Satluj pulled from ZEE5 India; Diljit likens ban to Khalra’s fate

Mumbai: Singer-actor Diljit Dosanjh has reacted sharply after his film Satluj (formerly Panjab 95) was removed from ZEE5’s India catalogue less than two days after it began streaming. Posting a clip from the film, Diljit wrote, “#ichallengethedarkness Shaheed Jaswant Singh Khalra Ji #Panjab95 SATLUJ naal v oh hee hoyea jo Khalra Saab naal hoyea c,” likening the film’s takedown to the disappearance and extrajudicial killing of human-rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra during Punjab’s militancy period in the 1990s.

Satluj began streaming on ZEE5 Global on July 3 after more than three years of certification disputes. The Central Board of Film Certification had previously sought 127 cuts and a title change when the film was submitted in 2022; the makers challenged those demands in court before withdrawing the petition. The film was also pulled from a planned 2023 Toronto International Film Festival premiere.

Director Honey Trehan responded on social media with a measured note: “Tera bhana meetha lage (God’s will is sweet).” He told The Indian Express he learned of the removal from ZEE5 India late Sunday and was unsure how to respond.

ZEE5 confirmed the film’s India removal while saying it would remain available internationally on ZEE5 Global. The platform thanked viewers for their support and said Satluj “will be unavailable in India until further notice,” adding that it was exploring “every appropriate avenue through due process” to restore access.

Produced by Ronnie Screwvala’s RSVP and MacGuffin Pictures, Satluj — directed by Trehan and starring Diljit Dosanjh, Kanwaljeet Singh, Arjun Rampal, Suvinder Vicky and Geetika Vidya Ohlyan — had opted to stream without cuts after years of certification battles.