Political parties in Punjab are leveraging public screenings of the movie Satluj to set narratives and garner support, five days after the film was removed from an OTT platform. The movie, starring Diljit Dosanjh, depicts the life and work of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra. According to certain estimates, over 400 screenings had been held by Friday evening.
Widespread Screenings Across the State
Gurdwara management committees, youth clubs, and outfits like Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and Waris Punjab De have rented projectors and mini-trucks to organise public viewings in villages and towns. Ajaypal Singh Brar, chief of Misl Satluj, said his group had organised 50 screenings by Friday in areas including Mohali, Kharar, Ropar, Ferozepur, Faridkot, and Fazilka. He added, “Showcasing the movie is not about politics. ‘Satluj’ showcases our history and we own it.”
Ruling AAP Leaders Join In
Some leaders of the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) have also started organising screenings, though the party has made no official statement. Sardulgarh AAP MLA Gurpreet Singh Banawali said he began receiving requests from villagers after screenings in other segments. “I am just cooperating with outfits that are screening ‘Satluj’,” he said. Anandpur Sahib MP Malvinder Singh Kang noted huge public demand in his constituency and added, “Soon, I will decide on organising public screenings of this movie.”
Opposition Parties Take Different Stances
SAD and the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) have declared they will hold public shows across the state. Harcharan Singh Bains, principal adviser to SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal, said, “It should not be showcased in Punjab alone, but across the country. The message is that those in power often commit excesses and those who commit excesses do not go unpunished.” Waris Punjab De senior leader Manpreet Singh Ayali said his outfit had held 25 shows in the Dakha segment alone, with screenings daily in four villages. Interestingly, the Congress and BJP have not organised any screenings.
Political Context and Public Demand
All other issues in poll-bound Punjab, such as the launch of the Mawan Dhiyan Satkar Yojana or the Akal Takht’s declaration against Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, have taken a backseat. The AAP has stated that the BJP-led Centre ordered the movie’s removal from the OTT platform. Simar Pratap Singh Barnala, grandson of former Chief Minister Surjit Singh Barnala, also screened the movie at his residence in Barnala earlier this week.
