Director Honey Trehan had to contend with his film Satluj being on the streaming platform Zee5 for less than two days. The film, earlier called Panjab 95, released on Zee5 this Friday after a three-year battle with the censors. But on Sunday, it was taken down with the streamer only citing ‘developments’ in its statement. In an interview given prior to the film’s removal, the director spoke about the hurdles the film faced and why he doesn’t know who opposes the film.
Honey Trehan on Satluj controversy
Satluj, then Panjab 95, was submitted to the Central Board for Film Certification (CBFC) in 2022, when the board demanded 27 cuts. After the film’s team moved the Bombay High Court, the matter was referred to a revision committee, which demanded a staggering 120 cuts. Eventually, the film was released on Zee5 this Friday, uncut. In an interview with Mid-Day, Honey Trehan said, “If somebody asks me who had a problem with the film, I genuinely don’t know. I don’t have a face. I don’t have a name. Everything came through third persons or lawyers. There came a point when there was simply no communication anymore. After everything we’d gone through, there was nothing left to discuss. That’s when ZEE stepped in and made this release possible.”
Satluj is based on the life and death of Jaswant Singh Khalra, a bank clerk who became the leading human rights activist in Punjab in the mid 90s after his investigation into the cremation of 25000 people in the state between 1984 and 1994. A PTI report quoted a government official as saying that the film was taken down due to ‘security concerns’.
However, Honey Trehan added that he refuses to hold grudges. “I’ve never been bitter. Sometimes you feel hurt emotionally because you’re not getting answers. But I also remind myself that I’m talking about one film. The people running the country have much bigger responsibilities. Sometimes there must have been helplessness. I respect the people and the positions they hold,” the filmmaker added.
All about Satluj
Satluj stars Diljit Dosanjh as Khalra. The film is produced by Trehan, Abhishek Chaubey and Ronnie Screwvala, under the banners MacGuffin Pictures and RSVP. It also features Arjun Rampal, Kanwaljit Singh, Suvinder Vicky and Geetika Vidya Ohlyan in key roles. The film is unavailable in India, but it is still streaming on Zee5 outside India.
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