Diljit DosanjhSatluj by Satluj has found an audience abroad despite being taken off India’s ZEE5. Punjabi singer Jasbir Jassi claims that the film is still being watched in the United States and other countries, adding that it is also being downloaded and shared on WhatsApp.Speaking to NDTV, Jassi said the film remains available to viewers outside India despite its removal from the country’s streaming platform.He said, “People in America can watch it, and so can viewers in other parts of the world. I can also tell you that people have shared it on WhatsApp so widely and downloaded it so many times that I don’t think any film has appeared on WhatsApp to people 10, 12, or even 15 times.”Jassi also questioned the decision to remove the film in India, saying he did not believe its content warranted such action.“I do not understand why it is banned. There is nothing in the film that requires a ban. If any government, agency, or police department believes that it portrays the police as helpless, then I say that it is not about impotence, but about incompetence and serious misconduct,” he said.
The film remains at the center of controversy
Originally titled Punjab 95, Satluj was based on the life of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra and remained at the center of controversy for several years.The film was submitted to the Central Board of Film Certification in 2022 but remained in the certification process for almost three years. Director Honey Trehan earlier alleged that the CBFC asked for 127 cuts before giving certification.The film was also scheduled to premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2023, but the screening was canceled after objections were reportedly raised by Indian authorities.Satluj released on ZEE5 on July 3, starring Diljit Dosanjh, Kanwaljeet Singh, Arjun Rampal, Suvinder Vicky and Geetika Vidya Ohlyan. It was later pulled from the Indian platform, though Jassi admitted that it still reached audiences overseas.