Honey Trehan’s Diljit Dosanjh-starrer Satluj was dropped on Zee5 on Friday and was removed by Sunday evening. Even as many wondered why the film on human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra was taken down, RTI activist and MP Saket Gokhale wrote a letter to the Indian government questioning its removal.
Saket Gokhale writes to I&B Ministry
Saket posted a copy of the letter he sent to Ashwini Vaishnaw, Minister of Information and Broadcasting. “I was fortunate to watch the film ‘Satluj’ yesterday before an order, purportedly from your Ministry, forced the OTT platform Zee5 to take it down. I am not sure if you have watched the film but I would highly recommend that you do so in order to understand that you are doing a great disservice to our country by banning the film.”
He further added, “Satluj is a gut-punch to everyone who is either unaware or ignorant of the events of 1995 in Punjab. The film remembers a human rights hero Jaswant Singh Khalra who was killed for exposing extra-judicial killings and for trying to find out what happened to victims of those dark times whose bodies were marked as “unclaimed” and disposed of while their families wait for them even today.”
Saket further wrote that it’s ‘unfathomable’ why such a powerful film would be banned while other countries have confronted their dark past. “The darkness of 1995 shown in Satluj is a human rights failure that implicates our collective system. The film does not point or single out any political party but uses facts to show how some rotten people in our system engaged in mass killings purely for their personal benefit,” he added.
The activist-politician ended his note by writing, “In that light, the film Satluj makes us confront our past and introspect about atrocities that have been perpetrated in our homes. Banning the film will not erase the darkness nor will it absolve all of us for what was done to Punjab. Instead, the conversation sparked by this powerful film should be a starting point for righting the wrongs that we committed so that, perhaps, the process of healing can begin.”
Even as he posted the letter, Saket wrote in the caption: “I understand this is a futile exercise but history will not forgive us if we choose to remain silent.”
About Satluj
Satluj is directed by Honey Trehan and stars Diljit Dosanjh as human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra. It tells the story of how he uncovers killings and 25,000 illegal cremations by the police force in Punjab in 1995. The film was initially titled Punjab ‘95, and the makers were reportedly asked by the CBFC to make 125 cuts for it to be released in theatres. It was finally released on Zee5 after almost 4 years.
However, after the film was taken down, the OTT platform released a statement: “In light of the current developments, Satluj will be unavailable in India until further notice.” They also stated that they ‘firmly stand’ with the film and its team. Diljit, who had predicted this would happen, said in a livestream, “You can trouble me as much as you want. I am with Punjab till the day I die.”