Streaming platform removes Diljit Dosanjh’s film on Sikh activist within two days of release
Srinagar: Indian actor and singer Diljit Dosanjh’s film Satluj, based on the life of slain Sikh human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, has been removed from the ZEE5 streaming platform in India less than 48 hours after its release, invoking criticism over censorship and freedom of expression.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the film, directed by Honey Trehan, depicts Khalra’s documentation of thousands of extrajudicial killings and illegal cremations in Punjab during the late 1980s and early 1990s. After a prolonged dispute with Indian censors and multiple title changes, the uncut version premiered on ZEE5 on Friday but was taken down on Sunday. The platform said the film had been made unavailable in India “until further notice” due to “current developments”, while it remains accessible internationally.
The move drew criticism from political leaders across Punjab, who described the removal as an attempt to suppress a film highlighting documented human rights abuses. Filmmakers expressed disappointment over the decision, while Diljit Dosanjh said he had anticipated the takedown and urged viewers to preserve copies of the film.
