New Delhi: Diljit Dosanjh-starrer Satluj has had a long and eventful journey to the screen. What began as a film inspired by the life of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra soon became one of the most talked-about projects in recent years. From certification delays and repeated demands for cuts to court proceedings, a cancelled international premiere, a surprise OTT release and its eventual removal, the film has remained surrounded by controversy.
Here’s a detailed timeline of the key events surrounding Satluj. These key details were revealed by the director Honey Trehan himself in an interview with News Laundry, eight months back.
Satluj: Making, release and takedown timeline
January 2022: Shooting for the film began.
October 2022: Principal photography was completed the same year.
December 2022: The makers submitted the film to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) for certification. According to director Honey Trehan, the screening was stopped after around 30 minutes and the makers were given another date a week later. The film was later screened in full. Owing to certain concerns, it was referred to the Revising Committee.
January 2023: The Revising Committee watched the film and suggested 21 cuts. These reportedly included changing Jaswant Singh Khalra’s name and removing references stating that the film was based on true events. The makers were not willing to accommodate these changes.
February 2023: The film was submitted again. However, according to the makers, there was no response from the CBFC until May. The makers then informed the CBFC that they intended to approach the court, to which they were allegedly told, ‘Go ahead.’
June 2023: The makers approached the court.
July 2023: According to Honey Trehan, the CBFC had changed four lawyers during the legal proceedings because the film was based on legal testimonies and court procedures. So, there was very little they could fight on. The director revealed that during one of the hearings, the CBFC’s lawyer reportedly informed the court that not only the CBFC but also the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting had concerns about the film’s content.
July 2023: On the same day, the hearing concluded at around 4:30 pm. Around 6 pm, producer Ronnie Screwvala received a call from Delhi. Then the makers later withdrew the case and opted for an out-of-court settlement based on the 21 suggested cuts. They also had to cancel the film’s premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. However, after making those 21 cuts, the makers were reportedly asked to make 30 cuts, then 45, and later 85 cuts. Director Honey Trehan agreed to these changes and resubmitted the film for approval.
August 2023: This was also the first time the then CBFC chairman watched the film. A total of more than 127 changes were reportedly suggested. According to Honey Trehan, this proved to be the final nail in the coffin, as he decided he would no longer agree to any further changes and would release the film only if the original version was approved.
February 7, 2025: The film was expected to release worldwide. However, it did not arrive in theatres.
July 3, 2026: Originally titled Punjab 95, the film was renamed Satluj and released on Zee5 without any prior announcement or promotional campaign.
July 5, 2026: Just two days after its release, the film was taken down from the platform.
July 7, 2026: The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting constituted a high-level Inter-Departmental Committee (IDC) to analyse the content of Diljit Dosanjh-starrer Satluj.
Now it remains to see how the findings of the IDC will shape the future of this film.
