Indian Government Panel Upholds Ban on Film Satluj

An Inter-Departmental Committee (IDC) under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has recommended that the ban on the film Satluj remain in place. The panel asserts that the movie threatens national security and India's sovereignty by presenting an unbalanced view of Punjab's militancy years. Specifically, the IDC contends the narrative "whitewashes the acts of the militants" and depicts the assassination of a Chief Minister as a retaliatory act rather than a terrorist act linked to the Khalistani movement.

The film, which stars Diljit Dosanjh and depicts human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, has a history of regulatory conflict. In 2023, the Central Board of Film Certification denied approval and demanded 127 cuts. Following the filmmakers' decision to drop a court case against the board in July 2025, the movie was released on the streaming platform ZEE5 on July 5, 2026. Two days later, the Publications Division invoked Section 69A of the IT Act to block the content.

The IDC has since met with producers and ZEE5 to investigate how a red-flagged film was permitted to stream and recommended that pirated versions be removed online. The decision has triggered political tension in Punjab, where the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee has demanded the ban be lifted and the Shiromani Akali Dal has announced plans to screen the film throughout the state.