Three years after facing India’s ‘Satluj’ censor board, Honey TrehanThe drama chronicling the life of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, which finally premiered on OTT platforms worldwide on July 3, was released completely uncut.
‘Satluj’ Cast, Plot and Trailer
The official trailer of ‘Satluj’ (earlier known as ‘Punjab ’95’) presents a gripping and deeply emotional biographical drama directed by Honey Trehan. Inspired by real events, the film stars Diljit Dosanjh as legendary human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, alongside Arjun Rampal and Suvinder Vicky. Set against the dark backdrop of the insurgency in Punjab, the trailer shows a relentless search for the truth as an ordinary man risks his life to uncover the disturbing reality of more than 25,000 mysterious disappearances. Intense and dark in tone, it highlights a powerful fight for justice against systemic corruption and silenced voices.
Satluj’s journey through censor certification
The film, now available on ZEE5 Global, has gone through three different titles before finally reaching audiences. It began as ‘Ghallughara’, a term rooted in history, referring to the Sikh massacres of 1746, 1762 and 1984. In late 2022, RSVP submitted the film for certification by the Central Board of Film Certification of India. Six months later, the board cleared it, but only with 21 cuts imposed and the title changed to ‘Punjab ’95’. RSVP took the matter to the Bombay High Court to challenge this decision. Around the same time, the film’s premiere slot at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival fell through and was pulled from the schedule.
Director explains why film is now called ‘Satluj’
As reported in Variety India, Trehan said, “We have not been able to get the previous title of the film. The title is now ‘Satluj’. This is the complete film, without cuts or compromises, in its original form as we always wanted. It would not have been possible without Diljit paji and our producers and their willingness to stand up for their integrity. As both Diljit Paji and I had said earlier, we would not approve a compromised version of the film.“
Diljit Dosanjh on playing Khalra in ‘Satluj’
Dosanjh, who plays Khalra, shared, “The martyrdom of Bhai Jaswant Singh Khalra ji and his contribution to humanity were the main reasons why I chose to be a part of this film. I felt a strong sense of responsibility towards the film and vowed to portray such an inspiring character with truth, honesty and utmost respect.”
Previous Work of Team ‘Satluj’
Trehan is also known for the 2020 thriller ‘Raat Akeli Hai’ and its 2025 sequel ‘Raat Akeli Hai: The Bansal Murders’. Suvinder Vicky has appeared in the series ‘Kohrra’ as well as ‘The Fourth Direction’ which played in Cannes and ‘Milestone’ which played in Venice.