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The July 3 release of ‘Satluj’ on ZEE5 briefly marked the end of a three-year-long battle with the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), which kept the film off the screens. However, the OTT platform abruptly pulled the film in India on July 5. The biographical drama, earlier titled Punjab 95, was based on the life of social activist Jasbant Singh Khalra. Diljit DosanjhAnd Subinder Pal gives Vicky an interesting twist as the trigger-happy SSP Surjit Singh Sugga.In a recent interview, the ‘Kohra’ actor opened up about the sudden removal of the film from streaming, the challenge of portraying one of its darkest characters while simultaneously playing a very different police officer in ‘Kohra’ and why he continues to choose roles that offer material with screen time.
Subinder Pal Vicky on Sudden Removal of ‘Sutlej’
When asked about her initial reaction just two days after ‘Satluj’ started streaming on OTT platforms in India, Vicky told Variety India, “My opinion is that if we still cling to the belief that we are responsible for healing our old wounds, or if we think that our present or future or generations cannot digest the truth, then it is still wrong to stop playing our film. As this film was released within days, it has been a long, tiring journey, And everything was going well, but no one could imagine what would happen.”Reflecting on the year-long wait for the film’s release, Vicky said, “Madhu TrehanRonnie Screwwala, we the actors, the whole team did our work and moved on to our next project, but it was tiring for us as everyone kept asking about the release of the film. Finally, when it streamed for two days, everyone was very gung-ho about it. But that didn’t last long.”
Subinder Pal Vicky as SSP Surjit Singh Sugga
Asked if it was difficult to say yes to playing a ruthless character like SSP Surjit Singh Sugga, Vicky said it wasn’t a difficult decision at all, explaining how the role grew on her during research, “Not at all. After narrating the character of Honey Trehan, I did some research on the character. What he was like and what he was like. Gradually, I began to find it more interesting.”The ‘Dhurandhar’ actor then detailed the demanding schedule of playing two different police officers at the same time, shooting Kohra by day and Satluj by night:“The shooting of ‘Kohra’, in which I play a police inspector Balbir Singh, was about to end just as I was about to start shooting for ‘Satluj’.” I was shooting ‘Kohra’ in Ludhiana during the day, and at night I was in a village near Tarantaran to shoot a scene in ‘Satuluj’. As an actor I faced a big challenge. Both Sugga and Balbir were policemen and the uniform was the same khaki, but there were radical differences between them. The police in Satluj was a brutal man. It was a big challenge for me. I gave my 100% and I think I succeeded. People have told me they hate this character and I do too.”Vicky also spoke about the responsibility she felt in portraying the character honestly, given the real history it draws from, “For me, it was so important to keep Subinder aside and play Sugga. The violence or injustice done by the police on common people at that time should be mentioned. It was indeed a dark time for Punjab.”
Subinder Pal Vicky on choosing substance in screen time
Asked why the audience sees her relatively less on screen despite receiving praise, Vicky said, “I do my work with complete honesty, so it feels good. For a small job, I do whatever work I get. I have hunger to work. I want to enjoy my work. It doesn’t matter if it’s a big role or a small role, but it should have some challenge. So, if I get a lot of work, I will give my 100% and entertain people.“
More about ‘Satuluj’
Directed by Honey Trehan and starring Diljit Dosanjh, ‘Satuluj’ (originally titled ‘Punjab ’95’) is a hard-hitting biographical drama inspired by the life of respected human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra. Set against the tumultuous backdrop of Punjab’s militant era in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the film follows Khalra’s terrifying crusade to investigate and uncover thousands of alleged illegal abductions, extrajudicial killings and indiscriminate arson of corrupt police personnel. The film became a lightning rod for censorship controversies, locked in a bitter battle with the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) for years demanding more than 120 cuts. Although the uncut version briefly made it to a digital premiere on ZEE5 in July 2026, it was abruptly taken down within 48 hours following a directive from the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
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