The abrupt withdrawal of the film ‘Satluj’ from ZEE5 has triggered a fresh wave of debate around censorship and artistic freedom, with veteran actor Kanwaljit Singh now joining the cast and crew in expressing frustration over the move.
The film, which is based on the life of slain human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, made a quiet debut on the OTT platform on Friday evening. There was no prior promotion or marketing push from the streamer. Despite that, ‘Satluj’ drew strong word-of-mouth and positive viewer response soon after its release.
However, within 48 hours of going live, the film was taken off ZEE5 without any official explanation. The sudden delisting has left both the audience and the filmmakers confused and seeking clarity.
Speaking to Free Press Journal, Kanwaljit Singh, who plays the role of a senior police officer in the film, said he was stunned by the decision. He revealed that he had spoken to director Honey Trehan after the film was removed.
“I spoke to Honey after the film was taken down, and he has said that they shall be taking the matter to court,” Kanwaljit said.
“But what I don’t understand is why did they have to take it off? Even people who weren’t going to see it will want to see it now. It has also been downloaded by so many people, so even though lots of people would be watching it, the producers shall be losing out.”
The actor went on to question the state of free speech in the country.
“But I want to ask, what is this freedom of speech? Tell me, I really want to know. That right is being strangled,” he added.
Directed by Honey Trehan, ‘Satluj’ features Diljit Dosanjh in the lead role. The film draws from the real-life story of Jaswant Singh Khalra, who had exposed custodial killings and illegal cremations in Punjab during the 1990s.
The project had a troubled journey to release. Originally titled ‘Punjab ’95’, it was stuck for nearly four years due to certification issues with the CBFC. After a long legal and bureaucratic battle, it finally premiered on ZEE5. Diljit had earlier said that the version put out on the platform was the “completely uncut” one.
Produced by RSVP and MacGuffin Pictures, the film also stars Arjun Rampal, Suvinder Vicky and Geetika Vidya Ohlyan in key roles.
With the film now removed from streaming and the makers hinting at legal action, the controversy around ‘Satluj’ shows no signs of dying down. Viewers who missed the 48-hour window are now asking when, and if, the film will return to the platform.
