The Center has ordered OTT platform ZEE5 to remove the Diljit Dosanjh-starrer film ‘Satluj’ citing “security concerns” and “obligations” under the IT Rules 2021, government sources said on Monday, even as Punjab’s political parties and the apex Sikh body SGPC pushed for its release, and its actor-singer could appeal to the people and even then.
‘Satluj’ has been removed due to IT Rules 2021
‘Satluj’, which details the life of activist Jaswant Singh Khalra in Punjab in the turbulent 1990s when the state was reeling under terrorism, was blocked by censors for over three years. Released uncut on ZEE5 on Friday, the film was pulled from the platform on Sunday night.OTT content is not under the purview of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) and is regulated under the provisions of Part III of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.
‘Sutlej’ removed due to ‘security concerns’
A government official said that the makers of ‘Sutlej’ had applied for CBFC certification in 2022 under the original title ‘Punjab 95’, but they did not accept the 127 cuts suggested by the censor board and prevented its release.“They kept sitting on the proposed cuts and eventually released the film quietly on OTT with a new title. OTT is not under the jurisdiction of the CBFC. When the matter came to the notice of the government, Zee was asked to take it (the film).“The direction has been given due to security concerns. The OTT platform has been asked to comply with the obligations under the intermediary’s guidelines. If they want to release the film in theaters and OTT, they will have to follow the prescribed rules,” the official told PTI.
Diljit Dosanjh encourages fans to download the film
Dosanjh on Monday said that this will happen, while ZEE5 issued an appeal asking people not to support piracy as the film has already been widely downloaded.The film directed by Honey Trehan explores the life of Khalra who investigated the burning of thousands of unidentified bodies in Punjab for 10 years from 1984 to 1994. He was abducted in 1995 and has not been seen since. In 2005, four Punjab policemen were convicted for Khalra’s abduction and murder and sentenced to seven years in prison. Two years later, the Punjab and Haryana High Court enhanced their sentence to life imprisonment.On Friday, the film arrived quietly on ZEE5 without any cuts but with a different title and zero promotion, which Dosanjh said was because they didn’t want to spoil any of the small moments the film had.
Political parties rally behind ‘Satluj’
The matter quickly gained political traction with the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), Congress and the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Punjab condemning the removal of the film from the OTT platform, saying the state must face its past.People should know what happened in those days in Punjab, Kulwant Singh Manan, general secretary of Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), said.“What is wrong when the truth is shown, and the public knows what happened in those days in Punjab,” Manan told PTI over phone.Condemning the “arbitrary deletion” of the film, SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami said, “Efforts to hide the government’s atrocities committed against Sikhs will never succeed.“Now the honorable courts have given punishments to the police officers of the time. How can anyone turn away from these decisions of the courts?” Dhami asked.Criticizing the removal of the film, SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal said, “This is not just censorship, it is an attack on our collective memory, truth and freedom of expression… Punjab deserves to face its past with honesty, not repression.”Senior Congress leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira echoed him.“I strongly condemn the removal of Diljit Dosanjh’s film ‘Satluj’ about police brutality in the abduction and elimination of Prof Jaswant Singh Khalra, human rights activist in 1995,” he said.AAP leader and MP Malvinder Singh Kang said censorship becomes the most dangerous weapon when a country starts fearing its own history.AAP’s Baltej Pannu said, “The young generation wants to know what happened in Punjab during 1978, 1984, 1990s and other important periods.Asked to comment on the OTT removal of the film, Punjab BJP chief Kewal Singh Dhillon said, “I know the reason. We are taking up the matter.”In an extensive Instagram Live session from the US where he is touring, Dosanjh expressed his grief.“I had a feeling on Friday that something like this was going to happen. It was on my mind. It’s not something surprising about (the ban).“But I had no idea that this would happen on Sunday evening itself. We did not promote the film, we just released it. If we had promoted it, it would not have lasted two days. But I am satisfied that people have seen the film, they have reached,” said Dosanjh in Punjabi.“It was very important that it should reach you and that happened… I am thankful that what we wanted to say and the way we wanted to say it, has been given. It is your film and you can watch it the way you want,” he said.“This is the only way to release the film … without saying anything because it has to happen,” said Dosanjh, adding that the more someone tries to stop the film, the more it will become popular without losing anything on the internet, not even a voice note sent on Whatsapp.
ZEE5 has a slightly different take.
“We are doing our bit to bring ‘Satluj’ back. Please do your part – don’t support piracy. We remain committed to exploring every possible avenue to bring ‘Satluj’ back to you,” it said in an Instagram post.On Sunday night, it said, “Due to current developments, ‘Satluj’ will not be available in India until further notice…”The streamer did not specify what he meant by “current developments”, but said that the response to the film was overwhelming and they fully supported the creative conviction behind the film.
‘Satluj’ was released after delays
In 2023, the film was scheduled to have its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) but was removed from the line-up without an official statement from the organizers.‘Punjab ’95’ is set for a worldwide release on February 7, 2025, without any cuts, except in India. But that release didn’t happen either. The matter also found an echo on social media.Tagged the former CBFC chief Prasoon Joshi in a post, comedian Kunal Kamra said that Khalra has been abducted again, “this time by the CBFC”.“And once again the industry is largely silent about what should alarm us all and it affects us all. How can we surrender our right to tell stories… especially powerful sensitive stories,” posted filmmaker Onir.Director: Anurag Basu told X that he never imagined that Trehan would face something similar to what Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi faced in his country.