Days after its removal from the OTT platform ZEE5 in India, Diljit Dosanjh's film 'Satluj' was screened at Gurdwara Bibi Kahan Kaur in Moga on Wednesday during a programme organised by the Khalsa Sewa Society. The screening drew a large gathering of members of the Sikh community, including women and youngsters. Many attendees said they watched the film to express their anguish over its removal from the streaming platform.
Community Response to the Screening
Navjot Singh, a member of the Khalsa Sewa Society, stated, “This is not a film or fiction. It is reality. It is the dark chapter of Punjab. This truth was hidden from the people, and the government is still bent upon hiding it. We are thankful to Diljit Dosanjh and the director for presenting this truth to the world.” The screening left many in the audience in tears as the narrative unfolded.
Speaking after the screening, community representative Rajwant Singh Malha emphasised the film's importance for the younger generation. “This film reveals the black chapter of Punjab. The present generation must know what happened to the youth in the 1990s,” he said. Malha also criticised the state's intervention, stating, “It is painful that governments do not allow us to know our own past. It doesn't matter if the film is blocked in cinemas or on OTT platforms; we will ensure that every resident of Punjab, as well as those living in other states and foreign countries, has access to this film.”
Background of the Film
Directed by Honey Trehan, 'Satluj' is a biographical drama based on the life of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra and is set against the backdrop of Punjab's counter-insurgency period in the late 1980s and 1990s. The film has been at the centre of an intense censorship battle for nearly four years. Originally titled 'Ghallughara', the Central Board of Film Certification repeatedly stalled its release, seeking up to 127 cuts, including objections to the original title, references to real locations, the Punjab Police and the identity of Jaswant Singh Khalra.
After being pulled from its planned world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), the uncut version of the film was released under the title 'Satluj' on the OTT platform ZEE5. However, within 48 hours, it was taken down in India following fresh government action. The Moga screening represents a grassroots effort to bypass censorship and ensure the film reaches a wider audience.
