Zee5 ‘exploring every possible avenue’ to bring Satluj back, urges users not to ‘support piracy’

Zee5 said it is “exploring every possible avenue” to bring Diljit Dosanjh's Satluj back to their streaming platform, and has urged viewers not to support piracy.

The movie, originally titled Punjab '95, was removed from Zee5 for Indian viewers just two days after its July 3 release.

They had cited ‘developments’ as the reason for removing the movie. “In light of the current developments, Satluj will be unavailable in India until further notice,” Zee5 said.

‘Doing everything we can’

On Monday, the streaming platform issued another statement saying that Zee5 is “doing everything” it can to bring the movie back.

“We are hopeful and doing everything we can. Please do not support piracy. We remain committed to exploring every possible avenue to bring Satluj back to you,” they said.

‘Stand firmly by Satluj’

Ever since the movie was removed from Zee5, the streaming platform has issued several official statements stating that it continues to stand by Satluj and the team behind it.

“At Zee 5, We Stand Firmly By Satluj And The Creative Vision Behind It. We Believe Powerful Storytelling Has The Ability To Inspire, Endure And Leave A Lasting Impact. We Remain Committed To Championing Authentic And Meaningful Narratives,” a statement read.

What is the movie about?

In the movie, Diljit Dosanjh essays the role of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, who investigated the cremation of thousands of unidentified bodies in Punjab during a 10-year period from 1984 to 1994, before disappearing in 1995.

In 2005, four Punjab Police personnel were convicted for his abduction and murder and sentenced to seven years in prison. Two years later, the Punjab and Haryana High Court enhanced their sentence to life imprisonment.

The film is produced by Trehan, Abhishek Chaubey and Ronnie Screwvala, under the banners MacGuffin Pictures and RSVP. It also features Arjun Rampal, Kanwaljit Singh, Suvinder Vicky and Geetika Vidya Ohlyan in key roles.

According to the makers, the film explores the emotional and human cost borne by families searching for missing loved ones, while examining themes of power, accountability and resilience.

In 2023, the movie was scheduled to have its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) but was removed from the line-up without any official statement from the organisers.

Punjab '95 had run into trouble with the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), which had reportedly asked for an unprecedented 127 cuts. The delay in getting a clearance from the censor board forced the makers to postpone planned releases.

With its earlier title of "Punjab '95", the movie was slated for a worldwide release on 7 February 2025, without any cuts, except in India. But that release did not happen either.

Honey Trehan had told Variety that Satluj was available on ZEE5 in its original form without "any cuts or compromises". "This is the complete film," he said.