Three years after clashing with India’s censor board, ‘Satluj’, Honey Trehan‘s drama chronicling the life of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, finally premiered on OTT platforms worldwide on July 3, released completely uncut.
‘Satluj’ cast, plot and trailer
The official trailer for ‘Satluj’ (previously known as ‘Punjab ’95’) introduces a gripping, deeply emotional biographical drama directed by Honey Trehan. Inspired by true events, the film stars Diljit Dosanjh as the legendary human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, alongside Arjun Rampal and Suvinder Vicky. Set against the dark backdrop of insurgency-era Punjab, the trailer previews a relentless search for truth as one ordinary man risks his life to uncover the haunting reality of over 25,000 mysterious disappearances. Striking an intense and somber 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 been through three different titles before finally reaching audiences. It started out as ‘Ghallughara’, a term rooted in history, referring to the Sikh massacres of 1746, 1762 and 1984. Late in 2022, RSVP put the film up for certification with India’s Central Board of Film Certification. 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 contest that decision. Around the same time, the film’s gala premiere slot at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival fell through, and it was withdrawn from the lineup.
Director on why the film is now called ‘Satluj’
As reported in Variety India, Trehan said, “We could not get the previous title of the film. The title is now ‘Satluj,’. This is the complete film, without any cuts or compromises, in its original form as we always intended. It wouldn’t have been possible without Diljit paji and our producers and their will to stand for its integrity. As both Diljit paji and I had previously said, we would not endorse a compromised version of the film.”
Diljit Dosanjh on playing Khalra in ‘Satluj’
Dosanjh, who portrays Khalra, shared, “Bhai Jaswant Singh Khalra ji’s martyrdom and his contribution to humanity were the primary reasons I chose to be a part of this film. I felt a strong sense of responsibility towards the film and was committed to portraying such an inspiring character with truth, honesty, and utmost respect.”
‘Satluj’ team’s previous work
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 at Cannes, and ‘Milestone’, which played at Venice.