Actor-singer Diljit Dosanjh Monday reacted to the removal of his film Satluj from streaming platform ZEE5 in India, saying the movie will continue to reach audiences despite being taken down from the streamer.
Sharing a video of an open-air screening of the film in Rajasthan, Dosanjh wrote on X, “Hun Ni Rukni Film. Khalra Saab Di Avaaz Nu Koi Ni Dabaa Sakda”.
Speaking during a live interaction with fans, Diljit Dosanjh said the team had anticipated such a reaction from the very beginning. "The incident took place in 1995 and they didn't let people talk about it then. It is happening even today. Hadd ho gayi! I'm a little sad. We're still standing there, this is 2026," Diljit said.
He explained that this expectation was the reason the makers chose not to announce the film's release or carry out any promotional campaign in advance. "This was expected from day one, and that is why we couldn't even promote the film and released it without telling anyone. If we had announced the release and promoted it two days prior, it wouldn't have been released at all. But now I am satisfied that the film has reached every household. You have the film, people have downloaded it, and today the new youth is talking about it," the singer-actor said in Punjabi.
The Honey Trehan-directed film, based on the life of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, was released on ZEE5 in India on Friday under the new title Satluj, after remaining stuck in the censorship process for more than three years.
However, the platform removed the film from its India catalogue on Sunday.
“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,” ZEE5 said in a statement.
The streamer said the response to the film since its release had been overwhelming.
“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,” it added.
Sharing ZEE5's statement on Instagram Stories, Honey Trehan wrote, "Tera bhana meetha lage" which translates to "God's will is sweet".
Dosanjh plays Khalra, who investigated the cremation of thousands of unidentified bodies in Punjab between 1984 and 1994 before disappearing in 1995.
In 2005, four Punjab Police personnel were convicted for Khalra's abduction and murder and sentenced to seven years in prison. The Punjab and Haryana High Court enhanced their sentence to life imprisonment in 2007.
Originally titled Punjab ’95, the film had faced a prolonged battle over certification after the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) reportedly sought 127 cuts. The delay forced the makers to repeatedly postpone its release.
The project was also scheduled to have its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2023 but was later dropped from the festival's line-up without an official explanation.
Before its release, filmmaker Honey Trehan had said the film would stream on ZEE5 in its original form without “any cuts or compromises”.
Produced by Honey Trehan, Abhishek Chaubey and Ronnie Screwvala under the banners MacGuffin Pictures and RSVP, the film also stars Arjun Rampal, Kanwaljit Singh, Suvinder Vicky and Geetika Vidya Ohlyan.