The sudden disappearance of Satluj from ZEE5 India has only made the film a bigger talking point. After quietly arriving on the streaming platform on July 3, the movie was removed just two days later, leaving many viewers wondering what happened behind the scenes. Now, Diljit Dosanjh has finally spoken about the controversy, sharing why the makers stayed silent before release and how they battled for years to bring the project to audiences. His remarks have also made it clear that the team chose to fight their own battle instead of looking for backing from Bollywood or the Punjabi film industry.
Diljit Says The Team Expected Trouble From Day One
Speaking during a livestream with fans on Monday, Diljit Dosanjh revealed that the makers deliberately avoided announcing or promoting Satluj before its release. According to him, the team always feared the film might not reach viewers if too much attention was drawn to it beforehand. Their only goal was making sure the story reached people, even if it happened for a very short time. That decision, he explained, was made after years of uncertainty surrounding the project’s release.
The actor also reflected on the long struggle the film faced over the last three to four years. He stressed that neither he nor the producers approached Bollywood personalities or members of the Punjabi film industry asking for help. Diljit said, “We’ve been fighting to get this film released for the last three to four years. We never went to anyone asking for support. I never asked anyone from my industry, nor did I ever ask anyone in Bollywood to help release our film, support us, or stand by us. We fought this battle ourselves.”
He further added, “Everyone feels their own struggle is the biggest. Whatever work you’re in, everyone is fighting their own battle on their own platform. We too brought our film to the audience on our own, got it released, and made sure it reached the people.” His comments suggested that simply getting the film before audiences was the biggest achievement for everyone involved, regardless of what happened afterward.
“You Can Trouble Me As Much As You Want”
Diljit also delivered an emotional message while addressing supporters during the livestream. Declaring his unwavering connection with Punjab, he said, “You can trouble me as much as you want. I am with Punjab till the day I die.” The actor explained that he now feels a sense of peace because the film has already found its audience, even though it remained available on the platform for only a brief period.
Sharing what encouraged him after the removal, Diljit said many people had already downloaded Satluj, while discussions about the film had started among younger viewers. He even mentioned watching a video showing the movie being screened inside a Gurdwara Sahib, something that convinced him its message would continue reaching people. He said, “But now I am satisfied that the film has reached every household. You have the film, people have downloaded it, and today the new youth is talking about it. I saw a video—a very lovely video that I watched after waking up this morning—where the film is being screened inside a Gurdwara Sahib. So now I am satisfied that the film has reached you. The hard work that everyone put in, it was very important for that effort to reach you, and it has reached you. I am deeply satisfied by this. Glory to the Almighty. I thank everyone and congratulate the entire team because our work, what we wanted to say and how we wanted to say it, has reached the people exactly that way.”
The actor also argued that once a film reaches the internet and the public, its journey cannot simply be reversed. He remarked, “So now I feel a lot of relief that finally the film is with you. Now it is your film; now it cannot be stopped. This is the people’s film now; you can’t stop it now. I feel those behind this are innocent or uneducated to think that once something comes online, it can just be deleted like that,” making his strongest comments yet since the controversy began.
Why Satluj Was Removed And What Happens Next
The version that briefly streamed on ZEE5 India was reportedly the complete uncut edition approved by the family of Jaswant Singh Khalra. After removing the title from its library, the streaming platform issued a public statement supporting both the film and its creators while confirming that it would remain unavailable in India until further notice. The platform also thanked viewers for the overwhelming response the film received during its short streaming window.
ZEE5 said, “The response to Satluj since its release has been truly overwhelming. We are deeply grateful to every viewer who chose to subscribe, watch and champion the film… At ZEE5, we stand firmly by Satluj and the creative vision behind it. We believe powerful storytelling has the ability to inspire, endure and leave a lasting impact.” The company further added, “In light of the current developments, Satluj will be unavailable in India until further notice. We remain committed to exploring every appropriate avenue through due process to bring the film back to our audiences at the earliest opportunity.” While the platform has not revealed when the film could return, its statement indicates efforts are continuing behind the scenes.
Satluj, directed by Honey Trehan, draws inspiration from the life of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra. The film explores his efforts to uncover alleged illegal cremations and disappearances of thousands of Sikh youths during Punjab’s militancy period in the 1980s and 1990s. Khalra’s investigation brought international attention to the issue before he was abducted outside his Amritsar home in September 1995. He was allegedly tortured and killed, while several Punjab Police officers were later convicted in connection with the case, with the Punjab and Haryana High Court eventually upholding the convictions and enhancing the sentences to life imprisonment.
Produced by Ronnie Screwvala’s RSVP Movies alongside MacGuffin Pictures, the film features Diljit Dosanjh in the lead role with Arjun Rampal, Kanwaljit Singh, Suvinder Vicky, Geetika Vidya Ohlyan and Varun Badola playing key roles. Although its future on streaming remains uncertain, the conversation around Satluj has only grown louder since its removal, keeping the film firmly in the public spotlight.
