06 July,2026 10:06 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Diljit Dosanjh (Pic/X)
Actor-singer Diljit Dosanjh's long-delayed film Punjab '95, which was released in India on streaming service ZEE5 under the new title Satluj, has become unavailable on the platform just two days later. After facing CBFC delays for over three years, the film was dropped on ZEE5 without any cuts. Now, Diljit has reacted to the controversy. Ironically, he had even predicted the film's fate as it geared up for release.
In his first reaction, Diljit Dosanjh shared a cryptic post on Instagram. He posted a still from the movie with a hard-hitting caption. "I challenge the darkness," he wrote. "The same thing that happened to Satluj also happened to Shaheed Jaswant Singh Khalra," he added in Punjabi.
Ironically, Diljit had already suspected the film might be pulled on Monday. In a viral video, Diljit is heard saying (in Punjabi), "There's fear that the film could be removed from ZEE5 on Monday. There is this fear. But then someone would have downloaded the film by then. Koi gal nahi (No problem). No tension. Those who want to stop this, they can try."
The Honey Trehan-directed movie was released without any cuts on Friday, but on Sunday evening, the platform shared a statement informing viewers that it is no longer available in India. "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," the streamer said in a statement.
The OTT platform 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. Your love and support have meant a great deal to us and to everyone who brought this story to life. 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," it further said.
In the movie, Dosanjh essays the role of Khalra, who investigated the cremation of thousands of unidentified bodies in Punjab during the 10-year period from 1984 to 1994, before disappearing in 1995.
In 2005, four Punjab Police personnel were convicted of his abduction and murder and sentenced to seven years in prison. Two years later, the Punjab and Haryana High Court enhanced their sentence to life imprisonment.
The social drama had run into trouble with the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), which had reportedly asked for an unprecedented 127 cuts. The delay in getting clearance from the censor board forced the makers to postpone its planned release.
