Just about 48 hours. That’s how long Diljit Dosanjh’s Satluj, formerly titled Punjab ’95, was available for streaming in India before it was pulled down from ZEE5 on the evening of July 5, even as it remained accessible overseas. Sources have told mid-day that the takedown decision came after the government apparently flagged the film — a biopic on human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra — citing threats to national security.

Satluj chronicles how Khalra investigated the extrajudicial killings of Sikh youths during the Punjab insurgency between 1984 and 1995. Sources revealed that authorities were concerned that the film could be used to revive separatist sentiment in Punjab ahead of the Assembly elections in November.

An insider said, “The concern is the environment in which the film is releasing. There is a feeling that certain groups could weaponise the film to further their own agenda.

The assessment has been made from a national security perspective, not a political one. With Punjab heading towards elections, the authorities are not willing to take chances.” 

Despite the latest takedown, director Honey Trehan’s movie — that was stuck in a years-long battle with the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) — continues to circulate online. During a recent Instagram Live, Dosanjh acknowledged that users were downloading the film through torrent websites. 

Shortly afterwards, an X account user told mid-day that over 5000 people had downloaded the movie through their link. “It started with over 300 downloads, but now there are over 5000 downloads of our print,” said the user. 

- On the first viewing in 2022, the CBFC sought 21 cuts. The makers approached the Bombay High Court 

- In July 2024, mid-day reported that the CBFC’s list of cuts had risen to 85

- By September 2024, it sharply rose to over 120

- In January 2025, mid-day reported how the makers unsuccessfully tried a global release for the biopic