‘Satluj unveiled Punjab’s painful history’: Political leaders after film removed from Zee5

A day after the film Satluj – which depicts extra-judicial killings and enforced disappearances by the Punjab police in the 1990s – was removed from the streaming platform Zee5, political leaders condemned the move to “censor” one of the state’s “darkest chapters”.

The Honey Trehan film, previously titled Punjab ’95 and led by Diljit Dosanjh, was released on Zee5 on Friday evening. By late Sunday evening, the movie had been removed from the platform.

Zee5 posted on social media that “in light of the current developments, Satluj will be unavailable in India until further notice”. It did not elaborate on the nature of these developments

On Monday, Shiromani Akali Dal leader Sukhbir Singh Badal said that the “powerful film that courageously unveils Punjab’s painful history…cannot be silenced this way”.

“This is not mere censorship,” Badal said on social media. “It is an assault on our collective memory, truth and freedom of expression.”

He added: “Punjab deserves to confront its past with honest not suppression.”

Shocked and saddened by the arbitrary removal of #Satluj from #ZEE5 in India.
A powerful film that courageously unveils Punjab’s painful history and honours the supreme sacrifice of S. Jaswant Singh Ji Khalra cannot be silenced this way.
This is not mere censorship — it is an… pic.twitter.com/yfrkMKYq5D— Sukhbir Singh Badal (@officeofssbadal) July 5, 2026

The film is based on human...

Read more