Overview
- ZEE5 quietly premiered Satluj, the Diljit Dosanjh biopic of human-rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, on July 3 and confirmed on July 5 that the film would be unavailable in India until further notice.
- The platform said it stands by the film and its creators and is exploring appropriate legal avenues to bring Satluj back for Indian viewers.
- Filmmakers and the director called the streamed version an uncut director’s cut released under the new title Satluj after years of certification fights.
- The film was stalled for roughly three years by the Central Board of Film Certification, which reportedly sought about 120–127 cuts and a title change, and it was withdrawn from its planned TIFF 2023 premiere during that dispute.
- The takedown provoked strong public and political backlash, with actors and leaders condemning the removal and renewed debate over censorship, historical memory and how OTT platforms handle legally sensitive films.