Satluj movie controversy: ‘Punjab Hindus and Sikhs are watching the movie together,’ says ‘Satluj’ director Honey Trehan, slams it as a failed film: ‘People were watching peacefully’ | Hindi movie news

Director Dr. in the controversy about ‘Satuluj’ Madhu Trehan His Diljit Dosanjh-starrer, a propaganda film, rejected allegations that it was capable of disrupting communal harmony. Addressing the controversy surrounding the film, the director insisted that the reaction on the ground tells a different story, claiming that Hindus and Sikhs in Punjab are watching the film peacefully. Trehan said that ‘Satluj’ was never intended to excite the audience, and hence there was no justification for banning it.“Is there any reason for this statement? They say my film may harm the law and order situation in Punjab On the contrary my film actually united Punjab. You go to Punjab and see, people are watching movies together. They say my film is polarizing society and dividing Hindus and Sikhs, but on the ground, Hindus and Sikhs in Punjab are watching the movie together. It was not meant to provoke anyone. My film is a salve on the wounds of people who have suffered so much… I don’t think there was any reason to ban it,” the director told The Indian Express.Trehan also argued that the controversy escalated only after the government intervened, with viewers peacefully watching the film before being removed from the platform.“People were watching my film peacefully in their homes for the first 48 hours. There was no problem. But the government banned the film, and now it has become a movement. It’s been 10 days; everyone is watching the film with peace, harmony and ‘langar’ is being served to them,” he continued. Questioning the different treatment of films accused of carrying political messages, the filmmaker said that ‘Satluj’ deserves the same opportunity to reach the audience.“Even if you say my film is a propaganda film, let it be released like any other propaganda film you do. Why different? We are a very big country. A film cannot damage our social fabric,” concluded Trehan.‘Satluj’ premiered on ZEE5 in India on July 3 but was pulled from the platform within 48 hours. The Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting later clarified that the film was released without completing the mandatory certification process. According to the Centre, the OTT release did not meet the required regulatory norms, following which ZEE5 was ordered to be pulled from its India catalogue.An official of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting told news agency ANI, “Satlej did not have the required certificate for a theatrical release. Instead of complying with the certification process, the makers changed the title of the film and released it on an OTT platform on Friday.”Directed by Honey Trehan, ‘Sutlej’ is inspired by the life of human rights activist Jasbant Singh Khalra, who exposed alleged illegal arson and extrajudicial killings in Punjab during the militancy of the 1980s and 1990s. The film is currently unavailable for streaming in India.