The Honey Trehan directorial, earlier titled Punjab ’95, quietly arrived on ZEE5 on July 3 without the 127 cuts reportedly sought by the CBFC, only to be pulled from India two days later.
Diljit Dosanjh has responded to the sudden removal of Satluj from ZEE5 India with a statement that is equal parts resigned, defiant and deeply revealing. The actor-singer says he expected the film to be blocked eventually. What surprised him, he said, was not the action itself but the timing.
“Today is Sunday, but it must be Monday in India,” Diljit said during an Instagram Live from the United States, where he is currently touring. The actor was referring to the film’s removal on Sunday evening, July 5, after it quietly premiered on ZEE5 on Friday, July 3.
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Satluj, directed by Honey Trehan and formerly known as Punjab ’95, stars Diljit as human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra. The film had been caught in a long battle over certification for more than three years, with the makers refusing to accept the reported 127 cuts suggested by the Central Board of Film Certification. After years of delays, festival complications and uncertainty around its India release, the film finally appeared online without fanfare. It lasted barely two days.
Now, its disappearance has turned into the story.
Diljit Dosanjh on Satluj Removal: ‘I Had a Feeling This Would Happen’
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Diljit did not sound shocked during his Instagram Live. Instead, he suggested that the team had anticipated resistance from the moment they decided to release the film quietly.
“I had a feeling on Friday that something like this would happen. This was already on my mind. It is not something to be shocked about,” he said in Punjabi. “I thought that it would be banned on Monday when the offices open.”
The actor added that the makers intentionally avoided a large promotional campaign. According to him, a louder release strategy may have resulted in the film being stopped even earlier.
“We did not even promote the film, we released it just like that. If we had promoted it, it would not have lasted even two days. But I am satisfied that people have seen the film, it has reached them,” he said.
That comment has given the Satluj episode an unusual edge. This was not a conventional streaming release with trailers, celebrity interviews, red-carpet premieres and countdown posts. It was a stealth drop, almost as if the makers knew the window could close at any moment.
And close it did.
Why ZEE5 Removed Satluj From India
On Sunday, ZEE5 issued a brief statement announcing that Satluj would no longer be available in India “until further notice.”
“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,” the platform said.
ZEE5 did not clarify the exact nature of the “current developments.” However, the removal comes against the backdrop of the film’s long-running certification troubles and its politically sensitive subject matter.
The streamer also acknowledged the strong response the film received during its brief availability, saying it remained supportive of the creative conviction behind the project.
For viewers, the removal has triggered a familiar question: when a film has already reached the public, can it truly be pulled back from public conversation?
Diljit’s answer was clear.
‘Nothing Disappears From the Internet’
Diljit said he was happy that audiences had already watched Satluj, while others had saved or downloaded it during its short ZEE5 run. He also mentioned seeing a video that appeared to show the film being screened at a gurdwara, possibly in Rajasthan.
“The youth today is talking about the film,” he said. “I am satisfied that the film has reached you.”
The actor encouraged viewers to share and watch the film “wherever and however” they could. He also made a pointed observation about the digital age.
“The more you try to stop the film, now re-titled Satluj, the more popular it will become,” Diljit said, adding that nothing truly disappears from the internet, “not even a voice note on WhatsApp.”
That statement captures the larger irony around the controversy. A quiet release that may have reached a limited audience has now become a major national conversation. The film’s removal has created curiosity among viewers who may not have even known it existed.
On Sunday night, Diljit also posted a scene from the film in which Khalra says, “I challenge the darkness.” The post quickly became a symbolic response to the takedown.
Satluj and the Story of Jaswant Singh Khalra
Satluj is inspired by the life of Jaswant Singh Khalra, a human rights activist who investigated the alleged cremation of thousands of unidentified bodies in Punjab between 1984 and 1994.
Khalra’s investigation focused on records linked to cremations in the state, and his disappearance in 1995 remains central to the story the film seeks to tell. He was abducted and never seen again.
In 2005, four Punjab Police personnel were convicted in connection with his abduction and murder and sentenced to seven years in prison. In 2007, the Punjab and Haryana High Court enhanced the punishment to life imprisonment.
The film’s subject is therefore not fictional controversy manufactured for publicity. It deals with a painful chapter of Indian history, state accountability, human rights and the cost of speaking up.
That is also why the film’s release journey has been so fraught.
From Punjab ’95 to Satluj: A Film Stuck for Years
Before becoming Satluj, the film was known as Punjab ’95. The original title itself directly pointed to the year Khalra disappeared.
The project had reportedly been stuck with the CBFC for over three years. The makers were asked to make 127 cuts, according to reports, but Honey Trehan and the team did not agree to release the film in a heavily altered form.
The battle had already affected the film’s international journey. In 2023, Punjab ’95 was scheduled to premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, but it was removed from the line-up without an official explanation from the organisers.
A global release was later planned for February 7, 2025, without cuts outside India. That plan also did not materialise.
The title change from Punjab ’95 to Satluj appeared to be part of the film’s difficult attempt to find a route to audiences. But even after the name change and a quiet streaming launch, the film could not remain online in India for long.
What Happens Next for Satluj?
ZEE5 has said it is exploring “appropriate avenues through due process” to bring the film back. That leaves the door open for a legal or certification-related resolution, although there is no confirmed timeline.
For Honey Trehan, producers Abhishek Chaubey and Ronnie Screwvala, and the teams at MacGuffin Pictures and RSVP, the immediate challenge is clear: how to preserve the film’s intended form while navigating the regulatory hurdles that have delayed it for years.
For Diljit, the episode further sharpens his image as an artist willing to take on difficult material. Known globally for his music, humour and crowd-pleasing screen persona, he has increasingly chosen projects that stretch beyond easy entertainment. Playing Jaswant Singh Khalra places him at the centre of one of the most politically charged films of his career.
The controversy could also affect the film’s long-term cultural impact. In the short term, removal may restrict access. In the long term, it may turn Satluj into a symbol of the very questions it raises: who gets to tell difficult stories, who gets to see them, and what happens when a film becomes bigger than its release plan?
The film also stars Arjun Rampal, Kanwaljit Singh, Suvinder Vicky and Geetika Vidya Ohlyan in key roles.
For now, Satluj is unavailable in India. But Diljit Dosanjh’s message is unmistakable: the film may be off one platform, but it is no longer out of the public imagination.
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