Community screenings of the Indian film 'Satluj' are keeping alive a story that was once suppressed by Indian officials. The film, originally titled 'Punjab 95', was stalled for three years after India's censor board demanded more than 120 cuts. It tells the true tale of a human rights activist who investigated thousands of disappearances and extrajudicial killings during a government crackdown on a separatist insurgency in India's Punjab state in the 1980s and early 1990s. The screenings have transformed Sikh temple compounds and village halls into makeshift cinemas where audiences watch not just a film but a retelling of memories of one of India's bloodiest internal conflicts. The film draws on the life of rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, whose investigation into alleged extrajudicial killings exposed one of the darkest episodes of Punjab's insurgency. The conflict pitted Sikh militant groups seeking an independent Khalistan against Indian security forces and claimed thousands of civilian, militant and police lives. During the insurgency, rights groups documented allegations of enforced disappearances, custodial killings and secret cremations. Khalra’s investigation alleged that thousands of people who had disappeared were cremated anonymously by police without informing their families or maintaining official records. Khalra was abducted in 1995 and later killed. Several police officers were convicted in connection with his murder. Although the insurgency was crushed and support for Khalistan waned within Punjab, the Indian government continues to view separatist sentiment as a national security concern. It has not publicly explained why the film was removed, but officials told local media they ordered it taken down on security grounds. The public screenings take shape through grassroots cooperation. Residents arrange for projectors, audio speakers and power generators, Sikh temples and village community spaces become open-air theaters for an evening, and volunteers spread the word from one household to the next. Inderjeet Singh Bains, who helps coordinate screenings in Gurdaspur district, said the initiative aimed to create spaces where people can watch together and reflect on a period of Punjab’s history that continues to resonate across generations. When we screen the film, we see our elders and mothers, many of them 60 or 70 years old, crying because they have lost their sons. Our people have endured immense suffering, Bains said. Gurmukh Singh, who attended a screening, said the film gave voice to stories the young in Punjab had heard only in fragments. For families in his village, he said, the insurgency was not history but lived experience, with many losing loved ones in the violence. After watching the movie, there is a feeling of the grief our earlier generations had to bear, Singh said. The takedown of 'Satluj' has reopened a debate over artistic freedom in India, where films have increasingly run into censorship battles under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist government. Critics have said such cases have become more frequent and accuse Modi’s government of promoting films that align with its nationalist narrative. Everything happened right before our eyes, so what is there to oppose? The truth is coming to light, and people should be allowed to see it, said Balwinder Singh, a Sikh religious leader. The government says movie certification decisions are made independently under the law. In a statement, ZEE5 said the film would no longer be available for viewing in India "in light of current developments." It added that it would explore "every appropriate avenue through due process" to restore it. Audiences revisit painful memories. Diljit Dosanjh, the lead actor who plays Khalra, said he was unconcerned about whether the film remained online because once audiences had seen it, "it cannot be erased." That sentiment appears to be playing out in Punjab’s villages. Inside the temple compound in Gurdaspur, the audience watched scenes of police killings, crackdowns and families searching for answers. Afterwards, many lingered in conversation, comparing the film with the real-life memories they had carried for decades. Pawan Deep Kaur described the film as a heartbreaking portrayal of the suffering endured by the older generation. It made us cry endlessly, she said. The film has sparked a debate over artistic freedom in India, with many questioning the government's decision to censor it. Personally, I think that the film's removal is a concerning trend in India's censorship battles, and it highlights the ongoing tensions between artistic expression and government control. What makes this particularly fascinating is that the film's removal has led to a grassroots movement of community screenings, where people are coming together to watch and discuss the film. This raises a deeper question about the role of art in society and the power of storytelling to challenge authority. In my opinion, the film 'Satluj' is a powerful reminder of the importance of artistic freedom and the need to protect it. From my perspective, the community screenings are a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the power of collective action. One thing that immediately stands out is that the film's removal has sparked a debate over artistic freedom in India, and it has brought to light the ongoing tensions between the government and the people. What many people don't realize is that the film's removal is not just about censorship, but also about the government's attempt to control the narrative and shape public opinion. If you take a step back and think about it, the film's removal is a symptom of a larger issue in India, where the government is increasingly using censorship to suppress dissent and promote its nationalist agenda. This raises a deeper question about the role of the government in a democratic society and the importance of protecting free speech and artistic expression. A detail that I find especially interesting is that the film's removal has led to a grassroots movement of community screenings, where people are coming together to watch and discuss the film. What this really suggests is that the power of storytelling and collective action can challenge authority and bring about change. This is a powerful reminder of the importance of community and the role that art can play in bringing people together.
