📌 Key Points
- Honey Trehan’s film “Satluj” (formerly “Panjab 95”) was released uncut on Zee5.
- The film, based on Jaswant Singh Khalra’s life, was removed from the platform on Sunday.
- Zee5 cited “current developments” for the film’s unavailability in India.
- Director Trehan reacted with a Punjabi message: “God’s will seems sweet,” expressing hope.
Director Honey Trehan’s much-anticipated film “Satluj,” based on human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, faced an unexpected setback. After its uncut release on Zee5, the Diljit Dosanjh-starrer was abruptly removed, leaving its future uncertain. Despite this, Trehan maintains a hopeful stance.
“Satluj” Removed from Zee5 After Release
Director Honey Trehan saw a long battle to ensure his film Satluj, earlier called Panjab 95, gets a release in the manner he intended. The film, based on the life of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra , released on Zee5, uncut, this Friday. But it was unceremoniously taken down on Sunday with the streamer mentioning ‘developments’ in a statement. The filmmaker, however, remains hopeful that things could turn around, as evidenced by his brief reaction to the shadow ban on his film.
Director Honey Trehan’s Hopeful Reaction
On Sunday evening, Zee5 issued a statement informing viewers that the film is no longer available in India. “In light of the current developments, ‘Satluj’ will be unavailable in India until further notice. We remain committed to exploring every appropriate avenue through due process to bring the film back to our audiences at the earliest opportunity. We are deeply grateful to every viewer who chose to subscribe, watch and champion the film. Your love and support have meant a great deal to us and to everyone who brought this story to life. At ZEE5, we stand firmly by ‘Satluj’ and the creative vision behind it. We believe powerful storytelling has the ability to inspire, endure and leave a lasting impact,” the statement said.
Zee5’s Statement on Film’s Removal
Hours later, Honey Trehan shared the statement on Instagram Stories with a short message in Punjabi: ‘Tera bhana meetha lage (God’s will seems sweet).’ Bhana is a Punjabi word that loosely translates to divine command or fate, something that God has Himself willed. The message of hope was punctuated by a folded hands emoji. The film’s lead Diljit Dosanjh was more philosophical in his reaction, comparing the shadow ban to Khalra’s disappearance and killing.
Despite the abrupt removal of “Satluj” from Zee5, director Honey Trehan’s unwavering hope shines through. His philosophical acceptance, echoed by Diljit Dosanjh, suggests a belief in the film’s eventual return, highlighting the resilience within the industry.
