New Delhi:
Dismissal of protagonist Diljit Dosanjh Satluj from the OTT platform Zee5 has triggered a full-blown political controversy in the state with the assembly elections just a few months away.
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), a body that runs prominent gurdwaras in the country, and the Shiromani Akali Dal have supported the film.
The film is based on an activist’s struggle to expose extrajudicial killings when militancy in Punjab was at its peak.
“Shocked and saddened by the arbitrary removal of Satluj from ZEE5 in India. A powerful film that bravely reveals the painful history of Punjab and honors the supreme sacrifice of S. Jaswant Singh Ji Khalra cannot be suppressed in this way. This is not just censorship – it is an attack on our collective memory, truth and freedom of expression,” SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal said on X.
Also read: Satluj Review: Diljit Dosanjh Leads the Way in a Film You Can’t Miss
“I strongly condemn this move. Punjab deserves to face its past honestly and not with suppression,” he added.
Shocked and saddened by the arbitrary removal of #Satluj from #ZEE5 in India.
A powerful film that courageously reveals the painful history of Punjab and honors the supreme sacrifice of S. Jaswant Singh Ji Khalra cannot be silenced in this way.
It’s not just censorship, it’s… pic.twitter.com/yfrkMKYq5D— Sukhbir Singh Badal (@officeofssbadal) July 5, 2026
The film could only run for two days on Zee5. The OTT platform pulled the plug on Sunday, promising to explore other avenues for its release.
Kulwant Singh Mannan, Principal Secretary of SGPC, appealed to the people of the state to keep an eye on Satluj.
“The film tries to shed light on the true events of the period when Punjab was going through difficult times. Jaswant Singh (Diljit Dosanjh’s character) fought a long battle to unravel cases of alleged fake encounters and disappearances of policemen. We urge the youth of Punjab to watch the film as it will give them an opportunity to understand the history of Punjab and the contribution of Jaswant Singh Khalra,” he said.
Congress MP Tariq Anwar said the issue should not be turned into a political controversy.
“Yes, there was a Congress government in Punjab at that time. But no politics is needed. If any film is based on facts, then that is fine, but politics is not required,” he said.
However, AAP leader and Punjab minister Aman Arora sought to downplay the scandal.
Also read: “I defy the darkness”: Diljit Dosanjh’s first reaction after Satluj Ban
“This film has been discussed for a long time, but no one knows the exact content of it. It is said that it is based on fake encounters. Facts must be brought before the public as both good and bad incidents are part of history. However, such facts must be presented in such a way that it does not harm brotherhood and unity in the future,” he said.
Earlier today, Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj, Jathedar of Akal Takht, also supported Sutlaj.
“Even at the present time, I am reading the report on how many fake encounters have taken place. The culprits should be punished according to the laws laid down by the world authorities. It is very wrong for mothers to lose their sons due to illegal killings,” he said.
Diljit Dosanjh’s reaction
In his first reaction, Diljit Dosanjh shared a cryptic post on Instagram. He posted a still from the film with a harsh caption. “I defy the darkness,” he wrote.
“The same thing that happened to Satluj also happened to Shaheed Jaswant Singh Khalra,” he added in Punjabi.
Also read: Who was Jaswant Singh Khalra? Meet the Sikh rights activist who inspired Diljit Dosanjh’s Satluj
Who was Jaswant Singh Khalra?
The film is based on the life of Jaswant Singh Khalra, a human rights activist from Punjab known for exposing cases of alleged murders and secret cremations. He was born in 1952 in Khalra village in Amritsar. He was a bank employee until he switched to full-time activism.
Satluj originally called Punjab 95. In 2022, it was sent to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) for certification. This process has been stuck for three years.
The director had earlier claimed that the CBFC had asked for 127 cuts to be made from the film. It was eventually released on ZEE5 titled Satluj on July 3 and received rave reviews.