"If the film had been banned from the very beginning, perhaps not as many people would have watched it," says Gagan, a young resident of a remote village in Punjab's Fazilka district, located just a few kilometres from the international border. "Many people weren't even aware of it earlier. But now, everyone is talking about it."
He is referring to Satluj (originally titled Punjab '95), the much-debated film starring Diljit Dosanjh. Directed by Honey Trehan, the biographical drama is based on the life of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, who exposed evidence of thousands of alleged illegal cremations and enforced disappearances during Punjab's insurgency period between 1984 and 1994.
After remaining stalled for years over disagreements with the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), which reportedly sought 127 cuts, the filmmakers bypassed theatrical certification by releasing the film directly on ZEE5 on July 3, 2026. Within two days, the Central government ordered its removal from the platform in India, citing security concerns under the Information Technology Rules, 2021.
Rather than diminishing interest, the ban appears to have fuelled public curiosity. With the film no longer officially available in India, informal screenings have begun taking place across parts of rural Punjab, where villagers are organising community viewings using independently shared digital copies.
An Underground Viewing Network
In a village community space in Fazilka, hundreds of people gathered to watch the film projected onto a wall. The screening was organised by local youth using a projector and basic equipment arranged through personal contributions.
Explaining how they obtained the film, one organiser, Kuldeep, said, "Someone shared it with us through iCloud, and we transferred it to a pen drive. There are other digital channels through which it is also being circulated."
According to organisers, the screenings have spread through word of mouth and peer-to-peer sharing rather than any organised distribution network.
A small group of young villagers pooled their own resources to arrange the screening, which attracted nearly 500 attendees from different age groups.
"Yesterday alone, I received around 50 messages and several calls from neighbouring villages asking how they could screen the movie," said youth coordinator Gurpreet. "It is spreading quickly. Now, it's not going to stop."
Revisiting a Difficult Chapter
For many older residents, the film has revived memories of a period marked by violence and loss. Younger viewers, meanwhile, describe it as an opportunity to learn about a chapter of Punjab's history that they know largely through family accounts.
"Our grandfather lived through that period himself," Kuldeep said. "Watching the film brought back those memories. As the scenes unfolded, it felt as though that entire chapter of his life returned. The grief of that time has never completely disappeared for many elders."
The film focuses on allegations of enforced disappearances and illegal cremations during the counter-insurgency operations carried out in Punjab, portraying the experiences of families affected by the violence.
The period remains one of the most contentious chapters in the state's history. During the insurgency, Punjab witnessed violence by militant groups as well as extensive counter-insurgency operations by security forces. Human rights organisations have long documented allegations of custodial killings, torture, and enforced disappearances, while the government has maintained that the operations were necessary to combat armed militancy.
Jaswant Singh Khalra became internationally known for documenting alleged illegal cremations before he was abducted and killed in 1995.
Diverging Views Among the Youth
Discussions around the film have also highlighted differing interpretations of Punjab's insurgency among younger generations.
Some of the organisers questioned the use of the term "militant" for members of the Khalistan movement, arguing that many believed they were fighting for what they considered their rights, while acknowledging that only some individuals engaged in militant activities.
Several participants also said they had developed an interest in Sikh history after the rise of jailed MP and separatist preacher Amritpal Singh.
"After Amritpal Singh emerged, many young people here became interested in learning more about our history," one organiser said. "That's why we organise these screenings. We want to understand our past."
Political Reactions
The controversy surrounding Satluj has quickly become a political issue in Punjab, with opposition parties criticising the government's decision to remove the film from domestic streaming platforms.
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has announced plans to organise screenings across villages in the state. Senior party leader Parambans Singh Romana said party workers would take the film to villages and hold community screenings, turning what began as local initiatives into a broader campaign.
Despite the ban within India, organisers point out that the film remains available on ZEE5 Global outside the country.
As the screening in Fazilka ended and villagers dispersed into the night, Gagan summed up the mood among many attendees.
"They can remove it from the apps," he said, "but this is not going to stop now."
