How much did Diljit Dosanjh charge for Satluj? Honey Trehan's revelation is winning hearts online

Punjabi singer-actor Diljit Dosanjh's long-delayed biographical drama Punjab 95, which was later retitled Satluj, has once again become a talking point following its brief availability on ZEE5.

This time, however, the spotlight is on Diljit Dosanjh's reported decision to forgo his remuneration for the project.

Speaking in an interview with film critic Sucharita Tyagi, director Honey Trehan shared an anecdote about the actor's commitment to portraying human rights activist Sardar Jaswant Singh Khalra, saying Diljit never discussed payment before agreeing to star in the film.

"Diljit Dosanjh never asked a single rupee to play this role. Haath jod kar he said, 'Waheguru ji.' He said, 'Paaji kab aana hai, kithe aana hai, tuhi bas das do, mein uthhe khada milunga,'" Trehan recalled.

The filmmaker's remarks have since circulated widely on social media, with many praising the actor's dedication to a film that has faced a long and uncertain release journey.

A Film Based On Sardar Jaswant Singh Khalra

Directed by Honey Trehan and produced by Ronnie Screwvala, Satluj features Diljit Dosanjh as Sardar Jaswant Singh Khalra, the human rights activist who investigated cases of enforced disappearances and alleged illegal cremations in Punjab during the 1990s.

Apart from Diljit, the film stars Arjun Rampal as Samudra Singh, Geetanjali Kulkarni as Paramjit Kaur Khalra, and Suvinder Vicky as Davinder Singh.

The biographical drama traces Khalra's pursuit of truth and justice, focusing on a chapter of Punjab's history that remains both significant and sensitive.

From Punjab 95 To Satluj

The film was originally announced as Punjab 95 and was expected to receive a worldwide release last year.

However, its release did not go as planned. Instead of opening globally, the film was released only in overseas markets in February 2026, while audiences in India continued to wait for its release.

The uncut version finally made its way to Indian audiences on July 3, 2026, when it premiered on ZEE5 under the new title, Satluj.

Removed Days After Digital Premiere

The film's arrival on the streaming platform was short-lived.

Despite generating interest among viewers, Satluj reportedly remained available on ZEE5 for only two days before it was taken down. While the streaming platform has not issued an official statement explaining the removal, reports attributed the decision to political reasons.

The takedown reignited discussions around the film, which has been surrounded by delays, a title change and release uncertainty for several years.

Against this backdrop, Honey Trehan's revelation that Diljit Dosanjh chose not to charge a fee for the role has added another layer to the conversation around Satluj, with the actor's commitment to the project drawing widespread attention online.

The matter found echo on social media.

Comedian Kunal Kamra was one of those who commented, tagging former CBFC chief Prasoon Joshi and saying Khaira had been abducted again, "this time by CBFC".

Filmmaker Onir questioned the film industry's silence on the film's removal from OTT.

"And once again the industry at large is silent about what should alarm us all and it affects us all. How can we surrender our right to tell stories... especially such powerful sensitive stories," Onir wrote.

Filmmaker Anurag Basu said on X that he never imagined that Trehan would face something similar to what Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi faced in his country.