Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh): Actor Neeru Bajwa has joined the growing chorus of Punjabi artists expressing concern over the removal of Satluj from streaming in India. Without naming any authority responsible for the decision, the actress said she was saddened that the film was taken down before she even had the opportunity to watch it.
Taking to Instagram Stories, Neeru described the move as unfair and said it had left her feeling disappointed as someone who takes pride in her Punjabi roots. She also stressed that films reflecting the community’s history and identity deserve a platform rather than being restricted.
In her Instagram post, Neeru wrote:
“Before I could watch Satluj it was taken off, I can’t wrap my head around this! Why? Why was it taken off. This truly makes me feel, things are unfair.
As a proud Punjabi, I feel deeply betrayed and disappointed that Satluj was taken off. Stories that reflect our culture and identity deserve to be seen, not silenced. This decision feels unjust and heartbreaking for our community.”
The actress’ remarks come at a time when the film’s removal has sparked widespread debate across social media, with several members of the Punjabi entertainment industry questioning why the project was withdrawn.
Neeru’s message is being viewed as a show of support for actor Diljit Dosanjh and the entire Satluj team, who have been at the centre of the controversy since the film became unavailable for viewers in India. Diljit had earlier reacted by suggesting that the situation echoed the struggles faced by the film’s subject, Jaswant Singh Khalra, whose work focused on exposing human rights violations.
Streaming platform ZEE5, which had premiered the film, announced that Satluj had been removed from its Indian catalogue until further notice. The platform, however, maintained that it supports the film and its makers and is exploring all legal and procedural options to make it available again for audiences in the country.
Released on July 3, Satluj is inspired by the life of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra and features Diljit Dosanjh in the lead role, alongside Kanwaljeet Singh, Arjun Rampal and Suvinder Vicky. The controversy surrounding its withdrawal has triggered a wider conversation on artistic expression and the representation of regional history in cinema.
