Diljit Dosanjh's Satluj is being downloaded, shared on WhatsApp and watched in the US after India removal, claims Jasbir Jassi

Diljit Dosanjh's Satluj has found an audience overseas despite being taken down from ZEE5 in India. Punjabi singer Jasbir Jassi has claimed that the film is still being watched in the United States and other countries, adding that it has also been downloaded and shared extensively on WhatsApp.Speaking to NDTV, Jassi said the film remains available to viewers outside India despite its removal from the streaming platform in the country.He said, "People in America can watch it, and so can viewers in the rest of the world. I'll also tell you that people have shared it on WhatsApp so extensively and downloaded it so many times that I don't think any film has ever appeared on people's WhatsApp 10, 12, or even 15 times."Jassi also questioned the decision to remove the film in India, saying he did not believe its content warranted such action."I don't understand why it was banned. There was nothing in the film that warranted a ban. If any government, agency, or police department believes it portrays the police as helpless, then I would say it is not about helplessness, but about incompetence and serious misconduct," he said.

Film remains at the centre of controversy

Originally titled Punjab 95, Satluj is based on the life of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra and has remained at the centre of controversy for several years.

The film was submitted to the Central Board of Film Certification in 2022 but remained in the certification process for nearly three years. Director Honey Trehan had earlier alleged that the CBFC sought 127 cuts before granting certification.The film was also scheduled to premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2023, but the screening was cancelled after objections were reportedly raised by Indian authorities.Satluj was released on ZEE5 on July 3, starring Diljit Dosanjh, Kanwaljeet Singh, Arjun Rampal, Suvinder Vicky and Geetika Vidya Ohlyan. It was later taken down from the platform in India, though Jassi claimed it is still reaching audiences overseas.