India bans film Satluj about activist Jaswant Singh Khalra

A documentary titled *Satluj*, which chronicles the life and 1995 murder of human‑rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, continues to attract viewers despite an official ban imposed by Indian authorities. Khalra, a former police officer turned advocate, exposed the illegal detention and disappearance of thousands of Sikhs during the 1980s insurgency, leading to his abduction and death at the hands of security forces. The film, directed by independent filmmaker Amrit Singh, was completed in early 2024 and initially slated for theatrical release before the ban was enforced on grounds of “sensitive content” and alleged defamation of state institutions.

Since the prohibition, *Satluj* has been circulated through underground screenings, online peer‑to‑peer platforms and select international film festivals, where it has garnered attention for its investigative depth and personal testimonies from Khalra’s family and former colleagues. Legal challenges filed by the producers argue that the ban violates freedom of expression, while officials maintain that the documentary could inflame communal tensions. Audience numbers, though unverified, suggest a growing interest in the case, reflecting broader public demand for accountability regarding past human‑rights violations. The film’s persistence underscores ongoing debates over censorship, historical memory and the role of documentary cinema in confronting contested narratives.