Who was Jaswant Singh Khalra? The human rights activist who inspired Diljit Dosanjh’s movie Satluj, which has been removed from Zee5 just days after release in India

Actor-singer Diljit Dosanjh has once again found himself at the center of a major discussion after his film Satluj was removed from streaming platform Zee5 in India just days after its release. The movie is based on the life of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra.

ALSO READ: Weather Today and Tomorrow (July 6-7)

The film, which also stars Arjun Rampal, had already faced a long battle over certification issues before arriving on OTT. Reports suggested that the project encountered objections from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), with filmmakers allegedly being asked to make more than 120 cuts. Now, the movie's sudden unavailability has renewed public interest in the remarkable and tragic story of Jaswant Singh Khalra at its center.


ALSO READ: 'We are scrapping sick leave by phone,' says Germany Chancellor Friedrich Merz

Who was Jaswant Singh Khalra?

Jaswant Singh Khalra was born in 1952 in Khalra village in Punjab's Amritsar district. Before becoming widely known as a human rights defender, he worked as a bank employee in Amritsar.

During the late 1980s and early 1990s, Punjab witnessed intense militancy and counter-insurgency operations. Amid reports of disappearances and alleged extrajudicial killings, Khalra began investigating the fate of missing individuals after seeing that many of his friends and colleagues had gone missing. What started as a search for answers soon turned into one of the most significant human rights investigations in modern Indian history.

The investigation that shocked the nation

While researching cases of missing people, Jaswant Singh Khalra reportedly examined records maintained by municipal authorities in Amritsar. His findings suggested that thousands of unidentified bodies had been cremated without proper identification or notification to families.

According to accounts widely cited in reports and legal proceedings, the records contained names, addresses and details linked to individuals who had allegedly disappeared after being taken into custody.

His work brought international attention to allegations of human rights violations in Punjab and made him a prominent voice demanding accountability.

Jaswant Singh Khalra's disappearance

In 1995, Jaswant Singh was last seen washing his car in front of his house when he himself disappeared. Punjab Police denied that they arrested him, and claimed they knew nothing about his whereabouts.

In 1996, the Central Bureau of Investigation found evidence that he was held at a police station in Tarn Taran and recommended the prosecution of nine Punjab police officials for his murder and kidnapping.

The court verdict

The case eventually resulted in convictions of police personnel linked to the crime. In 2007, the Punjab and Haryana High Court upheld and strengthened punishments against several convicted officials, extending life imprisonment to four of the accused. The judgment was widely seen as a landmark moment in the long quest for justice in the Khalra case.

Why is Jaswant Singh Khalra remembered today?

For many, Jaswant Singh Khalra symbolizes courage in the face of danger. His efforts to uncover the truth about disappeared individuals earned him recognition far beyond Punjab.

Among Sikhs, he is often remembered as "Shaheed" (martyr) Jaswant Singh Khalra for the sacrifices he made while pursuing justice. His wife, Paramjit Kaur Khalra, has continued to advocate for accountability and the rights of families searching for answers about missing loved ones.

How Satluj brings his story to a new generation

With Diljit Dosanjh portraying a character inspired by Khalra's life, Satluj seeks to introduce younger audiences to a chapter of history that remains deeply emotional and politically sensitive.

The film's certification controversies, OTT release, and subsequent removal have only increased curiosity about the man whose story inspired it. Th renewed attention has once again highlighted the legacy of Jaswant Singh Khalra—a man whose pursuit of truth continues to be remembered more than three decades after his death.

Why is Satluj making headlines?

Satluj is based on the life and work of Jaswant Singh Khalra, a human rights activist from Punjab who exposed alleged illegal killings and secret cremations during one of the most turbulent periods in the state's history.

Following the film's removal from OTT in India, Diljit Dosanjh reacted strongly on social media. Sharing his thoughts, the actor wrote:

"I challenge the darkness. Shaheed Jaswant Singh Khalra Ji ���� #Panjab95 SATLUJ Naal V Oh Hee Hoyea Jo Khalra Saab Naal Hoyea"

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by DILJIT DOSANJH (@diljitdosanjh)

Why was Satluj taken down from Zee5?

The streaming platform Zee5 addressed the film's removal through a social media statement. The platform said, "At Zee 5, we stand firmly by Satluj and the creative vision behind it. We believe powerful storytelling has the ability to inspire, endure and leave a lasting impact. We remain committed to championing authentic and meaningful narratives.”

Without stating why the film is unavailable to stream in India, they added, “In light of the current developments, Satluj will be unavailable in India until further notice. We remain committed to exploring every appropriate avenue through due process to bring the film back to our audiences at the earliest opportunity.” They ended the note with, “Our commitment to creators and to stories told with conviction, artistic integrity and purpose remains unwavering.” The caption of the post read, "Satluj may have paused. But the conversation it started hasn’t. Thank you for the incredible love. We hope to bring it back soon."

In a recent interview, Diljit Dosanjh opened up about the challenges he faced while working on Satluj, describing it as one of the most demanding projects of his career. Speaking to Variety India, he said, “It’s honestly one of the hardest films I have ever made in my career. Emotionally and physically, it extracted everything out of all of us. There were the long days, difficult conditions and intense scenes. But ultimately, it was the nature of the subject matter which really clung on to me. I think this is perhaps the first film in my career which required me to recuperate after the shoot.”

The actor also revealed that portraying Jaswant Singh Khalra left a lasting impact on him even after filming ended. “Once a film is wrapped, I quickly move on as I don’t enjoy taking a break. However, after this film, I had to take a week off to process everything that I went through portraying Jaswant Singh Khalra. The scenes, the emotions, and the aspects of the character lingered on, so it took time for me to pull away from that,” he added.