After Satluj Is Removed, Diljit Dosanjh Says, 'Once It's Online, It Never Gets Deleted... I'm With Punjab Till I Die'

Hyderabad: Diljit Dosanjh has reacted after his film Satluj was removed from ZEE5 India just two days after its release. Addressing fans through an Instagram Live, the actor said he had expected the film to be taken down and urged those who had already watched it to share it with others.

Thanking viewers for supporting the film, Diljit said he had always feared that Satluj would face another setback after finally reaching audiences. "I came live on Instagram to thank people for watching Satluj. What I had feared actually happened. I thought the film would be taken down by Monday, but it happened sooner than expected," he said.

The actor explained that the team intentionally avoided promoting the film because they were unsure how long it would remain available. "That's why we didn't promote the film. It was best to release the film online without any promotion. If we had promoted it, the film would probably not have been released at all," he added.

Despite its removal, Diljit said he was happy that many people had already managed to watch and download the film. Saying that digital content cannot truly disappear, he encouraged viewers to continue sharing it.

"But I'm happy and relieved that the film finally reached the audience. Many people have already downloaded it. Once anything lands online, it never gets deleted. I saw a video from Rajasthan where people were watching the film. Please show it to your friends and everyone around you," he said.

Speaking about the film's subject, Diljit said he was glad that more people were now discussing the life of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra. "Today's youth is talking about Jaswant Singh Khalra. Every home is talking about Jaswant Singh Khalra. You can trouble me as much as you want. I am with Punjab till the day I die," he said.

The actor also spoke about the long and difficult journey behind Satluj, saying the team had spent years bringing the project to life. "Our shooting was stopped. It took us a long time to start the film. After the edit, the film was stuck for four years. I was with the film for two years, while Honey paaji gave six years to it. The whole team worked so hard on the film," he said.

Diljit admitted that he became emotional after watching the final cut for the first time. "When I watched the final edited version in 2023, I got goosebumps. I couldn't hold back my emotions, and I cried a lot after seeing it," he shared.

The actor also reflected on the real-life events shown in the film, which is based on the life of Jaswant Singh Khalra. "The incident took place in 1995, and they didn't let people talk about it then. It is happening even today. This is too much. I'm a little sad. We're still standing there; this is 2026," he said.

Originally made under the title Punjab '95, the film remained stuck in the certification process for years and was surrounded by controversy over censorship. It was finally released on ZEE5 on July 3 under the new title Satluj, but was removed from the platform in India just two days later.

After taking down the film, ZEE5 said Satluj would remain unavailable in India "until further notice" because of "current developments." The streaming platform also said it stood by the film and hoped to bring it back to audiences through the proper legal process.