Satluj Actor Suvinder Vicky Recalls Filming Torture Scenes With Diljit Dosanjh: 'I Apologised To Him'

After spending more than three years in limbo, Diljit Dosanjh's long-delayed film Satluj finally made its way to audiences earlier this month. The Honey Trehan directorial quietly premiered on ZEE5 on July 3 without any promotion, only to disappear from the streaming platform within 48 hours.

Despite its brief release, the film has continued to spark conversations for its portrayal of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra's fight against the alleged fake encounters and illegal mass cremations in Punjab during the militancy years.

One of the film's biggest talking points has been Suvinder Vicky's performance as SSP Surjit Singh Sugga, the ruthless and corrupt police officer who serves as the story's principal antagonist. Inspired by a real-life officer, Sugga is the face of the oppressive state machinery that Khalra, played by Diljit Dosanjh, dares to challenge.

In an exclusive conversation with NDTV, Suvinder spoke about sharing screen space with Diljit, revealing that the actor rarely engaged in casual conversations on set because he preferred staying immersed in his character. He also recalled Diljit's patience during physically demanding scenes, his own transformation into Sugga, and the overwhelming response Satluj has received despite its uncertain release.

Calling Diljit "a true artist", Suvinder said the actor's commitment to his craft was visible every day on set.

"He is a very supportive guy. I must say, he is an artist, and when you are a true artist, success eventually follows."

Suvinder revealed that the atmosphere on set was unusually quiet because both actors preferred remaining in character rather than engaging in conversation between takes.

"We didn't indulge in small talk on set. He was very professional and didn't like unnecessary disturbance because he wanted to stay in character. Honestly, I didn't want any disturbance either because I also had to remain in my character. It was a very quiet set."

The actor said some of his most intense scenes with Diljit involved the brutal torture sequences, in which Khalra is beaten and suspended while Sugga interrogates him. One particular shot required Suvinder to repeatedly throw pamphlets at Diljit while he hung suspended for the scene.

"Most of my scenes with Diljit were the torture sequences. There's one scene where he's hanging while I keep throwing pamphlets at him, and they have to stick to his face. Diljit was literally hanging there throughout the shoot."

The sequence proved harder than it looked.

"I was under immense pressure. He never said anything, but I knew I was performing opposite Diljit Dosanjh, so I couldn't afford to make a mistake. My timing had to be absolutely perfect. Every time I threw the pamphlets, they had to land at one exact spot, but they kept missing. Sometimes they landed on his neck, sometimes somewhere else, so we had to do a couple of retakes."

Suvinder said he immediately apologised to Diljit after missing the mark.

"I told him, 'I'm sorry.' But he just smiled and kept saying, 'Bhaji, koi gal ni.' It means, 'It's okay, don't worry.' He was incredibly patient and humble. I don't know how to explain it... I'm telling you, he is God's child."

While Diljit remained immersed in Jaswant Singh Khalra's world, Suvinder had the equally difficult task of transforming himself into Sugga. The actor credited director Honey Trehan and the film's technical departments for painstakingly recreating the look of the real-life police officer.

"Honey showed me photographs of the real person during the research. The credit goes to him because he wanted my appearance to match the original as closely as possible. We paid attention to everything-from the way the turban was tied and the beard was set to my physique and how the uniform looked on me. The costume, make-up and art departments all contributed immensely."

Despite the film's many disturbing moments, Suvinder said the most challenging sequence was not the climax but the now-famous "saag" scene.

"Everyone on the unit kept referring to it as 'the saag scene'. I kept waiting for the day we would finally shoot it. I was nervous because everyone in that house is terrified, while my character is the only person who has authority."

What made the scene difficult, he explained, was that intimidation had to come through silence rather than violence.

"It couldn't look like I was shouting or slapping someone. The fear had to come through simple conversations. Honey Trehan was extremely particular about every detail. We discussed the scene for a long time before shooting because he wanted every moment to feel authentic."

Portraying Sugga also came with emotional weight because the character was inspired by real events rather than fiction.

"I kept reminding myself that this is reel life, not real life. But at the same time, I knew these incidents had happened to real people. After certain scenes, I would silently pray to Waheguru and ask for the strength to do justice to the role without carrying that darkness with me."

Suvinder also recalled the surreal way he learnt that Satluj had finally been released after years of uncertainty.

"I was with my parents in Haryana when a friend called and said, 'Your film has released.' I asked, 'Which film?' He said, 'The one based on the '95 case.' I couldn't believe it. Nobody had informed us. I found out at the same time as everyone else."

The celebrations, however, were short-lived.

"When it disappeared from ZEE5, that was an even bigger shock. After waiting for so many years, it finally came out and then suddenly it was gone. We were all happy that people were finally watching it. I spoke to Honey Trehan, but there was nothing anyone could do. He stayed remarkably calm throughout."

Despite the takedown, Suvinder said the film has found an unexpected second life through audiences themselves.

"People are treating it like seva. Many had already downloaded it before it was taken down, and now they're sharing it with others. I have heard that people are taking projectors to villages across Punjab and organising screenings. Just as people do seva during Gurpurab by serving langar or chabeel, they are treating this film the same way. That has truly touched my heart."

Asked why the film continues to face obstacles, the actor said he did not want to speculate.

"I honestly don't know. Maybe the people stopping it should watch the film once. Then they might realise there is nothing in it that deserves to be stopped."

For Suvinder, the response to his performance has been equally emotional. Since Sugga is inspired by a man who was once infamously referred to as the "Butcher" of the region, he feared audiences might struggle to separate the character from the actor.

"I thought people might abuse me because of the character I played. But Waheguru was kind. Not a single person used bad language or reacted negatively. Everyone appreciated the performance. That's the biggest compliment I could have received."

Nearly four years after it was completed, Satluj remains as much a talking point for its turbulent journey as for its performances. While Diljit Dosanjh's quiet dedication left a lasting impression on Suvinder Vicky, the actor says the greatest reward has been watching audiences finally embrace a film they had waited years to see-even if they had to find unconventional ways to do so.