Mumbai, July 12, 2026
Filmmaker and actor Shashi Ranjan has shared his thoughts on the film ‘Satluj’ and its removal from the OTT platform.
Praising the film’s storytelling and emotional depth, he described it as one of the finest films he has watched in recent years. In an exclusive interview with IANS, he highlighted its impactful narrative and powerful performances. Reacting to the film’s OTT removal, Shashi Ranjan expressed his opinion against banning films based on historical subjects, stating that such restrictions often create more curiosity among audiences.
He added that presenting history through cinema does not mislead today’s educated youth and hoped that the film would soon return to a digital platform.
Shashi Ranjan stated, “After a long time, I watched a film that left me with a threefold reaction. Firstly, I became extremely emotional after watching the film. Secondly, the story and the way it has been made completely took me by surprise. After so many years, I came across a film with such a beautiful narrative and such powerful emotions. Among all the films that have released in the past several years, this is one of the finest films I have seen.”
“I believe that banning any kind of film does not serve any purpose; instead, it causes more harm. When a film is banned, it creates curiosity among people about why it was prohibited. I do not believe that showing history to today’s youth will lead them in the wrong direction. I strongly disagree with that notion. There have been many films that have highlighted the darker chapters of history. I do not think educated young audiences today will be distracted after watching such a film. I feel it is unfortunate that the film has been removed from OTT platforms, and I hope it returns soon,” added Shashi Ranjan.
Diljit Dosanjh’s film ‘Satluj’ (formerly titled Punjab ’95) was taken down from the ZEE5 streaming platform in India within 48 hours of its release. The sudden removal came amid concerns raised by government authorities over the film’s portrayal of alleged police excesses during the 1990s in Punjab.
“Satluj” was leaked online just hours after it was removed from the ZEE5 streaming platform.(Agency)
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