Sikh organization to organize public screening and seminar of Satluj after ZEE5’s removal
The Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) has protested against the removal of Satluj from ZEE5 in India and has planned a community screening of the film. It will also organize educational seminars on Jaswant Singh Khalra and say that his story should remain accessible.
A few days after Diljit Dosanjh Satluj The ongoing controversy regarding the film has taken a new turn after it was removed from ZEE5 in India. The Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) has strongly opposed the removal of the film, calling it an attempt to suppress the story of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra. To show support, the committee has announced plans to hold public screenings of the film and hold seminars in educational institutions to ensure that Khalra’s story continues to reach people despite its removal.
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Reacting to the development on Tuesday, DSGMC President Harmeet Singh Kalka said stopping people from watching the film was like erasing an important chapter of Punjab’s history.
“Since the film is based on the biography of Jaswant Singh Khalra, it shows how a social activist opened people’s eyes to the truth. He exposed the evidence of 25,000 bodies that were cremated as ‘unclaimed’ and raised the issue not only within the country but also internationally, highlighting the dire situation of Punjab. It is very wrong to suppress this story and prevent the events of that dark era from reaching the public, and it has helped Sikhs This has created huge resentment in the community,” Kalka said. Said.
Announcing the committee’s next course of action, Kalka said the Sikh body has directed members of its Gurdwara committees to download and screen the film in their respective localities so that audiences can watch it despite it being removed from the streaming platform.
He also revealed that the committee will soon convene a meeting with heads of DSGMC-run educational institutions to organize seminars on Khalra’s life and legacy.
He said, “We want people to realize how much of an impact a social worker can make on society. If one person can achieve so much, there’s no reason why we can’t all work together to do the same.”
What is Satluj?
Directed by Honey Trehan, Satluj It is based on the life of Jaswant Singh Khalra, a human rights activist from Punjab who exposed the illegal killings and secret cremations of thousands of people during the insurgency years of the late 1980s and early 1990s. The film, which stars Diljit Dosanjh in the lead role, quietly released on ZEE5 on July 3 after a three-year-long battle with the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).
However, ZEE5 removed it from the platform in India within 48 hours, citing “current developments”. Government sources later claimed that the film was removed for security reasons as they were concerned about pro-Khalistan groups trying to regain ground in Punjab ahead of the upcoming elections.
Who was Jaswant Singh Khalra?
Jaswant Singh Khalra was a bank clerk who became one of the most prominent human rights activists of Punjab during the insurgency era. Sifting through official records, he uncovered evidence that showed thousands of unidentified bodies were illegally cremated by security forces during counter-terrorism operations. Their findings drew national and international attention to alleged human rights violations in Punjab.
Khalra disappeared in September 1995. According to investigators, she was abducted outside her home and later murdered. A decade later, four Punjab Police personnel were convicted in the case of her kidnapping and murder.
A film caught in controversies
originally titled Punjab ’95The film was shelved for nearly four years after the CBFC reportedly demanded 127 cuts and several changes, including references to Khalra herself. Director Honey Trehan had repeatedly criticized the certification process, arguing that the demands had effectively prevented the film from being released.
The film eventually premiered on ZEE5 in uncut form under the new title Satluj. However, it was removed for Indian audiences within two days of its release. While ZEE5 has stated that the film is on “pause” due to “current developments”, it has not officially explained the reasons behind the decision. Later, the streaming platform shared another statement urging people not to indulge in piracy and said that they are trying their best to give a proper path to the film.
Produced by RSVP Movies and MacGuffin Pictures, Satluj It also stars Arjun Rampal, Kanwaljeet Singh, Suvinder Vicky and Geetika Vidya Ohlyan.