Diljit Dosanjh shared a post highlighting the contrast between his celebrated films and the stalled release of Punjab 95. The biopic on Jaswant Singh Khalra remains stuck with the CBFC after three years
Diljit Dosanjh in Punjab 95
Diljit Dosanjh’s film Punjab 95 has been stuck with the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) for three years now. There is currently no update on the film’s release status. The film, directed by Honey Trehan, is based on the life of human rights defender Jaswant Singh Khalra. Amid this, Diljit Dosanjh on Wednesday shared an article that spoke about Sikh representation in movies while discussing Dhurandhar 2 and Punjab 95.
Diljit Dosanjh shares article about Punjab 95
Diljit shared the social media post of the article. He highlighted the part which read, “Diljit Dosanjh is celebrated when he does a patriotic film like Dhurandhar 2. But his biopic on human rights defender Jaswant Singh Khalra has been stuck with the CBFC for three years.”
The actor-singer simply shared the post without any comments.
What is Punjab 95 about?
Directed by Honey Trehan, the movie features Diljit Dosanjh as Khalra. Punjab ’95 has remained unreleased in India despite being completed several years ago. The film chronicles Khalra’s investigations into illegal cremations and enforced disappearances during Punjab’s counter-insurgency period of the 1990s. The CBFC has been demanding extreme cuts in the film, which the makers feel will hamper the movie's plot.
In December last year, retired Punjab and Haryana High Court judge and human rights activist Ranjit Singh made a renewed appeal for the film to be released without any cuts. Singh, recently appointed chairman of the reconstituted Punjab Human Rights Organisation (PHRO), said the movie’s depiction of the custodial killing of Jaswant Singh Khalra is based on documented evidence and judicial findings, and is neither speculative nor exaggerated.
He said, “The film is very close to reality. It depicts a sequence of events that was not merely an allegation, but something that was clearly established through evidence. These are facts that need to be told. I see no objection to any part of the film. What it shows is real and supported by material already on record. In my view, Punjab ’95 must be released without any cuts.”
The film’s timeline
Early 2021: Film goes on floors.
Mid 2022: Principal photography wrapped.
December 2022: Submitted to the CBFC for certification.
2023–24: No certification or release date issued.
September 25, 2024: Mid-day reports CBFC suggests nearly 127 cuts.
January 2025: Overseas release announced, then cancelled days before release.
2025: Makers refuse cuts, say they will remove credits if altered.
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