Overview
- The film was quietly posted on Zee5 on Friday and removed from the platform in India within 48 hours, with Zee5 saying only that it would not show the title in India because of “present circumstances.”
- Makers say the project, first titled Punjab 95, spent about three years with the Central Board of Film Certification, which reportedly demanded roughly 125–127 cuts that the filmmakers refused.
- Satluj draws on the life and work of human-rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra and depicts allegations of alleged extrajudicial killings and secret cremations in 1990s Punjab, making it a politically sensitive drama.
- Co-writer Niren Bhatt, actors and public figures including Gul Panag and Jasbir Jassi criticized the removal and the lack of explanation, and viewers posted strong, emotional reactions before the film was taken down.
- The case highlights growing concern over opaque decision-making by regulators and streaming platforms, risks a chilling effect on filmmakers tackling contested histories, and leaves watchers waiting for formal clarification from Zee5 or the CBFC.