Diljit Dosanjh on ‘Satluj’ Takedown: ‘We Skipped Promotions to Escape a Ban’

July 6, 2026

Mumbai: Actor-singer Diljit Dosanjh has broken his silence after his film ‘Satluj’ was removed from Zee5 just days after its digital release, saying the team deliberately avoided promotions because they feared the film could face another ban.

During an Instagram Live session, Diljit said the makers were aware that the film’s availability could be short-lived.

“We didn’t promote the film because we wanted to avoid attention that could lead to a ban. We always knew it might not stay on the platform for long.”

 

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He added that many viewers had already watched or downloaded the film before it was taken down, saying that gave the team some relief.

Film Removed Days After Release

Zee5 recently announced that ‘Satluj’ has been made unavailable in India “until further notice”, citing “current developments.” The platform said it continues to stand by the film and its makers while exploring legal options to restore the title.

Why Has ‘Satluj’ Been Controversial?

Originally titled ‘Punjab 95’, the film is based on the life of Jaswant Singh Khalra, the human rights activist who exposed the alleged illegal cremation of unidentified bodies during Punjab’s militancy period.

The film remained unreleased for nearly three years after the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) reportedly sought over 120 cuts and changes, including the title. The makers declined to release the film with those changes, eventually opting for an uncut OTT release under the title ‘Satluj’.

However, within two days of its OTT debut, the film was withdrawn from Zee5 in India. While the platform has not disclosed the exact reason behind the latest takedown, it has maintained that it supports the film and is working to bring it back through due process.

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