PIL filed in Punjab and Haryana High Court to restore Diljit Dosanjh’s Satluj on ZEE5

A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking the restoration of Satluj on ZEE5, days after the Diljit Dosanjh-starrer was removed from the streaming platform less than 48 hours after its release. The petition argues that the takedown violated the constitutional guarantee of free speech, questions the absence of any publicly disclosed legal basis for the decision and seeks greater transparency from the authorities.

The plea marks the latest development in the growing controversy surrounding Satluj, a film inspired by the life of Sikh human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra. Since its removal, the film has sparked criticism from members of the film fraternity, Sikh organisations and civil liberties advocates.

PIL challenges takedown, cites free speech concerns

Speaking about the petition, advocate Hakam Singh said the PIL had been filed by Shravan Singh, a ZEE5 subscriber and a resident of Punjab, in the larger public interest.

“The film Sutlej, which was released on the ZEE5 platform on the 3rd, was removed on the 5th. The petitioner has filed a Public Interest Litigation in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, stating that this amounts to a violation of Article 19, which guarantees freedom of speech and expression. The petitioner has demanded that the film be restored on the platform and allowed to be streamed again,” he told IANS.

He added that the petition questions the manner in which the film was taken down without any explanation.

“The PIL has been filed by Shravan Singh, a ZEE5 subscriber and a citizen of Punjab, raising issues related to public interest. He has questioned the grounds on which the film was removed without any prior notice or transparent findings.”

According to the advocate, although the Centre has constituted a three-member committee to examine the matter, the reasons behind stopping the film have not been made public.

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“A three-member committee has also been formed by the Centre in this matter, but the reasons behind stopping the film have not been made public. We hope the petition will come up for hearing by tomorrow or the next working day.”

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Why was Satluj removed?

Satluj, earlier titled Punjab 95, finally premiered on ZEE5 on July 3 after remaining unreleased for nearly four years. However, the film disappeared from the platform in India on July 5.

According to PTI, the Centre directed ZEE5 to remove the film citing “security concerns” and obligations under the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.

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The controversy traces back to 2022, when the makers submitted the film to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) under its original title, Punjab 95. The certification process stalled after the filmmakers refused to implement 127 cuts reportedly suggested by the board.

A government official told PTI that the producers had released the film directly on OTT under a new title without addressing the pending certification issues.

“They kept sitting on the suggested cuts and eventually released the movie quietly on OTT with a new title. OTT does not come under the CBFC’s jurisdiction. When the matter came to the government’s notice, ZEE was asked to take the film down. The direction was given due to security concerns. The OTT platform was asked to follow the obligations under intermediary guidelines. If they want to release the film in theatres and on OTT, they should follow the laid-down norms,” the official said.

Neither the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting nor ZEE5 has publicly disclosed the precise security concerns that led to the removal.

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Sikh organisations back the film

The Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) has also opposed the takedown and called for public screenings of Satluj.

Describing the removal as an attempt to suppress Jaswant Singh Khalra’s story, the organisation said the film highlights how the activist exposed the alleged cremation of around 25,000 unidentified bodies and brought international attention to Punjab during one of its darkest chapters.

The committee has appealed for community screenings so that more people can watch the film despite its removal from the streaming platform.

Community screenings and piracy after takedown

Actor Suvinder Vicky, who plays SSP Surjit Singh Sugga in the film, recently said people across Punjab have begun organising screenings using downloaded copies of the film.

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“People are treating it like seva. Many had already downloaded it before it was taken down, and now they’re sharing it with others. I have heard that people are taking projectors to villages across Punjab and organising screenings. Just as people do seva during Gurpurab by serving langar or chabeel, they are treating this film the same way. That has truly touched my heart,” he told NDTV.

Pirated copies of the film have also surfaced online and are being widely circulated.

What is Satluj about?

Directed by Honey Trehan, Satluj is inspired by the life of Jaswant Singh Khalra, a bank clerk who became one of Punjab’s most prominent human rights activists after investigating the alleged illegal cremation of around 25,000 unidentified bodies between 1984 and 1994.

The film follows Khalra’s efforts to uncover the truth before his abduction from his Amritsar home on September 6, 1995. In 2005, four Punjab Police personnel were convicted of his abduction and murder and sentenced to life imprisonment.

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The film stars Diljit Dosanjh as Khalra alongside Arjun Rampal, Kanwaljit Singh, Suvinder Vicky and Geetika Vidya Ohlyan.