Sikh religious bodies are hosting community screenings of Satluj across multiple Indian states, including Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Delhi, and Jammu.
The Honey Trehan-directed film was abruptly removed from the streaming platform ZEE5 within 48 hours of its release.
Gurudwaras in Jammu and Jaipur have scheduled public screenings of the film to ensure the activist's story reaches the public.
Satluj, directed by Honey Trehan and starring Diljit Dosanjh, premiered on ZEE5 on July 3 but was taken down within 48 hours of release after the Centre reportedly directed the platform to remove it, citing security concerns under the Information Technology (IT) Rules. It remains unavailable for viewers in India.
Reports claimed that the government was concerned that the film could trigger unrest. The film is based on human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, who exposed the extrajudicial killings and cremations in the 1980s and 1990s during the Punjab's militancy era. Khalra was abducted by Punjab Police personnel from his residence in Amritsar on September 6, 1995 and was murdered.
Gurudwaras screen Diljit Dosanjh's Satluj
Sikh religious institutions across Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Delhi and Jammu have launched community screenings of Satluj.
An SGPC source told Mid-Day, "The community doesn’t want this story to disappear simply because the film is unavailable online. If people cannot watch it on OTT, gurudwaras are opening their doors. Jaswant Singh Khalra’s story deserves to be seen."
Nationwide gurudwara screenings
Gurudwara committees nationwide are working together to organise these community events.
Four Jammu gurudwaras will screen the movie from July 10 to July 13. Social media posts also revealed plans for a public screening in Jaipur. The event will take place on July 11 at the Baba Fateh Singh Auditorium inside the Chandi Ki Taksal Gurudwara.
Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee president Harmeet Singh Kalka demanded the immediate restoration of the movie on the OTT platform. He simultaneously extended his backing for the community screening initiative.
About Satluj battle with CBFC
After the film's completion, the makers sent it to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) as Ghallughara. The board reportedly demanded 21 cuts and ordered the title changed to Punjab '95.
The film went to CBFC's revising committee, which reportedly ordered 127 cuts and demanded the protagonist's name be changed. The producers didn't agree with the conditions and decided to release it on OTT after a four-year delay
Apart from Dosanjh, the film also starred Arjun Rampal, Suvinder Vicky and Geetika Vidya Ohlyan.
