"The Reality Is More Painful Than What We Have Depicted": Diljit Dosanjh On Satluj

Diljit Dosanjh has opened up about the emotional impact of working on Satluj, revealing that the film became one of the most demanding projeScts of his career. His remarks come shortly after the period drama was removed from ZEE5 India just two days after its digital release.

The film was released on July 3 without any promotional campaign and somehow managed to earn praise from critics and audiences alike. However, the film was unexpectedly taken down from the streaming platform in India.

Diljit's Experience While Working In The Film

Diljit reflected upon his experience on portraying human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra. In an interview, he told that preparing for the role was emotionally overwhelming for him. According to the actor, the extensive research involved reading official documents, testimonies and real-life accounts that deeply affected him.

"There are a lot of documents, real accounts, and testimonies that were so difficult even to read. Most of these real-life incidents were heart-wrenching. I was unable to process all of it. There were times during the research that I broke down because the reality was so strong and heavy," he said.

Diljit explained that the events depicted in the film only scratch the surface of what actually happened.

"The reality is more painful than what we have depicted. I was carrying that with me throughout. It's not a story of a single person but one about unprecedented courage in unimaginable circumstances. Jaswant Singh Khalra was aware of all the dangers. He knew that he and his family were at risk, and still he stood by his beliefs and the truth. That kind of courage is very rare, and you cannot approach it with anything but responsibility," he said.

The actor also revealed that the demanding shoot took a significant emotional and physical toll on everyone involved. He said that the weight of the subject matter, stayed even after the cameras stopped rolling.

"Emotionally and physically, it extracted everything out of all of us. There were long days, difficult conditions and intense scenes. But ultimately, it was the nature of the subject matter that really clung to me. I think this is perhaps the first film in my career which required me to recuperate after the shoot," he shared.

Diljit said he deliberately stepped away from work after filming wrapped. The emotions and mindset of the character lingered that made it difficult for him to disconnect from the role immediately.

"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.

About Satluj

Directed by Honey Trehan, Satluj is based on the life of renowned human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, whose work exposing alleged illegal killings and secret cremations in Punjab brought national attention to human rights concerns during the militancy era.

The film, originally titled Punjab '95, remained unreleased for almost four years due to certification hurdles with the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). It eventually premiered on ZEE5 after a prolonged clearance process, with Diljit Dosanjh earlier confirming that the version released on the platform was presented without any cuts.

Backed by RSVP and MacGuffin Pictures, Satluj features an ensemble cast including Diljit Dosanjh, Arjun Rampal, Kanwaljit Singh, Suvinder Vicky, and Geetika Vidya Ohlyan in pivotal roles.