Community screenings help a movie set during an Indian insurgency bypass censorship
Summary
A movie called "Satluj" about a human rights activist’s investigation into violence during the 1980s and 1990s insurgency in Punjab, India, was blocked by government censors and removed from an online streaming site. Local communities in Punjab have organized their own screenings of the film in village temples and halls to share the story that government officials tried to suppress.Key Facts
- "Satluj" tells the true story of Jaswant Singh Khalra, a human rights activist who exposed illegal killings during Punjab’s insurgency.
- The insurgency involved Sikh militants fighting for independence and Indian security forces, causing many deaths.
- Khalra uncovered cases where police allegedly killed and secretly cremated thousands of disappeared people without telling families.
- Khalra himself was abducted and killed in 1995; some police officers were later convicted for his murder.
- The Indian censor board demanded over 120 cuts to the movie, delaying its release for three years.
- After finally releasing on the ZEE5 streaming platform, the film was removed from India two days later without official explanation.
- In response, Sikh groups and villagers have been holding community screenings of the film using online copies in Punjab.
- These screenings happen in Sikh temples and village halls, serving as a way to remember and discuss this period.
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