Satluj Writer Rejects 'Anti-India' Tag, Asks Why Film Is Targeted When The Kashmir Files, The Kerala Story Exist

Hyderabad: The sudden removal of Diljit Dosanjh's political drama Satluj from ZEE5 has sparked fresh debate, with the film's writer Niren Bhatt questioning why the movie is being treated differently from other politically sensitive films.

Satluj, which was earlier titled Panjab '95, premiered on ZEE5 on Friday after being stuck in censorship issues for nearly four years. However, just two days later, the film disappeared from the platform without any official explanation.

Now, speaking about the controversy, Niren Bhatt has strongly rejected claims that the film could be used as "anti-India" propaganda.

Responding to reports that the administration feared the film could be misused by anti-India groups, Bhatt said, "That argument simply does not hold. If The Kashmir Files can exist, if The Kerala Story can exist, why can they exist without being labelled tools for international forces? Why is our film the chosen one that will suddenly be misused by extreme elements? You cannot jump to far-fetched, paranoid conclusions just to suppress a straightforward biography. It makes absolutely no sense."

Bhatt also expressed disappointment over the lack of communication surrounding the film's release and removal. According to him, the makers have never been clearly told what the actual problem with the film is.

He said they have faced years of silence from the authorities, with no proper explanation about which scenes were considered objectionable or who was making the decisions. Bhatt added that even after the film was taken down from ZEE5, there was still no clear reason given.

The latest controversy began after Satluj was released on ZEE5 without any promotion. Soon after, the streaming platform removed the film. While ZEE5 did not publicly explain the decision, a government source later told a news agency that the film was taken down due to "security concerns."

According to the source, the film was released on an OTT platform because streaming releases do not require certification from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). However, after the release came to the government's notice, the platform was reportedly asked to remove the film under intermediary guidelines because of security-related concerns.

Satluj is based on the life of Jaswant Singh Khalra, the human rights activist who exposed the alleged illegal cremation of around 25,000 unidentified people in Punjab between 1984 and 1994. Diljit Dosanjh plays Khalra in the film.

Directed by Honey Trehan, the film is backed by MacGuffin Pictures and RSVP. Besides Diljit, the cast includes Arjun Rampal, Kanwaljit Singh, Suvinder Vicky, and Geetika Vidya Ohlyan.