Satluj OTT removal: BJP breaks silence, RP Singh says film was taken down over 'lack of CBFC clearance'
PTC Web Desk: In the first official political reaction since the removal of Satluj from OTT platform Zee5, BJP national spokesperson RP Singh said the film was taken down because it had not received clearance from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), adding that a review committee will now examine the matter.
Responding to questions over the controversy, RP Singh said the film was being streamed despite not having CBFC approval.
"The movie had not been cleared by the censor board, yet it was running on the OTT. This is why the government banned it. Our Punjab BJP President Kewal Singh Dhillon appealed for this to the Government of India, and a review committee will be made on this, which will be followed by a verdict on the matter," he said.
The statement marks the BJP's first public response after Satluj was removed from Zee5 just three days after its release in India.
The controversy erupted after Satluj, originally titled Panjab 95, was quietly released on Zee5 on Friday before disappearing from the platform on Sunday evening.
According to information, the filmmakers had applied for CBFC certification in 2022 under the title Panjab 95. The CBFC reportedly suggested 127 cuts, but the filmmakers did not accept the changes, resulting in the theatrical certification being withheld.
Although OTT platforms are not directly regulated by the CBFC, the government directed Zee5 to remove the film under the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, citing security concerns and compliance obligations.
Directed by Honey Trehan, Satluj is based on the life of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, who documented the alleged secret cremations of thousands of unidentified bodies in Punjab between 1984 and 1994.
Khalra was abducted in 1995, and in 2005, four Punjab Police personnel were convicted for his abduction and murder and sentenced to life imprisonment.
The film stars Diljit Dosanjh in the lead role, alongside Arjun Rampal, Suvinder Vicky and Geetika Vidya Ohlyan.
Reacting to the removal during an Instagram Live session from the United States, Diljit Dosanjh said he had anticipated such a move.
The actor said he had expected the film to be taken down after government offices reopened on Monday but was surprised that it happened on Sunday evening itself. He added that the team deliberately avoided promotions and was satisfied that the film had reached audiences before its removal.
Meanwhile, Zee5 has said it is exploring all possible legal and regulatory options to restore the film in India while urging viewers not to support piracy.
Although unavailable in India, Satluj continues to stream on Zee5 in several international markets.
- PTC NEWS
