Diljit DosanjhThe film spent nearly three years stuck in a cycle of delays, title revisions and censorship battles. The social drama titled ‘Punjab 95’ started streaming on OTT from July 3 after a protracted battle with the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). Notably, despite the year-long struggle, the film was released without its makers resisting for so long. Interestingly, the film underwent two name changes before reaching this point: originally announced as ‘Ghallughara’, it was later renamed ‘Punjab ’95’ during the certification process, before finally being released as Satluj after the river that flows through Punjab.
Diljit Dosanjh has confirmed that the film is uncut
A key question hanging over the film’s release was whether the makers finally accepted the CBFC’s demands. Diljit has now put those speculations to rest, confirming that they did not. In an Instagram Live session on Friday, soon after ‘Satluj’ went live on streaming, the actor said that the film was released in its original, unedited form. “Our film finally released on Zee5. Unfortunately, we couldn’t keep the original title Punjab 95 for certain reasons, so it’s now called Satluj.” But there is absolutely no cut in the film. The version I saw in the theater two years ago is exactly the same as the one I saw at home last week. If even a single cut was made, I wouldn’t have promoted the film,” the singer said in an Instagram Live session on Friday.
Honey Trehan supports the claim of an unedited film
Director Honey Trehan also spoke about the issue during the livestream, sharing that Paramjit Kaur Khalra, wife of late human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, watched the film a second time after its release and confirmed that it was exactly the same. “Paramjit Aunty also shared a post about the picture and said it was the same version he had seen earlier. Only the title has changed,” he said. He also noted that the team held firm throughout the certification process, adding, “Everything I objected to, every word I refused to cut or mute, is still in the picture.“
‘Satluj’s long and tiring battle with CBFC
Trouble with ‘Satuluj’ began when it was submitted to the CBFC in late 2022, triggering a long and draining certification process. Instead of moving towards clearance, the film faced a series of hurdles as the board raised fresh objections. According to reports, the CBFC demanded 127 changes, including renaming the lead character, cutting shots of the Indian flag and deleting references to the Punjab Police. Honey had earlier opened up about how exhausting the ordeal had become, explaining that every time the makers resolved a round of objections and resubmitted the film, yet another list would land on their desks. The matter eventually came to a head, with the director saying that he wanted to remove his name from the project altogether rather than take the cuts he demanded.
The real story of ‘Sutlej’
The film is based on the life of Jaswant Singh Khalra, a human rights activist who investigated the disappearance of thousands of Sikh youth during the years of militancy in Punjab in the 1980s and 1990s. Going through cremation records across the state, Khalra found evidence pointing to widespread illegal cremation and alleged staged encounters. His investigation drew international attention to the issue and helped document the disappearance of more than 25,000 people. On 6 September 1995, Khalra was abducted by Punjab Police officers from outside his residence in Kabir Park, Amritsar. He was allegedly tortured to death, his body dumped in the Hari canal. In 2005, a Patiala court convicted several police officers involved in the case and the Punjab and Haryana High Court later upheld their convictions while enhancing their sentences to life imprisonment.
The Satluj trouble goes beyond India
‘Sutlej’ also faced problems outside India. It was supposed to have its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2023, but was pulled from the schedule just one day before it was shown. Variety quoted a source as saying that “political forces were at play,” but the festival never gave an official reason. Meanwhile, delays continue to mount in India. ‘Satuluj’ was first planned for a theatrical release in February 2025, but that too did not happen, as the film was stuck in the certification process. Directed by Honey Trehan, the film is produced by Ronnie Screwwall’s RSVP Movies and McGuffin Pictures. It stars Diljit Dosanjh, Arjun RampalKanwaljit Singh, Subinder VickyGeetika Vidya Ahalyan O Varun Badola.
