Satluj: Suvinder Vicky revealed that most of his scenes with Diljit Dosanjh were intense torture sequences. One particular scene required him to repeatedly throw pamphlets at him.
Published: July 9, 2026, 2:11 PM IST
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Suvinder Vicky
After years of delays and a brief release on ZEE5 before it was taken down, Diljit Dosanjh’s Satluj continues to spark conversations across the country. While audiences have praised the film and its performances, actor Suvinder Vicky has now shared his memories of working with Diljit, the film’s difficult journey, and the overwhelming support it has received despite the controversy.
In an interview with NDTV, Suvinder described Diljit as a dedicated actor who preferred staying in character rather than engaging in casual conversations on set. He said the atmosphere during filming was unusually quiet because both actors wanted to remain fully immersed in their roles. Calling Diljit “a true artist,” Suvinder said, “He is a very supportive guy. I must say, he is an artist, and when you are a true artist, success eventually follows.”
He added, “We didn’t indulge in small talk on set. He was very professional and didn’t like unnecessary disturbance because he wanted to stay in character. Honestly, I didn’t want any disturbance either because I also had to remain in my character. It was a very quiet set.”
Suvinder revealed that most of his scenes with Diljit were intense torture sequences. One particular scene required him to repeatedly throw pamphlets at Diljit while he was hanging in the air.
“Most of my scenes with Diljit were the torture sequences. There’s one scene where he’s hanging while I keep throwing pamphlets at him, and they have to stick to his face. Diljit was literally hanging there throughout the shoot,” he recalled.
The actor admitted that filming the sequence was stressful because the timing had to be perfect. “I was under immense pressure. He never said anything, but I knew I was performing opposite Diljit Dosanjh, so I couldn’t afford to make a mistake. My timing had to be absolutely perfect. Every time I threw the pamphlets, they had to land at one exact spot, but they kept missing. Sometimes they landed on his neck, sometimes somewhere else, so we had to do a couple of retakes.”
Whenever he apologised for missing the mark, Diljit reassured him with a smile. “I told him, ‘I’m sorry.’ But he just smiled and kept saying, ‘Bhaji, koi gal ni.’ It means, ‘It’s okay, don’t worry.’ He was incredibly patient and humble. I don’t know how to explain it… I’m telling you, he is God’s child.”
While Diljit stayed immersed in his role as Jaswant Singh Khalra, Suvinder worked closely with director Honey Trehan to transform into the antagonist, Sugga. He revealed that the most difficult scene for him was not the climax but what the crew called “the saag scene.” “Everyone on the unit kept referring to it as ‘the saag scene.’ I kept waiting for the day we would finally shoot it. I was nervous because everyone in that house is terrified, while my character is the only person who has authority.”
He explained that creating fear without shouting or using violence was the biggest challenge. “It couldn’t look like I was shouting or slapping someone. The fear had to come through simple conversations. Honey Trehan was extremely particular about every detail. We discussed the scene for a long time before shooting because he wanted every moment to feel authentic.”
Suvinder also revealed that he found out about Satluj’s release through a friend while he was visiting his parents in Haryana. “I was with my parents in Haryana when a friend called and said, ‘Your film has released.’ I asked, ‘Which film?’ He said, ‘The one based on the ’95 case.’ I couldn’t believe it. Nobody had informed us. I found out at the same time as everyone else.”
The actor said it was heartbreaking when the film disappeared from ZEE5 just two days later.
“When it disappeared from ZEE5, that was an even bigger shock. After waiting for so many years, it finally came out and then suddenly it was gone. We were all happy that people were finally watching it. I spoke to Honey Trehan, but there was nothing anyone could do. He stayed remarkably calm throughout.”
Despite the film being removed, Suvinder said audiences have continued to ensure it reaches people.
“People are treating it like seva. Many had already downloaded it before it was taken down, and now they’re sharing it with others. I have heard that people are taking projectors to villages across Punjab and organising screenings. Just as people do seva during Gurpurab by serving langar or chabeel, they are treating this film the same way. That has truly touched my heart.”
When asked why Satluj has faced repeated hurdles, Suvinder chose not to speculate. “I honestly don’t know. Maybe the people stopping it should watch the film once. Then they might realise there is nothing in it that deserves to be stopped.”
Satluj, based on the life of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, finally premiered on ZEE5 on July 3 after years of delays but was taken down in India within 48 hours, sparking widespread debate and support for the film.
