Actor Diljit Dosanjh’s SatlujWhich was earlier titled Punjab ’95, has been removed from ZEE5 less than 48 hours after its quiet premiere on the platform in an uncut version last Friday. Standup comedian Kunal Kamra addressed an open note to Prasoon Joshi, chairman of the Central Board of Film Certification, raising questions over the earlier objections to the film and its subsequent removal from OTT.

Satluj It battled censorship issues for over three years in an attempt to secure a theatrical release, but it never reached the big screen. Responding to the film being removed from streaming, Kamra wrote, “Can you tell us why 127 cuts were recommended for the film? Punjab ’95? The same film, now renamed Satlujhas been removed from an OTT platform in less than two days. CBFC has no jurisdiction over OTT platforms or international releases.”

“Punjab ’95 The film tells the story of Jaswant Singh Khalra, who documented human rights abuses and paid the price with his life. If a film based on documentary facts cannot be watched by Indian audiences, the public has the right to know why. This sends a very direct message to filmmakers and production companies: If you are paying tribute to a great personality from the minority community, you will have to face the CBFC (sic),” he said.

Criticizing the double standards of the censor board, Kamra urged journalists to ask “some tough questions” of officials as to why some politically sensitive films get cleared easily while others face years of delays.

Highlighting this disparity, Kamra emphasized the easy paths given to specific projects – “a red carpet for The Kashmir Files, The Bengal Files And story of kerala. to Rose Dhurandhar 1 and 2A fictional documentarian/explainer for the unimaginable and unexplainable (sic).” He also questioned the board’s influence on filmmakers and asked how it felt to “celebrate four years of a director’s career”.

Kamra concluded his note by comparing the current situation to past legal democratic standards and wrote, “In Nehru’s India, this would have been prosecuted in court.”

He questioned what kind of cinema would be promoted if filmmakers faced years of obstacles in telling the stories of people fighting for justice. Kamra then drew sharp comparisons to the human rights activist’s real-life fate, and said that Jaswant Singh Khalra had effectively been “kidnapped again, this time by the CBFC.”

Directed by Honey Trehan, Satluj Diljit Dosanjh stars as late human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra.