Satluj may have vanished from ZEE5, but its story refuses to fade. Days after Diljit Dosanjh’s film was pulled from the platform, gurudwaras across Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Delhi and Jammu have stepped in with public screenings to keep it reaching audiences.

Diljit Dosanjh’s Satluj to be screened at gurudwaras across five states after ZEE5 removal

Gurudwaras step in with screenings

A report by Mid-Day noted that gurudwara committees, backed by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), have organised these community screenings to keep the film reaching viewers.

In Jammu, Satluj, originally titled Punjab ’95, is set to screen at four gurudwaras between July 10 and July 13, while Jaipur will host a screening on July 11 at the Baba Fateh Singh Auditorium inside Chandi Ki Taksal Gurudwara. In Delhi, Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee president Harmeet Singh Kalka has backed the initiative and urged ZEE5 to restore the film on its platform.

An SGPC source told Mid-Day, “The community doesn’t want this story to disappear simply because the film is unavailable online. If people cannot watch it on OTT, gurudwaras are opening their doors. Jaswant Singh Khalra’s story deserves to be seen.”

A troubled journey from certification to takedown

Satluj traces the life of Jaswant Singh Khalra, the human rights activist who exposed alleged illegal killings and secret cremations in Punjab during the 1990s. The film premiered on ZEE5 on July 3 but was removed within 48 hours.

The removal capped years of delay.

Completed nearly four years ago, the film was originally titled Ghallughara before being renamed Punjab ’95 after the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) reportedly cleared it with 21 cuts. The makers challenged that decision, after which the CBFC’s revising committee recommended 127 cuts, including changes to the title and to Khalra’s name. The team refused to accept the modifications, delaying release for years before the uncut version finally reached ZEE5 as Satluj.

The takedown drew criticism from the SGPC and several Punjab-based political parties. Reacting to the controversy, Diljit Dosanjh said the removal was “bound to happen.”

Directed by Honey Trehan, Satluj stars Diljit Dosanjh, Arjun Rampal, Suvinder Vicky and Geetika Vidya Ohlyan in pivotal roles. With gurudwaras now carrying the film forward, Khalra’s story looks set to reach audiences well beyond streaming.

Also Read: Gul Panag backs Diljit Dosanjh film Satluj amid controversy, says, “Banning it is always counter productive”