All posts tagged: Trehan

Honey Trehan doesn’t know ‘who had a problem’ with Satluj, says ‘no communication’ from CBFC: ‘Don’t have a name’

Honey Trehan doesn’t know ‘who had a problem’ with Satluj, says ‘no communication’ from CBFC: ‘Don’t have a name’

Published by Webster

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 is the director of Satluj. 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 …

Satluj row: Anurag Basu says he never thought Honey Trehan would face what Jafar Panahi faced in Iran

Satluj row: Anurag Basu says he never thought Honey Trehan would face what Jafar Panahi faced in Iran

Published by Webster

Satluj arrived on ZEE5 India on July 3, only to be taken down two days later, leaving many viewers surprised. Actor Diljit Dosanjh even urged those who had already downloaded the film to share it with others, saying it now belongs to the audience. Amid this, writer-director Anurag Basu has expressed his opinion on the issue, comparing the setback that Honey is facing with Iranian director Jafar Panahi, who is sentenced to a year in prison. Honey Trehan’s film row has made Anurag Basu recall what Jafar Panahi is facing in Iran. What Anurag said Anurag Basu took to his X account and wrote, “#Satluj I never thought a day would come when Honey Trehan would face what Jafar Panahi faced in Iran.” Anurag has made several feature films in Hindi, including Gangster, Barfi!, Ludo and last year’s Metro in Dino. About Panahi’s sentence in Iran In 2025, Iran sentenced Palme d’Or-winning filmmaker Jafar Panahi in absentia to one year in prison and a travel ban over “propaganda activities” against the country. The sentence includes …

Satluj: Honey Trehan reveals Diljit Dosanjh stood through every setback

Satluj: Honey Trehan reveals Diljit Dosanjh stood through every setback

Published by Webster

Four years after Punjab 95 was stopped in its tracks over objections from the censor board, Honey Trehan was finally breathing easy on Saturday morning when we got on a call with him. His film, now streaming on ZEE5 as Satluj, had arrived without a single cut. For the filmmaker, it marks the end of a battle that often seemed impossible to win. In his first interview since the film’s release, Trehan told mid-day that there were moments when even he wasn’t convinced the film would eventually see the light of day “Even till yesterday afternoon, I wasn’t sure if the film would come out,” he says with a laugh. “We’ve reached this point so many times before that I had stopped allowing myself to believe it. I kept telling myself, ‘Let it go, let it go.’ Then suddenly, it was just there.” The release, he says, belongs as much to the family of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra as it does to the makers. “I spoke to them immediately. They are very, very …

Satluj director Honey Trehan is still hopeful even as Diljit Dosanjh-starrer is removed from Zee5: ‘God’s will is sweet’

Satluj director Honey Trehan is still hopeful even as Diljit Dosanjh-starrer is removed from Zee5: ‘God’s will is sweet’

Published by Parlour News

Director Honey Trehan saw a long battle to ensure his film Satluj, earlier called Panjab 95, gets a release in the manner he intended. The film, based on the life of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, released on Zee5, uncut, this Friday. But it was unceremoniously taken down on Sunday with the streamer mentioning ‘developments’ in a statement. The filmmaker, however, remains hopeful that things could turn around, as evidenced by his brief reaction to the shadow ban on his film. Diljit Dosanjh in Honey Trehan’s Satluj, which was earlier called Panjab 95. Honey Trehan reacts to Satluj being removed from Zee5 Satluj stars Diljit Dosanjh as the late Khalra, who was instrumental in investigating the cremation of thousands of unidentified bodies in Punjab during a 10-year period from 1984 to 1994. The film was controversial for its take on events in the state during the 80s and 90s. Its release, this Friday, was seen as a pleasant surprise by many. Hence, the removal came as a shock too. On Sunday evening, Zee5 issued …

Honey Trehan feels people in power don’t want minority heroes: ‘Can have Muslim star but protagonist must be Hindu’

Honey Trehan feels people in power don’t want minority heroes: ‘Can have Muslim star but protagonist must be Hindu’

Published by Parlour News

Filmmaker and casting director Honey Trehan recently spoke out about what he calls a growing climate of fear and selective storytelling in Hindi cinema. In a conversation with Screen, the filmmaker questioned why Muslim A-list actors continue to headline films but are rarely allowed to play Muslim protagonists, especially in big-budget projects. Citing personal experience, Honey alleged that real-life minority characters are increasingly being rewritten to fit a more “acceptable” narrative. Honey Trehan says there’s a climate of fear in Bollywood, Honey Trehan on Muslim stars playing Hindu protagonist in films Honey Trehan admitted that political polarity has also trickled into Bollywood and said, “I think it has changed a lot. There’s a loss of involvement. In today’s times, there are so many films where you can have Muslim A-list actors, but the protagonist has to be Hindu. I don’t understand why that’s the case. At one point of time, I was involved with a film that’s just going to get released. It’s based on a true-life Muslim character. But because it’s a big-budget film …

‘Cast a Muslim superstar, but protagonist has to be Hindu’: Honey Trehan recalls how film with ‘Muslim hero’ was nixed; says Haider can’t be made today | Bollywood News

‘Cast a Muslim superstar, but protagonist has to be Hindu’: Honey Trehan recalls how film with ‘Muslim hero’ was nixed; says Haider can’t be made today | Bollywood News

Published by Webster

This year, Honey Trehan completes 14 years as a casting director, 10 years as a producer, and five years as a director. He began his directorial journey with the 2020 Netflix India whodunit Raat Akeli Hai. His next was the sequel, Raat Akeli Hai: The Bansal Murders, which released last month. Between both films, Honey was busy directing Panjab ’95, a period investigative thriller based on true events. However, the film, headlined by Diljit Dosanjh, who plays late human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, has been stuck with the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) for months.  On this edition of SCREEN Spotlight, Honey details the turbulent journey of Panjab ’95, and looks back at his past stint as a casting director. With Panjab ’95 still stuck with the CBFC, has the reception of Raat Akeli Hai: The Bansal Murders come as relief that there’s still scope for socio-politically aware films? That’s always been the case. In fact, the reception to Raat Akeli Hai 2 is even bigger than that of the first part. That …

Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Honey Trehan on ‘Raat Akeli Hai’ cop universe: This world exists around us

Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Honey Trehan on ‘Raat Akeli Hai’ cop universe: This world exists around us

Published by Webster

Mumbai, Actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui and director Honey Trehan have teamed up again for “Raat Akeli Hai: The Bansal Murders”, an investigative drama woven around a cop character that they say is very close to real life. Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Honey Trehan on ‘Raat Akeli Hai’ cop universe: This world exists around us The crime thriller franchise began with the 2020 acclaimed movie, “Raat Akeli Hai”, in which the actor plays an honest police officer, Jatil Yadav. Siddiqui, whose last big screen outing saw him playing a vampire in “Thamma”, said he finds immense satisfaction in bringing real-life narratives to the screen. “I like Honey’s films because that character, that world exists around us. We make fantasy or larger-than-life films but what I like the most is the real-life stories,” the actor told PTI. Working with Trehan, Siddiqui said, gives him a distinct viewpoint that is connected to reality. “When you work with such experienced and talented directors, they have their own perspective, and that perspective is very close to real life. Like, Honey said, ‘I’ll have …

The Royals’ Ishaan Khatter, Bhumi Pednekar, Kavya Trehan, Lisa Mishra’s WhatsApp group is called ‘diet coke’; you won’t believe why

The Royals’ Ishaan Khatter, Bhumi Pednekar, Kavya Trehan, Lisa Mishra’s WhatsApp group is called ‘diet coke’; you won’t believe why

Published by Parlour News

Ishaan Khatter and Bhumi Pednekar’s latest show, The Royals, is creating a buzz on social media. The series has received mixed reviews from both fans and critics. While the show primarily centers around royal life, a fun secret has been revealed: the cast, including Ishaan, Bhumi, Lisa Mishra, and Kavya Trehan, have a WhatsApp group named ‘Diet Coke.’ The name came about because everyone kept asking for a diet drink, which eventually became their code word for chilling. In a recent interview with Instant Bollywood, Bhumi Pednekar candidly revealed that she and her co-stars have a WhatsApp group named after a soft drink. When asked about the quirky name, Kavya Trehan explained that everyone in the group is obsessed with Diet Coke, and it eventually became their go-to code word for chilling. On being asked who created the group, Lisa Mishra quickly chimed in, saying, “I made it,” adding with a smile, “I make all these kinds of groups.” During a recent conversation with Bollywood Hungama, Lisa Mishra was asked about the possibility of a second …

The Royals: Meet Kavya Trehan aka Morpur’s princess Divyaranijini who plays Ishaan Khatter’s sister in the show

The Royals: Meet Kavya Trehan aka Morpur’s princess Divyaranijini who plays Ishaan Khatter’s sister in the show

Published by Parlour News

Netflix has brought a royal drama to your screens with The Royals, featuring Ishaan Khatter, Bhumi Pednekar, Zeenat Aman, and Vihaan Samat in key roles. Among the ensemble cast, one name catching attention is Kavya Trehan, who plays Princess Divyaranijini Singh, the sister of Ishaan Khatter’s character. A multi-talented creative force from New Delhi, Kavya brings more than just acting chops to the table. Here’s everything you need to know about the actress, singer-songwriter and true-blue artistic soul. Who is Kavya Trehan? Born and raised in New Delhi, Kavya Trehan is a performer in every sense of the word. She began her journey in theatre at the age of nine with the National School of Drama, showcasing her acting talent early on. While pursuing her Bachelor’s in Psychology at Lady Shri Ram College, she continued acting in public theatre productions, revealing a natural inclination toward performing arts. Kavya Trehan’s film debut Kavya’s foray into cinema came with Ishaan Nair’s directorial debut film, Kaash – If Only. The film premiered at the Tokyo International Film Festival, followed by …

Panjab ’95: Diljit Dosanjh hopes for film’s release in India without cuts; Honey Trehan says it’ll not have his ‘name as director if…’

Panjab ’95: Diljit Dosanjh hopes for film’s release in India without cuts; Honey Trehan says it’ll not have his ‘name as director if…’

Published by Parlour News

Diljit Dosanjh made his fans jump with joy when he announced his next film, Panjab ’95, on social media. After much anticipation and hype, the movie wasn’t released in India as it’s awaiting clearance from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), which suggested 120 cuts to the film. Recently, the singer-actor hopes for the film’s release without cuts. He was joined by filmmaker Honey Trehan, who said the movie will not have his name as a director if there will be any cuts. Read on! The entire team of Panjab ’95, along with Diljit Dosanjh, have been strongly fighting against the multiple cuts suggested by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) in the film. Recently, the actor-singer spoke about the movie during his Instagram Live and stated that he wouldn’t support the film if released with cuts. The Amar Singh Chamkila actor hoped the film would soon be released in India. However, he added, “I will support only that film that will be released fully without any cuts. If you release the film …