Overview
- The streamer removed the film from its India catalogue on Sunday, July 5, two days after it premiered on July 3, while the title remained available to international viewers on ZEE5 Global.
- ZEE5 said it stands by the film and its creators and is "exploring every appropriate avenue through due process" to restore access in India but did not give a specific legal or regulatory reason for the takedown.
- Satluj, a biopic of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, reached viewers after a long fight with the Central Board of Film Certification that reportedly sought about 127 cuts and after the film was withdrawn from a planned festival slot and a delayed theatrical release.
- The removal prompted political pressure and public outcry, including a Rajya Sabha MP writing to the information ministry alleging a ministry order, lead actor Diljit Dosanjh urging viewers to share the film before it vanished, and reports of an online leak that prompted ZEE5 to warn against piracy.
- The episode highlights growing friction over how OTT platforms handle contested historical narratives in India, raises the prospect of further legal and regulatory review of streaming content, and may influence how platforms manage region-specific takedowns and creator rights going forward.