Why is India blocking film on a man who counted Punjab insurgency killings?
The Indian government has blocked the release of the film 'Satluj', a biopic about human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, citing security concerns. The film documents extrajudicial killings during the Punjab insurgency in the 1980s and 90s.
Why it matters
The case raises significant questions about censorship, historical accountability, and the balance between national security and freedom of expression in India.
Satluj, based on the life and murder of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, is still finding its audience despite the government ban.
x whatsapp-stroke copylink google Add Al Jazeera on Google info People watch a special screening of Satluj at a Sikh temple at Tatley village, in Punjab's Gurdaspur district, India, July 8, 2026 [Prabhjot Gill/AP] By Yashraj Sharma Published On 14 Jul 2026 14 Jul 2026 Indian authorities are investigating whether a film based on a separatist insurgency in India’s Punjab state in the 1980s and early 1990s is fit for viewers.
Satluj, as the film is titled after a river in Punjab, claims to tell the true story of Jaswant Singh Khalra, a human rights activist who was tortured and killed by the police in 1995 for investigating thousands of disappearances and extrajudicial killings during a brutal government crackdown on the separatist movement.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in