A circular argument Diljit Dosanjh‘Satluj’ continues to gather attention, and the writer Niren Bhatt he is now refuting claims that the film’s removal from Zee5 right after its release was a publicity stunt. The actor explained that the makers have always viewed the film as a sporting event and insisted that there was no intention of using the download as a marketing gimmick.‘Satluj’, which premiered on Zee5 on July 3, was pulled from the platform within 48 hours following instructions from the Centre.
Niren Bhatt says the film was always meant for theater
Speaking about the speculation in an interview with NDTV, Bhatt said that the team hopes that the film will find its audience in cinemas before it reaches the digital platform.“This (removal of the film after two days on ZEE5) is not what sells. Every producer wants the film to recover the budget of the film they are making. The first wish was for the film to be released in theatres. We made the film in theaters and we hoped that the film would do well through buzzwords like ‘Main Vaapas Aaunga’. That wish did not come.Bhatt also explained that streaming platforms find videos to attract viewers and subscribers, making it unrealistic to present a release as a promotional activity. He said that Zee5 had planned to promote the film during the FIFA match and also benefited by adding the title to its schedule.
Niren Bhatt has asked the audience to avoid cheating
Following the cancellation of the film, pirated copies of ‘Satluj’ started circulating on social media and websites. Bhatt urged viewers not to watch the film through illegal channels and expressed hope that it would soon start airing through legitimate channels.“If you look at the legal opinion or any other opinion, no one will find anything offensive about the film. It should be restored soon. It will start moving again… The sequence should not stop first. Spread through word of mouth. People are sharing a lot on social media and have opinions about the film,” he said.He also asked the audience to be patient until the film is officially available again.“Because people outside are already watching this film on ZEE5, viewers here will also be curious. Fear of missing out is driving word of mouth about the film. And, that’s why people go to other (illegal) places to watch the film. I personally feel that the film will soon get permission and will start gathering again. So I request people to wait and watch this film legally,” I request Bhatt to add this film. “Directed by Honey Trehan, ‘Satluj’ is inspired by the life of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra and examines the alleged disappearances and illegal cremations that took place during the Punjab insurgency in the 1980s and 1990s.The project has faced many challenges since 2022. At the time of certification, a Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has reportedly given 21 cuts and asked the makers to change the title from ‘Ghallughara’ to ‘Punjab’95’. After the producers challenged the decision in court, the story was sent to the revision committee of the CBFC, which allegedly recommended the 127th cut and planned to change the name of Jaswant Singh Khalra, the real person from whom the story is based. The producers refused to accept the change, which resulted in the film not being released in India for many years.
Why ‘Satluj’ was removed from Zee5
After completing its digital production in its uncut version, ‘Satluj’ was removed from Zee5 within two days. The Center later ordered the platform to remove the film from its Indian catalog, citing security concerns under the Information Technology (IT) Act.The decision drew criticism from the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and several political parties from Punjab, while Diljit Dosanjh said development “has to happen.”Meanwhile, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has established a committee to review the film. In an official statement, Zee5 said, “Given the current situation, ‘Satluj’ will not be available in India until further notice. We remain committed to exploring every possible option using the right schedule to bring the film to our audience as soon as possible.”“Apart from Diljit Dosanjh, the film also stars Arjun Rampal, Suvinder Vicky and Geetika Vidya Ohlyan in lead roles.