Amid the controversy surrounding ‘Satluj’, director Honey Trehan has dismissed allegations that its Diljit Dosanjh-starrer is a propaganda film, capable of disturbing communal harmony. Addressing the controversy surrounding the film, the director stated that the response on the ground tells a different story, stating that Hindus and Sikhs in Punjab have been watching the film together peacefully. Trehan said that ‘Satluj’ was never intended to provoke the public and therefore there was no justification for banning it.“Is there any reason for this claim? They say my film may harm the law and order situation in Punjab. On the contrary, my film has united Punjab. You go to Punjab and you see, people are watching the movie together. They say my film is polarizing society and dividing Hindus and Sikhs, but on the ground, Hindus and Sikhs in Punjab are watching the film together. It was not meant to provoke anyone. My film is a balm for the wounds of people who have suffered so much… I don’t think there was any reason to ban it,” the director told The Indian Express.Trehan further argued that the controversy only intensified after the government intervened, maintaining that viewers had been watching the film peacefully before it was pulled from the platform.“People were watching my film peacefully in their homes for the first 48 hours. There was no problem. But the government banned the film, and now it has become a movement. It’s been 10 days, everyone is watching the film in peace, harmony and they are being served ‘langar’,” he continued. Questioning the different treatment of films accused of carrying political messages, the filmmaker said ‘Satluj’ deserved an equal chance to reach the audience.“Even if you say my film is a propaganda film, let it be released as you have released other propaganda films. Why differentiate ourselves? We are a very big country. A film cannot harm our social fabric,” concluded Trehan.‘Satluj’ premiered on ZEE5 in India on July 3 but was pulled from the platform within 48 hours. The Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting later clarified that the film had been released without completing the mandatory certification process. According to the Centre, the OTT release did not meet the required regulatory norms, after which ZEE5 was asked to remove it from its India catalogue.“Satluj did not have the required certification for theatrical release. Instead of complying with the certification process, the producers changed the title of the film and released it on an OTT platform on Friday,” an Information and Broadcasting Ministry official told news agency ANI.Directed by Honey Trehan, ‘Satluj’ is inspired by the life of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, who exposed alleged illegal cremations and extrajudicial killings in Punjab during the period of militancy in the 1980s and 1990s. The movie is currently not available for streaming in India.