The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting directed the immediate removal of the Diljit Dosanjh-starrer biographical drama Satluj from the digital streaming platform ZEE5 within 48 hours of its unexpected release. Federal authorities asserted that the filmmakers deliberately bypassed statutory protocols by renaming the controversial movie and premiering it on an Over-The-Top platform without completing the necessary theatrical evaluation workflow. While the administrative restriction blocks local streaming access, ZEE5 confirmed that the film will remain entirely unavailable for domestic subscribers in India until further notice, though it continues to stream for international audiences under its global catalogue.
The administrative action follows a protracted three-year regulatory battle involving the Central Board of Film Certification regarding the movie, which was previously titled Ghallughara and later Punjab 95. According to ministry officials, the board had initially recommended approximately 127 structural edits and dialogue mutes before it could be approved for public screening. Instead of incorporating the mandated cuts or pursuing legal appeals through the courts, the production team, consisting of RSVP and MacGuffin Pictures, dropped the complete, unedited cut online under the new title. Federal officials declared this move a direct violation of security guidelines and the Information Technology Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code Rules, 2021.
The biographical film, directed by Honey Trehan, chronicles the life and tragic demise of prominent human rights defender Jaswant Singh Khalra, who investigated and exposed thousands of extrajudicial killings and illegal mass cremations during the militancy era in Punjab. Lead actor Diljit Dosanjh addressed the ban during a social media session, stating that the sudden government intervention was highly expected and expressing relief that local audiences managed to download and watch the uncompromised version before it was taken offline. The political opposition, led by Congress leader Pargat Singh, heavily criticised the information ministry’s decision, accusing the central government of suppressing genuine historical human rights accounts while encouraging politically favourable cinematic propaganda.
