- Satluj was removed from ZEE5 in India but is still accessible overseas, including the US
- Jasbir Jassi stated the film is widely shared on WhatsApp internationally
- Satluj is based on human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra's life
Even after being taken down from ZEE5 in India, Satluj continues to reach audiences overseas. Punjabi singer Jasbir Jassi has now claimed that the film is being widely shared through WhatsApp, particularly among viewers in the United States.
Speaking exclusively to NDTV, Jassi said the film is still available to watch in the US and other countries despite its removal from the streaming platform in India.
He said, "People in America can watch it, and so can viewers in the rest of the world. I'll also tell you that people have shared it on WhatsApp so extensively and downloaded it so many times that I don't think any film has ever appeared on people's WhatsApp 10, 12, or even 15 times."
Jassi also questioned why the film had been removed in India, saying he did not believe its content justified such a decision.
"I don't understand why it was banned. There was nothing in the film that warranted a ban. If any government, agency, or police department believes it portrays the police as helpless, then I would say it is not about helplessness, but about incompetence and serious misconduct," he said.
The film is based on the life of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra and has remained at the centre of controversy for years.
Originally titled Punjab 95, the film was submitted to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) in 2022 but remained caught in the certification process for nearly three years.
Filmmaker Honey Trehan had previously alleged that the CBFC sought 127 cuts to the film. It was also scheduled to premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in 2023, but the screening was cancelled after objections were reportedly raised by Indian authorities.
The film was eventually released on ZEE5 under the title Satluj on July 3. It stars Diljit Dosanjh, Kanwaljeet Singh, Arjun Rampal, Suvinder Vicky and Geetika Vidya Ohlyan.
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