The Punjabi feature, which has long struggled to secure a release, faced a protracted and difficult journey to reach audiences.
Originally titled externalGhallughara—an evocative Punjabi term tied to some of the darkest episodes in Sikh history—the project was renamed when regulatory objections arose.
The term refers to the massacres of Sikhs carried out by Mughal forces in 1746 and by Afghan ruler Ahmad Shah Durrani in 1762.
Director Honey Trehan explained that India’s Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) requested a title change during the certification process, but the board did not publicly reveal its reasoning.
The film was subsequently retitled Punjab ’95, a reference to the year Khalra disappeared.
It had been slated to premiere at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival, but production companies withdrew the submission while certification issues in India remained unresolved; the festival did not link the pull to the regulatory dispute.
Trehan told news website Scroll in 2025 that the CBFC’s list of required changes ballooned from 21 to 127 proposed cuts, which, if implemented, would have fundamentally altered the film’s narrative.
He also revealed that the board demanded a new title, removal of references to Khalra, and edits to scenes depicting police violence.
The CBFC also challenged some of the film’s factual claims, warning that the content could prompt law‑and‑order concerns in Punjab.
The filmmakers filed a petition in the Bombay High Court but later withdrew it after agreeing to the board’s repeated demands in the hope of securing certification, according to The Hindu.
These unresolved issues left the project in limbo for nearly three years.
Last week, makers announced that the film would bypass a theatrical release and debut directly on the streaming platform ZEE5 under the new title Satluj.
When Satluj appeared on ZEE5, Trehan noted the film had been released “without any cuts or compromises” in its originally intended form, though the title Punjab ’95 could not be retained.
Films shown in Indian cinemas must receive CBFC certification under the Cinematograph Act, whereas streaming releases are governed by the Information Technology Rules, 2021, which set age ratings and a grievance mechanism but do not exempt platforms from takedown orders under Indian law.
After the film was removed from the platform for Indian audiences, Trehan told The Indian Express, “I am at a loss right now. I don’t know how to react to this development.”
ZEE5 stated it remains committed to the film and its creative vision, adding that it hopes to make the movie available again soon, though no timeframe has been given.