Kunal Kamra calls out CBFC after Diljit Dosanjh’s Satluj is taken down: ‘Jaswant Singh Khalra abducted again’

Kunal Kamra has added his voice to the growing controversy surrounding Diljit Dosanjh-starrer Satluj, questioning the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) after the film disappeared from streaming platform ZEE5 less than two days after its release. His strongly worded post has reignited debate over censorship, artistic freedom and the prolonged struggle faced by the makers to release the film.

The Honey Trehan-directed film, originally titled Punjab ’95, is based on the life of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, who exposed the alleged illegal cremation of thousands of unidentified bodies in Punjab during the insurgency years. Khalra was abducted in 1995 and never seen again. In 2005, four Punjab Police personnel were convicted for his abduction and murder and sentenced to seven years in prison. The Punjab and Haryana High Court later enhanced their sentence to life imprisonment.

Reacting to the film’s removal from ZEE5, Kamra tagged former CBFC chairperson Prasoon Joshi on X and questioned why the censor board had recommended 127 cuts for Punjab ’95.

“Can you please enlighten us on why 127 cuts were recommended for the film Panjab ’95?” he wrote.

Kamra pointed out that the same film, retitled Satluj, was removed from an OTT platform within two days despite the CBFC having no jurisdiction over streaming platforms or international releases.

He said the film tells the story of Jaswant Singh Khalra, “a man who exposed documented human rights abuses and paid for it with his life”, adding that if a film based on documented facts cannot be viewed by Indian audiences, “the public deserves to know why.”

The comedian further argued that the episode sends a discouraging message to filmmakers attempting to tell stories about “a great personality from a minority community”, while also questioning the apparent inconsistency in the treatment of different films.

“Journalists should be asking the people running this censor board some hard questions. Why are some politically insensitive films able to pass with ease while others spend years in limbo?” he wrote.

In another part of his post, Kamra remarked, “How does it feel to feast on four years of a director’s career?” before concluding with the line: “Jaswant Singh Khalra abducted again, this time by the CBFC.”

His remarks quickly gained traction on social media and added momentum to the ongoing debate over the film’s removal.

The controversy began after Satluj was quietly released on ZEE5 on Friday without any promotional campaign. The film had remained in limbo for more than three years after the CBFC reportedly suggested 127 cuts. Director Honey Trehan and actor Diljit Dosanjh refused to release the film in that form.

The film appeared on the platform under its new title and without any cuts. However, by Sunday evening, it had been taken down.

Announcing the development, ZEE5 said, “In light of the current developments, Satluj will be unavailable in India until further notice.” While the platform did not elaborate on what those developments were, it said the audience response had been overwhelming and reiterated its support for the filmmakers’ creative vision.

The streaming service also urged viewers not to resort to piracy.

“We are doing our bit to bring Satluj back. Please do yours — don’t support piracy. We remain committed to exploring every possible avenue to bring Satluj back to you,” it said in a separate Instagram post.

Speaking during an Instagram Live session from the United States, where he is currently touring, Diljit Dosanjh said he had anticipated that the film’s run on the platform would be short-lived.

“I had a feeling on Friday that something like this will happen. This was already on my mind. It is not something to be shocked about. I thought it would be banned on Monday when the offices open, but I did not imagine it would happen on Sunday evening itself,” he said in Punjabi.

The actor said the makers intentionally chose not to promote the film because they feared it might be removed even sooner.

“We released it quietly because this was bound to happen. I am satisfied that people have seen the film and it has reached them,” he said.

Dosanjh added that many viewers had already watched or downloaded the film before it was removed.

“It was very important that it should reach you and that has happened. I am thankful that what we wanted to say and the way we wanted to say it has been conveyed. It is your film and you can watch it the way you want to,” he said.

The actor also remarked that attempts to suppress the film would only increase public curiosity, saying that “nothing disappears from the internet.”

The controversy has also drawn support from political parties and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), both of which have demanded that the film be restored for Indian audiences.

Produced by Honey Trehan, Abhishek Chaubey and Ronnie Screwvala under the banners MacGuffin Pictures and RSVP, Satluj also stars Arjun Rampal, Kanwaljit Singh, Suvinder Vicky and Geetika Vidya Ohlyan in pivotal roles. The film was previously scheduled to premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2023 before being dropped from the line-up without an official explanation. It was later slated for a worldwide release in February 2025, but that release also failed to materialise.