Director Sanjay Gupta outraged by disappearance of 'Satluj' film rating from IMDb after removal from OTT platform

A serious dispute has arisen following the removal of the film 'Satluj' from the Zee5 platform. In addition to the film disappearing from the OTT catalog, its rating also vanished from the popular movie review site IMDb.

Disappearance of Rating on IMDb

Before 'Satluj' was taken down from Zee5, it was available for 48 hours and received high reviews and ratings. On the film's IMDb page, it held an impressive rating of 9.5 out of 10. This rating was visible until Tuesday, but users noticed that it disappeared from the film's page on Wednesday.

Sanjay Gupta's Reaction

Bollywood film director Sanjay Gupta, who previously worked on films such as 'Musafir' and 'Kaante', reacted very sharply to this situation. He shared a screenshot of the 'Satluj' film's IMDb page on social media X, where the rating was absent. In his post, Gupta wrote: 'Yesterday there was a 9.5 rating, today it is gone. This doesn't mean I have never considered IMDb ratings reliable, but it shows how fake they are.'

Co-author's Comments

The co-author of 'Satluj', Niren Bhatt, responded to the rating disappearance, stating that he does not know the reasons himself. In an interview with 'Hindustan Times', he reported: 'We didn't even know when the film was scheduled for release. We didn't know when it would be removed. And now the IMDb rating... We don't know who cared about this, what the problem was, or why. There was no communication.'

Communication Issues

Niren Bhatt had previously raised questions regarding the removal of 'Satluj'. In a conversation with Variety India, he expressed the opinion that someone in the system strongly dislikes this film. However, according to him, the biggest problem is the complete lack of dialogue. He noted: 'For years we have only seen silence and evasion. There is complete silence from the CBFC (Central Board of Film Certification). '

Niren continued that there is no information even on what exactly the problem is, which part of the film is objected to, or who is making the decision. He added: 'Zee5 continues to issue statements citing 'current events' but does not explain what these events are. If there is any problem, there should be communication. But how can you have a dialogue if your work is simply removed without explanation?'

www.aajtak.inJuly 8, 06:20

Actors and singers speak out against the ban of the film 'Satluj' due to controversial historical content

A growing debate continues surrounding the film 'Satluj' (formerly known as Punjab 95), starring Diljit Dosanjh. After the film was removed from the ZEE5 platform just 48 hours after its premiere on G5, many cultural figures have openly voiced their opinions on the matter.

Gul Panag's Stance

Actress Gul Panag raised questions regarding the film's removal, stating that India should not be afraid of difficult periods of its history. She emphasized that while films can be criticized and debated, a ban is never the solution. Gul shared her experience observing the period of terrorism in Punjab, mentioning instances of people being killed while descending from buses and the baseless harassment of youth.

In her view, it is precisely such experiences that lead her to believe that stories related to difficult chapters of history must be accessible to the general public. She clarified that cinema is not a history textbook but merely presents one point of view, and disagreement with it should lead to discussion, not prohibition. Furthermore, Gul Panag noted that Punjab has overcome separatism with great difficulty, and assuming that one film can bring back this ideology underestimates the strength of Punjab.

Support from Jasbir Jassi

For his part, Punjabi singer Jasbir Jassi highly praised the work of director Hani Trehan and actor Diljit Dosanjh, posting a video on Instagram. He called the creation of a film about such sensitive and humanitarian themes, like the history of Jaswant Singh Kalda, an act of great courage. Jassi noted that the film is currently being actively discussed everywhere, which was not the case with other old Punjabi films.

The singer congratulated Hani Trehan for raising an extremely important issue related to humanity and Punjab. Jasbir Jassi stated that people who follow the path of truth are obliged to present it to the public. He also commended Diljit Dosanjh for the bravery in tackling such a delicate subject.

Questions Regarding the Film Ban

Jasbir Jassi questioned the decision to ban and remove the film from ZEE5, asking himself: why was the film banned? He suggested that people are afraid of the truth. The singer stressed that speaking the truth is not easy, and accepting it is even harder. He urged those who constantly criticize Punjab to understand that this is not about politics, but about humanity. Jasbir Jassi reminded that people like Jaswant Singh Kalda sacrificed everything for humanity, and their stories must be known to the world.

He also mentioned that he is in America, and everywhere he goes, people talk about the film 'Satluj'. Jasbir Jassi added that his mentors always taught him to stand on the side of truth, and he wants to continue transmitting this message.

The Core of the Conflict Surrounding 'Satluj'

The story of 'Satluj' is inspired by the life of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Kalda. The film is based on events in Punjab in 1995 and sheds light on allegations that the Punjab police allegedly killed thousands of people and secretly conducted their burials. It is reported that before the theatrical release, the censorship board demanded 125 amendments, which the creators refused to accept, leading to the postponement of the film premiere. Three years later, the film was released on ZEE5 but was removed from the platform within two days, sparking active debates among members of the film industry.

www.aajtak.inJuly 6, 15:09

Ban on Diljit Dosanjh's film 'Satluj' sparks unrest in Punjab, uniting political forces

The film 'Satluj' by director Diljit Dosanjh, which was released on the streaming platform Zee5 just two days ago, was suddenly removed from the catalog in India. This incident has provoked a serious resonance in the political life of Punjab, leading major political parties and organizations in the state to condemn the removal of the film from online services.

Basis of the Film and Public Reaction

'Satluj' tells the story of Jaswant Singh Haldane, a human rights activist from Punjab. Haldane exposed numerous cases of illegal killings committed by the police during the period of extremism in Punjab, as well as cases of secret burial of bodies. Leaders express the opinion that the sudden disappearance of the film from OTT platforms is a direct infringement on freedom of expression and an attempt to conceal historical truths.

Demands of Political Parties

In response to the film's removal, leaders of all major political forces in Punjab demonstrated unity. Senior Congress leader Sukhpal Singh Kayra stated that this proves the continued functioning of a 'police state' in Punjab under the government of Bhawangat Mana. He emphasized that the film is based on factual information that the Supreme Court recognized as true when convicting police officers, and demanded that the Indian government immediately restore access to the film on Zee5.

Akali Dal President Sukhbir Singh Badal expressed surprise and regret over this decision. He wrote on social media X that a powerful film highlighting the painful history of Punjab and honoring the ultimate sacrifice of Jaswant Singh Haldane cannot be silenced. Badal called this not merely censorship, but an attack on memory, truth, and freedom of expression.

Positions of Other Political Figures

Diljit Singh Chima from Akali Dal called this step completely anti-democratic, arguing that 'Satluj' is dedicated to a human rights activist, not an extremist or Khalistani character, and that no criminal case was filed against Haldane. He demanded explanations from both the central and Punjab governments. Baltej Singh Pannu, spokesperson for Aam Aadmi Party Punjab, also qualified this as an encroachment on artistic freedom, accusing the central government of constant interference in the narrative related to Punjab's history and attempts to suppress regional voices.

Chairman of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee Harjinder Singh Dami noted that no bans can erase the truth about the atrocities committed against Sikhs, and that such historical facts should be discussed openly instead of being censored. Furthermore, Chairman of the Punjab BJP, Keval Dhillon, reported that his party is raising this issue with the central leadership.

Views of Lawyers and Former Officials

Navkiran Singh, a senior lawyer who was part of Jaswant Singh Haldane's human rights team, stated that the removal of 'Satluj' is absolutely unlawful. He confirmed that the facts presented in the film are entirely true, including records of cremation sites for 2097 bodies burned without identification. He added that stopping the film might harm the BJP in Punjab but would not contribute to the rise of a Khalistani atmosphere.

3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120} 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120} 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120} 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120} 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120} 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120} 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120} 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120} 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120} 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120} 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48

www.aajtak.inJuly 6, 14:20

After the leak of the film 'Satluj', ZEE5 appealed to viewers, while Diljit Dosanjh urged sharing the movie

The film 'Satluj', which was released on the ZEE5 India platform just two days ago, has been removed from the service. However, users have not stopped watching, and complete pirated copies of the movie have appeared on social media.

Positions of ZEE5 and the actor

In this regard, ZEE5 appealed to its audience, asking them not to support piracy and to try to get the film back. Meanwhile, the lead actor Diljit Dosanjh took a different stance, urging people to share the film with others.

ZEE5's reaction to piracy

Following the distribution of pirated versions of 'Satluj' on social networks, including X (formerly Twitter), ZEE5 published an official statement on Monday, July 6th. Users actively distributed downloaded versions, while others demanded links and various file formats in the comments. The platform asked viewers to refrain from watching or sharing pirated copies, stating: 'We hope and are making every possible effort. Please do not support piracy. We are striving to find all possible ways to bring 'Satluj' back to you.'

ZEE5 also shared a poster with the message: 'We are trying to bring 'Satluj' back from our side. Please try to do so too, without supporting piracy.'

Diljit Dosanjh's appeal

ZEE5's statement came several hours after Diljit Dosanjh appeared live on Instagram. During the broadcast, he expressed relief that the film eventually reached the viewers, even if only for a short time. He noted his joy that many had already watched and downloaded the movie.

Dosanjh emphasized that completely deleting anything from the internet is practically impossible. He stated that the film now belongs to the viewers. 'So I am very happy that the film is finally with you. Now it is your film, it cannot be stopped. It is a people's film, you cannot stop it,' he said. He also suggested that those behind this might be naive or uninformed, believing that any content that appears online can simply be deleted.

'Satluj' and its plot

It should be noted that 'Satluj' began streaming on ZEE5 India on July 3rd but was removed just two days later. The version released on the platform was complete and approved by Jaswant Singh Haldy's family.

The film 'Satluj' is directed by Hani Trehan and is based on the life of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Haldy. It tells the story of Haldy's struggle during the period of extremism in Punjab in the 1980s and 1990s, when thousands of young Sikhs went missing. By checking cemetery records across the state, Haldy discovered evidence of illegal burials and fake shootouts, drawing global attention to the issue. In addition to Diljit Dosanjh, Arjun Rampal, Kanwaljit Singh, Suvinder Vicky, Hittika Vidya Olyaan, and Varun Badola also starred in the film.

Similar stories

Popular