Jaswant Singh Khalra abducted again: Kunal Kamra's blistering post on Satluj ban
Standup comedian Kunal Kamra has questioned CBFC chairperson Prasoon Joshi after Satluj was removed from OTT within 48 hours of its uncut release. His note has reignited the censorship debate around the film formerly titled Punjab '95.
Actor Diljit Dosanjh’s Satluj, which was earlier titled Punjab ’95, has been removed from Zee5 less than 48 hours after its quiet premiere on the platform in an uncut version last Friday. Standup comedian Kunal Kamra addressed an open note to Central Board of Film Certification chairperson Prasoon Joshi questioning both the earlier objections to the film and its subsequent takedown from OTT.
Satluj had battled censorship issues for more than three years in its attempt to secure a theatrical release, but it never reached the big screen. While reacting to the film being removed from streaming, Kamra wrote, "Can you please enlighten us on why 127 cuts were recommended for the film Punjab '95? The same film, now renamed Satluj, has been taken down from an OTT platform in less than two days. The CBFC has no jurisdiction over OTT platforms or international releases (sic)."
"Punjab '95 tells the story of Jaswant Singh Khalra, a man who exposed documented human rights abuses and paid for it with his life. If a film based on documented facts cannot be seen by Indian audiences, then the public deserves to know why. This sends a very direct message to filmmakers and production companies: if you’re paying homage to a great personality from a minority community, you’ll have to face the CBFC (sic)," he added.
Kamra called out the censor board's double standards, urging journalists to ask officials "some hard questions" about why certain politically sensitive films clear approvals effortlessly while others face years of delays.
Highlighting this disparity, Kamra emphasised the easy paths granted to specific projects – "A red carpet for The Kashmir Files, The Bengal Files and The Kerala Story. Roses for Dhurandhar 1 and 2, a fictional documentary/explainer for the unthinkable and the unexplainable (sic)." He also questioned the board's impact on filmmakers, asking how it felt to "feast on four years of a director’s career."
Kamra concluded his note by contrasting the current situation with past legal democratic standards and wrote, "In Nehru’s India, this would have been litigated in court (sic)."
He questioned the type of cinema being encouraged if filmmakers face years of obstruction for telling stories of people who fought for justice. Kamra then drew a sharp parallel to the human rights activist's real-life fate, adding that Jaswant Singh Khalra had effectively been "abducted again, this time by the CBFC."
Directed by Honey Trehan, Satluj features Diljit Dosanjh as late human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra.
Actor Diljit Dosanjh’s Satluj, which was earlier titled Punjab ’95, has been removed from Zee5 less than 48 hours after its quiet premiere on the platform in an uncut version last Friday. Standup comedian Kunal Kamra addressed an open note to Central Board of Film Certification chairperson Prasoon Joshi questioning both the earlier objections to the film and its subsequent takedown from OTT.
Satluj had battled censorship issues for more than three years in its attempt to secure a theatrical release, but it never reached the big screen. While reacting to the film being removed from streaming, Kamra wrote, "Can you please enlighten us on why 127 cuts were recommended for the film Punjab '95? The same film, now renamed Satluj, has been taken down from an OTT platform in less than two days. The CBFC has no jurisdiction over OTT platforms or international releases (sic)."
"Punjab '95 tells the story of Jaswant Singh Khalra, a man who exposed documented human rights abuses and paid for it with his life. If a film based on documented facts cannot be seen by Indian audiences, then the public deserves to know why. This sends a very direct message to filmmakers and production companies: if you’re paying homage to a great personality from a minority community, you’ll have to face the CBFC (sic)," he added.
Kamra called out the censor board's double standards, urging journalists to ask officials "some hard questions" about why certain politically sensitive films clear approvals effortlessly while others face years of delays.
Highlighting this disparity, Kamra emphasised the easy paths granted to specific projects – "A red carpet for The Kashmir Files, The Bengal Files and The Kerala Story. Roses for Dhurandhar 1 and 2, a fictional documentary/explainer for the unthinkable and the unexplainable (sic)." He also questioned the board's impact on filmmakers, asking how it felt to "feast on four years of a director’s career."
Kamra concluded his note by contrasting the current situation with past legal democratic standards and wrote, "In Nehru’s India, this would have been litigated in court (sic)."
He questioned the type of cinema being encouraged if filmmakers face years of obstruction for telling stories of people who fought for justice. Kamra then drew a sharp parallel to the human rights activist's real-life fate, adding that Jaswant Singh Khalra had effectively been "abducted again, this time by the CBFC."
Directed by Honey Trehan, Satluj features Diljit Dosanjh as late human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra.
