Satluj is based on the life of Punjab human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, who exposed alleged illegal killings and secret cremations during the late 1980s and early 1990s, when Punjab witnessed intense militancy and counter-insurgency operations.
Published: July 8, 2026, 2:20 PM IST
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https://www.india.com/entertainment/satluj-row-delhi-sikh-gurdwara-management-committee-announces-organising-public-screening-of-film-8468546/
Diljit Dosanjh in Satluj
The Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) on Tuesday strongly objected to the removal of Diljit Dosanjh’s film ifrom ZEE5, calling it an attempt to suppress the story of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra. The committee also announced that it would organise public screenings of the film and educational seminars to ensure Khalra’s story reaches more people.
Speaking on the issue, DSGMC President Harmeet Singh Kalka said the film, based on the life of Jaswant Singh Khalra, highlights the activist’s efforts to expose alleged human rights violations in Punjab and should not be prevented from reaching audiences. “…Since this film is a biographical portrayal of Jaswant Singh Khalra, it depicts how a social activist opened people’s eyes to the truth. He uncovered evidence of 25,000 bodies that had been cremated as ‘unclaimed’ and raised the issue not only within the country but also internationally, highlighting the dire situation in Punjab. Suppressing this story and preventing the events of that dark era from reaching the public is deeply wrong, and it has sparked immense outrage across the Sikh community,” Kalka said.
Announcing the committee’s next steps, Kalka said the DSGMC would organise screenings of the film and hold seminars in schools and colleges on Khalra’s life and legacy.
“We have asked all Gurdwara committee members to download and screen the film in their respective areas to ensure it reaches the public. Furthermore, we will soon convene a meeting with the chairpersons of our schools and colleges. Seminars on Jaswant Singh Khalra will be organised in every college to discuss his life and legacy. We want people to realise the impact a single social activist can have on society. If one individual can achieve so much, there is no reason why we cannot all work together to do the same,” he added.
DSGMC General Secretary and Legal Head Jagdip Singh Kahlon also criticised the film’s removal, noting that it remained available on ZEE5 for only two days before being taken down.
“When this film was originally made, it was titled Punjab 95. However, its release was subsequently halted. Two days ago, it was released on the ZEE5 OTT platform under the title Satluj, and many people watched it. I watched it as well. Everything depicted in the film is based on facts and actual events,” Kahlon said.
He added that the film focuses on Jaswant Singh Khalra’s investigation into alleged fake encounters and argued that it should be allowed to reach audiences.
“It centres on Jaswant Singh Khalra, a social activist who conducted a thorough investigation and compiled data regarding people who were killed in fake encounters across various locations. The film is based on these facts and historical events. Given that it was taken down after just two days, I believe there is significant resentment within the Sikh community. The film ought to be shown. If the Central Government is responsible for halting it, I would appeal to the government to allow its release, keeping the sentiments of the Sikh community in mind. Community members are also planning screenings,” he said.
Kahlon further asserted that the film portrays real events and that the public deserves to know the truth.
“There is nothing in the film that deviates from reality; it portrays actual events. People need to know what happened and how these incidents unfolded. The community certainly deserves to be informed,” he added.
Satluj is based on the life of Punjab human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, who exposed alleged illegal killings and secret cremations during the late 1980s and early 1990s, when Punjab witnessed intense militancy and counter-insurgency operations. Khalra was allegedly abducted in 1995, and his body was later found near Harike Bridge on the Sutlej River.
He was allegedly kidnapped, tortured and killed at the behest of senior Punjab Police officials. In 1996, the Supreme Court ordered a CBI probe into the case following a petition filed by Khalra’s widow.
The CBI found evidence that Khalra had been held at a police station in Tarn Taran and recommended the prosecution of nine Punjab Police officials for his kidnapping and murder. In 2005, a Patiala court convicted six policemen. Two years later, the Punjab and Haryana High Court upheld and enhanced the punishment, awarding life imprisonment to four of the accused. The Supreme Court upheld the verdict in 2011.
Directed by Honey Trehan, Satluj is produced by RSVP Movies and MacGuffin Pictures. The film also stars Arjun Rampal, Kanwaljit Singh, Suvinder Vicky, and Geetika Vidya Ohlyan in pivotal roles.
