Another round in the long standoff between Punjabi cinema and India's censor board has finally ended. Diljit Dosanjh's much-talked-about film, originally made under the title Punjab 95, has now streamed on ZEE5 under a new name, Satluj. After being stuck without a certificate for more than three years, the film has reached audiences without a single cut.
127 cuts demanded, and rejected
The censor board had asked for 127 cuts before it would clear the film. The list of demands included dropping the word Punjab from the title, changing the hero's name, removing scenes featuring the Indian flag, and cutting out any reference to Punjab Police. Writer-director Honey Trehan had said at the time that if all 127 cuts were carried out, only a trailer's worth of the film would remain. He argued that after so many cuts, the film would no longer belong to him or to Diljit Dosanjh. The makers refused to accept the terms and held firm on releasing the film exactly as it had been made.
A path found after three and a half years
That refusal meant the film never made it to theatres. The CBFC certificate remained stuck for roughly three and a half years. Eventually, the makers renamed the film and chose a direct digital release on ZEE5 instead. Honey Trehan said he does regret that the film could not reach the big screen, but added that he finds satisfaction in knowing audiences will now see it exactly as it was conceived. He made clear that apart from the title change, no compromise was made on the film's story, scenes or dialogue.
Based on the life of Jaswant Singh Khalra
Satluj draws on the life of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, whose role is played by Diljit Dosanjh. The story is set against the backdrop of Punjab in the 1980s and 1990s, a period when the state was going through militancy, political violence and widespread fear. Large numbers of people went missing during that time, shaking the entire state. The film shows how Jaswant Singh Khalra, a bank employee from Amritsar, kept fighting the system to bring out the truth behind these disappearances and to secure justice for the affected families.
A seasoned cast alongside Diljit
Alongside Diljit Dosanjh, this serious and sensitive story features seasoned actors including Arjun Rampal, Kanwaljit Singh, Suvinder Vicky and Geetika Vidya Ohlyan in key roles. At the time of the film's release, Diljit Dosanjh said that Jaswant Singh Khalra's martyrdom and his contribution to humanity were what pushed him to become part of this film. He said he was moved to tears the first time he heard the script, because it is based on the struggle, pain and sacrifice of real people. According to Diljit, chances to play such a character do not come often, so he tried to portray the role with complete honesty and respect.
All eyes now on audience reaction
Despite never reaching cinema halls, Satluj has now reached viewers directly through OTT. Since the film has released without a single cut, audiences will get to see Jaswant Singh Khalra's story exactly as the makers intended it. After a battle that stretched on for three and a half years, all eyes are now on how audiences respond to the film.
