Nearly 100 cuts were suggested. None of them were made. Instead, the film got a new title and a quiet spot on ZEE5. That, according to the government, is exactly why it had to go.
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Diljit Dosanjh’s film ‘Satluj’ has been pulled from ZEE5. This happened just two days after the film went live on the streaming platform. The removal has sparked strong reactions from both politicians and celebrities.
The film is based on the life of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has now explained why the film was taken down.
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According to the ministry, Satluj was released on OTT without completing the required certification process. Officials said the film lacked the certification needed for a theatrical release.
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An official speaking to ANI explained that instead of complying with certification requirements, the makers changed the film’s title and released it directly on OTT on Friday.
The official also alleged that this release violated provisions under the Information Technology Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code Rules of 2021. However, no specific provision was named to support this claim.
The same official stated that the certification body had recommended close to 100 cuts to the film. Rather than making these changes, the makers allegedly renamed the film and moved forward with an OTT release instead.
The ministry added that it never received any formal representation from the filmmakers seeking approval or reconsideration before the film was released to audiences.
The removal has drawn sharp political reactions. Senior Congress leader Pargat Singh spoke out strongly against the decision.
He pointed to what he described as a double standard. According to him, films made with BJP backing, including titles like The Kerala Story, get screened wherever elections take place, functioning as political messaging. He questioned why real human rights violations are kept off public platforms instead. He asked how correction can happen if such stories never reach the public.
Pargat Singh added that power should be used properly, not misused. He said criminals should be treated as criminals, but stressed that human rights remain a right belonging to every person. He argued that a film like this should never be banned. Instead, he said it should be watched and learned from, so people understand how power gets misused.
Satluj is directed by Honey Trehan and produced under RSVP and MacGuffin Pictures. The cast includes Arjun Rampal, Kanwaljit Singh, Suvinder Vicky and Geetika Vidya Ohlyan alongside Dosanjh.
The film’s journey to release has already been a long one. It previously carried the title Panjab 95 and spent years caught up in disputes with the censor board before eventually reaching viewers through a streaming platform.
(With inputs from ANI.)
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