The District Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (DGPC) in Jammu organised a special community screening of the Punjabi film 'Satluj' on Friday evening at Gurdwara Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji in Nanak Nagar. The screening took place after the film was removed from the OTT platform ZEE5 within 48 hours of its release, following government orders.
Community turnout and reactions
People from diverse faiths attended the event to watch the film together. Speaking to ANI, Treasurer Sardar Jagpal Singh noted the large gathering, stating, 'Look at the gathering here; people from all faiths, Hindus, Sikhs, Muslims, and others, are present. The movie started at 8:00 PM, and it is now nearly 10:20 PM. It is baffling why the government or the people involved want to hide the truth.' He added that screenings would continue at other gurdwaras until the 16th.
Certification controversy
The Diljit Dosanjh-starrer has been at the centre of controversy after being taken down from ZEE5 just two days post-release, prompting reactions from celebrities and political leaders. According to Information and Broadcasting Ministry officials, the film lacked the required certification for a theatrical release. An I&B Ministry official told ANI, 'Satluj did not have the required certification for a theatrical release. Instead of complying with the certification process, the makers changed the film's title and released it on an OTT platform on Friday.' The official further alleged that the release violated provisions of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.
Film's subject and cast
'Satluj' is based on the life of Jaswant Singh Khalra, who highlighted alleged illegal killings and secret cremations during the late 1980s and early 1990s, when Punjab witnessed a period of militancy and counter-insurgency operations. Khalra disappeared in 1995, and his body was later recovered near the Harike Bridge on the Sutlej River. He was allegedly kidnapped and killed, with allegations involving then-Punjab Police officials. Directed by Honey Trehan and produced by RSVP and MacGuffin Pictures, the film stars Arjun Rampal, Kanwaljit Singh, Suvinder Vicky, and Geetika Vidya Ohlyan.
