When a film is pulled from a streaming platform while you are in the middle of watching it, you know it has mightily ruffled some political feathers
‘Satluj’ (Originally Titled: Punjab ’95, 2026) is a film that has been rechristened twice, and the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) refused to grant it a theatrical release unless certain ‘cuts’ were made. The movie offers a harrowingly brutal depiction of state violence in Punjab during the early 1990s, when rampant extrajudicial killings became the norm under the guise of stamping out terrorism—an excuse that still works today.
Through the eyes of activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, the film explores proxy-wartime moral decay with deft precision and uncomfortably sharp detail. Director Honey Trehan and lead actor Diljit Dosanjh’s refusal to comply with the Censor Board’s demands initially stalled the film’s release. When it finally debuted on the streaming platform ZEE5 this Friday under its new name, ‘Satluj,’ it survived for only a couple of days before being abruptly pulled down.
The story
Trehan, who co-wrote the script with Niren Bhatt and Utsav Maitra, treats this film as part-biopic and part-investigative thriller. Following Operation Blue Star, Indira Gandhi’s assassination, and the 1984 Anti-Sikh riots, the Punjab Police’s extreme use of force in what they called a war against terrorism quickly devolved into a self-serving mass-murder spree. Thousands of civilians and dissenting voices were captured and killed without a shred of due process or remorse—none of whom had anything to do with terrorism.
This continued into the following decade, the 1990s. That was the moment a bank employee in Amritsar decided to step up after witnessing and experiencing the dehumanization of the victims and their families. This man was Jaswant Singh Khalra (played by Diljit Dosanjh).
Khalra’s crusade
‘Satluj’ explores how a common citizen like Khalra got involved in activism—and how anyone with a shred of moral fiber in their bones simply could not look away. True to the biopic genre, it highlights the grueling fight that Khalra undertook. After witnessing the murder of his friend, followed by the murder of that same friend’s mother by the Punjab Police, Khalra embarked on a journey that would change his life and the history of the region.
His preliminary research yielded the names of around 25,000 people who had been cremated as unclaimed bodies while their families were still searching for them. These deaths were the direct result of fake encounters and custodial brutality. Once Khalra uncovered this horrific face of the police force, he had no choice but to wage a crusade to bring justice to the victims by filing petitions and raising awareness globally.
The performances
‘Satluj’ is anchored by exceptional lead performances. There is an almost Jimmy Stewart-like innocence in Diljit Dosanjh’s demeanor that beautifully channels the quiet passion Jaswant Singh Khalra’s legacy deserves. His contemplative portrayal forms the emotional core of the film.
Equally vital is Suvinder Vicky’s menacing turn as SSP Sugga; Vicky is utterly mesmerizing as he dishes out pure evil, delivering a masterclass in playing a despicable figure. Arjun Rampal is also perfectly cast as CBI Officer Samudra Singh.
The verdict
The film reminds us that the dehumanization of citizens continues unabated across decades. Ill-gotten power, fueled by administrative ineptitude and moral bankruptcy, still plagues us today—and as long as it does, ‘Satluj’ will remain devastatingly relevant.
