(Web Desk)- The removal of Satluj, starring Indian singer and actor Diljit Dosanjh, from the streaming platform just two days after its release has sparked widespread debate.
The film is inspired by the life of Sikh human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, who investigated allegations of enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings during Punjab’s separatist insurgency. Khalra later disappeared and was found to have been abducted and murdered. Several Punjab police officers were subsequently convicted for their involvement in his killing.
Satluj premiered on ZEE5 on Friday but was withdrawn from the platform on Sunday. In a statement, ZEE5 said the film would remain unavailable in India “until further notice” due to “current developments,” without providing further details. As a result, the film is no longer officially accessible in the country.
Completed in 2022, Satluj never received a theatrical release because of a prolonged dispute with India’s film certification board.
Despite its limited availability, the film earned critical acclaim. The Hollywood Reporter praised it as “one of the finest Indian films of the year.”
According to The Indian Express, a spokesperson for producer RSVP Movies said the film was removed following government directives. However, the Indian government has not publicly commented on the matter, and the federal Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has yet to issue an official response.
Speaking during a live social media session, Diljit Dosanjh said he had anticipated the film might face restrictions but was surprised by how quickly it was taken down.
“What I expected has happened. I thought the film might be banned after government offices reopened on Monday, but I didn’t imagine it would be removed as early as Sunday evening,” he said.
Dosanjh added that concerns over the film’s uncertain future prompted the makers to limit promotional activities.
“If we had promoted it extensively, the film would probably never have been released,” he remarked, while expressing satisfaction that audiences were finally able to watch it after years of delays.
Inspired by Khalra’s life, Satluj portrays the journey of an activist investigating alleged human rights violations during Punjab’s separatist insurgency, one of the most violent periods in modern Indian history.
The insurgency, which lasted from the early 1980s to the mid-1990s, involved armed Sikh militants seeking an independent Khalistan and Indian security forces, resulting in thousands of deaths.