The biopic 'Satluj', based on the life of Punjab activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, is now streaming on the OTT platform ZEE5. Soon after its release, Khalra's wife Paramjeet Kaur Khalra came out in open support of the film. Writing on X, she said the film has not been trimmed or altered in any way, and that its real soul and truth remain completely intact. Her statement put to rest all the speculation that key scenes had been removed from the film under pressure from the censor board.
120 demanded cuts and a three-year wait for certification
According to Paramjeet Kaur, despite the pressure, director Honey Trehan did not compromise on the film's truth. The censor board had initially asked for close to 120 cuts in the film, covering scenes related to the Punjab Police, custodial violence, and several historical events from that period. The makers refused to accept these changes, which is why it took a full three years for the film to get its certificate. Paramjeet Kaur has now given her approval to the original version of the film and expressed relief that it has reached audiences exactly the way it was first shown to the family.
Diljit Dosanjh confirms it too, only the title changed
Actor Diljit Dosanjh, who plays the lead role in the film, also confirmed this on social media. He said clearly that if even a single scene had been cut from the film, he would never have promoted it. Both director Honey Trehan and actor Diljit Dosanjh have said that only the film's title was changed, while the story remains exactly as it was. The film depicts how Jaswant Singh Khalra raised the issue of more than 25000 unclaimed bodies during the period of militancy in Punjab, an issue that became a major and sensitive question at the time.
Paramjeet Kaur's legal battle and her turn to politics
Jaswant Singh Khalra was abducted from outside his house in 1995 and killed. Following that, Paramjeet Kaur fought a long legal battle for justice. She made repeated rounds of the courts and kept the issue alive at a global level, which eventually led to guilty police personnel being punished. Now past the age of 70, Paramjeet Kaur has also tried her hand at politics and has continued to advocate for human rights. She hopes that 'Satluj' will give her husband's legacy the honour it deserves and help the world understand the importance of justice and humanity.
