Community Screenings of 'Satluj' Spread in Punjab After Platform Removal

Villagers in India's Punjab state have begun organizing public screenings of the film "Satluj" after it was removed from the ZEE5 streaming platform. The movie portrays the work of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, who documented alleged disappearances and extrajudicial killings during the government's crackdown on a Sikh separatist insurgency in the 1980s and early 1990s.

Khalra was abducted in 1995 and later killed; several police officers were convicted in connection with his murder.

Originally titled "Punjab 95," the film faced three years of delays after India's censor board requested more than 120 cuts. It was released on ZEE5 last week but taken down in India two days later. In response, Sikh organizations, local activists, and residents have circulated copies online and arranged community screenings at Sikh temples and village halls.

8, 2026, residents gathered at a Sikh temple in Tatley village in Gurdaspur district to watch the film. Inderjeet Singh Bains, who coordinated one screening, spoke to The Associated Press at the site. Elderly survivors of the insurgency sat with younger viewers born after the conflict ended.

The film has drawn attention to the period when rights groups documented allegations of enforced disappearances, custodial killings, and secret cremations. The insurgency pitted Sikh militant groups seeking an independent Khalistan against Indian security forces and resulted in thousands of deaths among civilians, militants, and police.