Diljit Dosanjh's Satluj row deepens; petition filed to stop illegal screenings after Zee5 takedown

A petition has been filed before the Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking action against the alleged illegal public screenings of Honey Trehan's film Satluj, starring Diljit Dosanjh. The move comes days after the film was removed from Zee5 shortly after its release, with reports claiming that it has since been screened at multiple locations in Punjab and Jammu without authorisation.

Advocate Vineet Jindal, who filed the petition, shared a copy of the plea on his X account. In his post, he stated, "By this Letter petition before the Hon’ble Chief Justice of the Punjab & Haryana High Court, I am seeking appropriate action against individuals, religious organisations, and political parties involved in organising illegal public screenings of the film. Such screenings are allegedly being used to promote violence and spread hatred against a community as well as the security agencies."

He further claimed that the screenings could disturb law and order in the state. "These illegal acts pose a serious threat to peace, public order, and communal harmony in the State of Punjab. I have, therefore, sought appropriate directions to prevent such unlawful screenings and to ensure that those responsible are proceeded against in accordance with law," he added.

In a separate video, the advocate argued that screening a film without the required legal clearance is unlawful. He also urged the High Court and the police authorities to register FIRs and take action against those organising such screenings.

Satluj, earlier titled Punjab '95, was released on Zee5 on July 3 but was removed from the streaming platform within days. Responding to the development, Zee5 issued a statement saying, "In light of the current developments, Satluj will be unavailable in India until further notice. We remain committed to exploring every appropriate avenue through due process to bring the film back to our audiences at the earliest opportunity. Our commitment to creators and to stories told with conviction, artistic integrity and purpose remains unwavering."

The platform also appealed to viewers not to stream or screen the film through unauthorised means while efforts continue to restore it legally. Director Honey Trehan later confirmed that the film has also been taken down from international streaming. Satluj is based on the life and death of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra.