Diljit Dosanjh-starrer Satluj is at the centre of a nationwide debate after the film was taken down from ZEE5 just 48 hours after its release. Now, the film’s actor Suvinder Vicky has reacted to the controversy. He also revealed that people across Punjab are organising community screenings of the film, treating it “like seva.”
‘People are treating it like seva’
Speaking to NDTV, Suvinder said, “When it disappeared from ZEE5, that was an even bigger shock. After waiting for so many years, it finally came out and then suddenly it was gone. We were all happy that people were finally watching it. I spoke to Honey Trehan, but there was nothing anyone could do. He stayed remarkably calm throughout. People are treating it like seva. Many had already downloaded it before it was taken down, and now they’re sharing it with others. I have heard that people are taking projectors to villages across Punjab and organising screenings. Just as people do seva during Gurpurab by serving langar or chabeel, they are treating this film the same way. That has truly touched my heart.”
Suvinder on working with Diljit
Suvinder also opened up about working with Diljit Dosanjh on the film. He shared that since Diljit wanted to stay in character throughout the shoot, the two barely interacted on set. Calling Diljit “a true artist”, Suvinder said, “He is a very supportive guy. I must say, he is an artist, and when you are a true artist, success eventually follows. We didn’t indulge in small talk on set. He was very professional and didn’t like unnecessary disturbance because he wanted to stay in character. Honestly, I didn’t want any disturbance either because I also had to remain in my character. It was a very quiet set.”
About Satluj
Satluj, previously titled Punjab 95, got caught in a certification row with the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). The board had reportedly asked the makers to implement 127 cuts, but director Honey Trehan moved court against it. This led to the film never getting a theatrical release. After four years, it quietly premiered on ZEE5, only to be removed from the platform within two days of its release.
A government official later spoke to PTI and explained why the film was taken down from ZEE5. “They kept sitting on the suggested cuts and eventually released the movie quietly on OTT with a new title. OTT does not come under the CBFC’s jurisdiction. When the matter came to the government’s notice, Zee was asked to take the film down. The direction was given due to security concerns. The OTT platform was asked to follow the obligations under intermediary guidelines. If they want to release the film in theatres and OTT, they should follow the laid down norms,” the official told PTI.
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