Art, books and cinema have been at the forefront when it comes to representing the voice of the people and setting the tone of socio-political mood throughout history. Therefore, artists, filmmakers, writers and thinkers have many a times faced the brunt of political force or been taken under the wing of political leaders, especially when the rulers are hell-bent on compliance or pushing a certain narrative. India is no exception.
Sponsoring and promoting films serving political interests and banning films with political undertones has become rather commonplace in India in recent times. The film – Satluj – that is already facing an uphill task before its release 3 July on an OTT platform – is a case in point. It has not been officially banned, but taken down from the streaming platform ZEE5 after years of battling certification hurdles. And that too, the ban is only effective in India, while it is being shown by the platform outside the country. The film, made by Honey Trehan starring Diljit Dosanjh, got its title changed thrice at the behest of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) which also reportedly recommended 127 scene cuts. It was at one time titled “Punjab ’95” and slated for a worldwide theatrical release on 7 February, 2025.
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However, it never got its theatrical release. The OTT platform started showing the movie without any cuts. When the film hit another roadblock 5 July, just 48 hours after its OTT release, the streaming platform announced that the movie, based on the life of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, had to be removed from its Indian catalogue, while continuing to remain available internationally on ZEE5 Global. In its statement it did not specify the reason for taking the film down from Indian audiences and merely said it was due to “current developments.”
However, it asserted that the platform is committed to exploring every appropriate avenue through due process to bring the film back to Indian audiences “at the earliest opportunity.” Before the film vanished from India for unknown reasons, like the real-life protagonist of the story and thousands of others whose mysterious disappearances propelled him to collect information about them, many viewers had already seen it. The OTT platform “thanked” these viewers “who chose to subscribe, watch and champion the film.” It has shown enough courage to say that it stands firmly by the film and the creative vision behind it. It believes, the statement further said, powerful storytelling has the ability to inspire, endure and leave a lasting impact. The movie is based on the life of Khalra, a bank employee, who investigated the alleged cremation of thousands of unidentified bodies in Punjab between 1984 and 1994. Tragically, he himself disappeared in 1995. His wife, who has seen the film, said it faithfully reflected reality.
In 2005, four Punjab Police personnel were convicted for Khalra’s abduction and murder and sentenced to seven years in prison. Two years later, the Punjab and Haryana High Court enhanced their sentences to life imprisonment. But the question the movie asks is whether such a large-scale cremation of unclaimed bodies could be done without connivance of the powers that be, while the motive is shrouded in mystery. The aim of the director can hardly be faulted as he explained at the time of the film’s release that the intention was to tell the story with honesty, sensitivity and without compromise. It was a labour of love, and it is not just the story of one individual, but a tribute to the strength of human spirit in the face of adversity. It may be noted that films released in cinemas in India must be certified by the CBFC under the Cinematograph Act, but those released directly on streaming platforms do not require its approval. These platforms are governed by the Information Technology Rules, 2021, which mandate age ratings, a code of ethics and a grievance mechanism, but do not exempt them from takedown orders. It is for this reason government pressure is suspected to have been brought to bear upon virtually banning the film for screening in the streaming platform in India. As the movie can be viewed outside the country, the government needs to clear the air as to why audiences within India are being denied the opportunity to see it.
One might remember how in recent past, films like The Kashmir Files and The Kerala Story with strong political overtones targeting Opposition parties were openly promoted by the government at Centre, including BJP ministers who even went to the lengths of organising private screenings. The recent hit film Dhurandhar and its sequel are alleged to be propaganda movies to bolster the image of the government at Centre. While political parties continue to use the creative medium to push their narrative and propaganda, the film fraternity needs to decide whether it should stand together or completely lose control over its own productions and risk losing audience trust in the process of bending over backwards for political powers.
