Diljit Dosanjh's Satluj removed from ZEE5 International after India takedown
Actor Diljit Dosanjh's film, Satluj has been removed from ZEE5's international library days after its removal in India. The latest move deepens the film's long-running certification and release controversy.
Director Honey Trehan's Satluj (2026), led by actor Diljit Dosanjh has now been removed from ZEE5's international library, a week after it was taken off the platform. The development took place on Tuesday evening, according to reports.
ZEE5 Global spokesperson, while speaking to India Today, said, "At ZEE5, we are committed to bringing stories to our audiences that entertain, inspire and spark meaningful conversations. Due to circumstances beyond our control, we are unable to offer the film, Satluj, to our viewers. We are grateful for the interest and support Zee 5 as a platform has received from our audiences, and we remain committed to bringing compelling stories from across languages and cultures, around the world.”
Satluj has continued to face setbacks since its abrupt removal from ZEE5. Days after it disappeared from the streaming platform, its IMDb user rating was also removed, adding to the controversy around the title.
The film was originally titled Punjab '95. The makers had earlier alleged that the CBFC sought 127 cuts for the film. Satluj was also scheduled to premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2023, but the screening was cancelled after objections were reportedly raised by Indian authorities. On Friday, July 3, the film was released on ZEE5 without promotions. As praise for the film began to come in, it was pulled from the streamer.
Despite its brief release, the film has continued to draw attention for its portrayal of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra's fight against the alleged fake encounters and illegal mass cremations in Punjab during the militancy years. ZEE5 later issued a statement saying it stands by the film. Without giving the exact reason for the removal, the platform said that, "in light of current developments", the film was unavailable for streaming.
On Monday morning, Diljit Dosanjh hosted an Instagram Live session and interacted with fans. He said he knew the film would be pulled down by Monday and urged viewers to show it to others who had not seen it yet. He also said he would be with Punjab till the day he dies. Apart from Diljit, Satluj also features Kanwaljeet Singh, Arjun Rampal, Suvinder Vicky and Geetika Vidya Ohlyan.
Director Honey Trehan's Satluj (2026), led by actor Diljit Dosanjh has now been removed from ZEE5's international library, a week after it was taken off the platform. The development took place on Tuesday evening, according to reports.
ZEE5 Global spokesperson, while speaking to India Today, said, "At ZEE5, we are committed to bringing stories to our audiences that entertain, inspire and spark meaningful conversations. Due to circumstances beyond our control, we are unable to offer the film, Satluj, to our viewers. We are grateful for the interest and support Zee 5 as a platform has received from our audiences, and we remain committed to bringing compelling stories from across languages and cultures, around the world.”
Satluj has continued to face setbacks since its abrupt removal from ZEE5. Days after it disappeared from the streaming platform, its IMDb user rating was also removed, adding to the controversy around the title.
The film was originally titled Punjab '95. The makers had earlier alleged that the CBFC sought 127 cuts for the film. Satluj was also scheduled to premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2023, but the screening was cancelled after objections were reportedly raised by Indian authorities. On Friday, July 3, the film was released on ZEE5 without promotions. As praise for the film began to come in, it was pulled from the streamer.
Despite its brief release, the film has continued to draw attention for its portrayal of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra's fight against the alleged fake encounters and illegal mass cremations in Punjab during the militancy years. ZEE5 later issued a statement saying it stands by the film. Without giving the exact reason for the removal, the platform said that, "in light of current developments", the film was unavailable for streaming.
On Monday morning, Diljit Dosanjh hosted an Instagram Live session and interacted with fans. He said he knew the film would be pulled down by Monday and urged viewers to show it to others who had not seen it yet. He also said he would be with Punjab till the day he dies. Apart from Diljit, Satluj also features Kanwaljeet Singh, Arjun Rampal, Suvinder Vicky and Geetika Vidya Ohlyan.
