Veteran actor Kanwaljit Singh has spoken about the controversy surrounding it Diljit Dosanjh‘s’Satluj’, admitting that he was taken back by the hurdles the film faced before and after its release. The actor, who plays DGP Bitta in the film, asked why the audience was prevented from watching it and revealed that his performance won him recognition from veterans. Naseeruddin Shah i Shashi Ranjan.Originally titled ‘Punjab ’95’, the film remained mired in censorship-related issues for several years. Although it eventually premiered on an OTT platform, it was pulled from streaming in India within two days.
Kanwaljit Singh applauds the determination of those responsible
Reflecting on the film’s protracted struggle, Kanwaljit praised the director Honey Trehan and producers Honey and Ronnie for refusing to compromise despite years of pressure.“I was shocked because it was like this for 2.5 to 3 years, the case went on and I really admire my director and the producers, Honey and Ronnie, for sticking to their guns and never succumbing to pressure,” Singh told IANS.The actor also recalled how the project continued to face setbacks despite repeated efforts to take it forward. “When it said 127 cuts have been given and you can send it to Canada, suddenly it was pulled from the Canadian Film Festival as well. So this has been going on with the film for a long time.”The veteran actor questioned the concerns surrounding the film’s release, saying that enough time had passed for people to have a dialogue instead of fearing a backlash.“Finally, they said you should release him, ‘what are you afraid of? What will be the reaction?’ Time heals many wounds, and then there is only talking. You can talk and solve something. Nobody retaliates like that after so long.” In ‘Satluj’, Kanwaljit essays the role of DGP Bitta, a character inspired by former Punjab Director General of Police KPS Gill.
Kudos to Naseeruddin Shah and Shashi Ranjan
The veteran actor also shared that his performance in the film received heartfelt appreciation from fellow actors Shashi Ranjan and Naseeruddin Shah, which he finds deeply meaningful.“I was quite surprised to get his (Ranjan’s) call. After that, I even got a call from Naseer (Naseeruddin Shah). He started speaking in Punjabi, which he speaks quite badly. I think he is the ‘God of acting’ and so anything that comes from him has a lot of impact,” he said.
About ‘Satluj’
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 film began airing on Zee5 in India on July 3 after a long battle for certification. However, it was pulled from the platform within 48 hours after the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting declared that the film had been released before completing the mandatory certification process, after which the platform was ordered to remove it from its catalog in India.