Villagers across Punjab are gathering in Sikh temple courtyards and village halls to watch “Satluj,” a film officially blocked by Indian authorities. This grassroots defiance comes after the movie, originally titled “Punjab 95,” was derailed by censorship demands and then abruptly pulled from a streaming platform in India. Sikh organizations, local activists, and residents are now circulating copies online, ensuring the film reaches its intended audience despite official takedown orders.
The film chronicles the true story of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra. His investigation into alleged extrajudicial killings brought to light one of the darkest chapters of Punjab’s insurgency, which spanned the 1980s and early 1990s. This conflict saw Sikh militant groups seeking an independent Khalistan pitted against Indian security forces, claiming thousands of lives. Rights groups documented widespread allegations of enforced disappearances, custodial killings, and secret cremations during this period. Khalra’s work exposed that thousands of disappeared individuals were allegedly cremated anonymously by police, their families left uninformed, and no official records kept. Khalra himself was abducted in 1995, 31 years ago, and later killed; several police officers were convicted in connection with his murder.
Regime's Hand
The film’s journey to the public has been systematically obstructed. It was stalled for three years after India’s censor board demanded more than 120 cuts. After failing to secure a theatrical release, it debuted on the ZEE5 streaming platform last week, only to be removed in India two days later. Officials have offered no public explanation for the removal, though local media reported it was taken down on “security grounds.” ZEE5’s statement confirmed the film would no longer be available in India “in light of current developments,” adding it would explore “every appropriate avenue through due process” to restore it. This pattern of suppression aligns with accusations that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist government increasingly uses censorship to control narratives, promoting films that align with its own nationalist agenda while stifling dissenting voices.
The People's Stand
These community screenings have transformed temple compounds and village spaces into makeshift cinemas. Residents arrange projectors, audio speakers, and power generators, while volunteers spread the word from household to household. In Gurdaspur district, Inderjeet Singh Bains helps coordinate these efforts. He states the goal is to create spaces where people can watch together and reflect on a period of Punjab’s history that still profoundly resonates across generations. “When we screen the film, we see our elders and mothers, many of them 60 or 70 years old, crying because they have lost their sons. Our people have endured immense suffering,” Bains said, highlighting the deep cultural and personal cost.
Cultural Dispossession
Gurmukh Singh, who attended a screening, noted the film gave voice to stories the young in Punjab had heard only in fragments. “After watching the movie, there is a feeling of the grief our earlier generations had to bear,” he explained. Balwinder Singh, a Sikh religious leader, challenged the censorship directly: “Everything happened right before our eyes, so what is there to oppose? The truth is coming to light, and people should be allowed to see it.” Diljit Dosanjh, who portrays Khalra, expressed indifference about the film’s online availability, asserting that once audiences had seen it, “it cannot be erased.” Pawan Deep Kaur, another viewer, simply said, “It made us cry endlessly.” The state’s attempt to erase this history only strengthens the resolve of the native population to preserve its memory and identity.