long pursuit of justice for more than 25,000 people who disappeared during Punjab’s insurgency-era crackdowns, and the personal cost of his fight against a system determined to suppress the truth.
The project has carried three names on its way to release. It was originally titled “Ghallughara,” a historic term for the massacres of Sikhs in 1746, 1762 and 1984. When RSVP applied for certification from India’s Central Board of Film Certification in late 2022, the six-month process ended with the film cleared for 21 cuts and a mandated title change to “Punjab ’95.” RSVP appealed that ruling in the Bombay High Court. Around the same time, the film was withdrawn from its planned gala premiere at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival; a source told Variety at the time that political factors were involved in that decision.
“We could not get the previous title of the film. The title is now ‘Satluj,’” Trehan said in a statement to Variety. “This is the complete film, without any cuts or compromises, in its original form as we always intended. It wouldn’t have been possible without Diljit paji and our producers and their will to stand for its integrity. As both Diljit paji and I had previously said, we would not endorse a compromised version of the film.”
Harish Goyal, territory head for the Americas at ZEE Entertainment Enterprises Ltd., added: “For South Asian audiences across North America, cinema remains an important connection to the history, realities and voices of the subcontinent. With Diljit Dosanjh bringing remarkable honesty and conviction to this deeply meaningful role, we believe ‘Satluj’ will resonate strongly with audiences here.”
Kaveri Das, business head for Hindi content at ZEE5, said, “This is a film about courage, resilience, and the fight for justice and it deserves a platform that will stand behind it with conviction.”
Producer Ronnie Screwvala added: “Honey’s passion and conviction made this journey truly special, and from the very beginning, we knew there was no one better than Diljit to bring this character to life with the honesty and depth it deserved.”
Dosanjh, who plays Khalra, said, “Bhai Jaswant Singh Khalra ji’s martyrdom and his contribution to humanity were the primary reasons I chose to be a part of this film. I felt a strong sense of responsibility towards the film and was committed to portraying such an inspiring character with truth, honesty, and utmost respect.”
Trehan previously directed the 2020 Netflix thriller “Raat Akeli Hai” and its follow up “Raat Akeli Hai: The Bansal Murders” (2025). Suvinder Vicky’s credits include the Netflix series “Kohrra” and the Cannes and Venice selections “The Fourth Direction” and “Milestone,” respectively.