New Delhi: Senior IPS officer from Odisha Arun Bothra, who worked in Punjab as a journalist during the height of militancy and later headed the Punjab Cell in the CBI, has expressed strong reservations about the movie ‘Satluj’, starring Diljit Dosanjh as human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra.
In a detailed statement shared on social media, Bothra highlighted his perspective shaped by firsthand experience. “I worked in Punjab as a journalist during the peak of militancy. Later in my career, I headed the Punjab Cell in the CBI, which had, in its past, investigated cases of fake encounters as well as the assassination of Sardar Beant Singh,” he wrote.
Bothra noted that these roles allowed him to witness “both sides of that tragic period,” emphasising the need for any honest account to acknowledge the full complexity. His primary concern with ‘Satluj’, he said, lies not in what the film depicts but in what it deliberately omits. “It tells only half the truth; the other half is left unsaid, deliberately, and with a purpose.”
The officer specifically criticised the film for decontextualising Jaswant Singh Khalra and the human rights issues from the broader backdrop of the Pakistan-backed Khalistani insurgency. “This omission is neither an innocent creative choice nor an inadvertent one. And, in my view, the intent behind such a selective portrayal should matter to every Indian,” he added.
Context of the Controversy
Satluj, directed by Honey Trehan, is inspired by the life of Jaswant Singh Khalra, a human rights activist who investigated alleged extrajudicial killings and secret cremations in Punjab during the 1990s insurgency period. The film faced prolonged battles with the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), reportedly requiring significant changes and title adjustments before its limited ‘surprise’ OTT release on ZEE5. Diljit Dosanjh said on Instagram Live that the film’s team opted against promotions because they feared the release would be delayed if they promoted or publicised it.
The film, however, was removed from the OTT platform two days after its release over security concerns under the IT Rules.
Supporters of the film argue it highlights state excesses and human rights violations, while critics contend it glosses over the brutal realities of Khalistani terrorism, including widespread violence, assassinations, and foreign backing that claimed thousands of lives.
