When a film struggles for years to get clearance from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), with demands of allegedly cutting down over 120 scenes, finally gets a release on OTT, only to be pulled down in a couple of days, it says a lot. Director Honey Trehan, actor Diljit Dosanjh and the team of makers firmly stood by their project and refused to bow down by making the cuts, and Satluj (previously named Punjab 95) justifies why.
The film starts with a bunch of police officers casually driving through the dark fields of Punjab, drinking and joking about marriage, promotions, etc., before they kill a couple of alleged ‘militants’ just as casually and move on. The story then moves forward to a series of similar killings by the police, the very people entrusted with the power to maintain law, and expected to be trusted by the public as their protectors. It sends chills down the spine knowing that the film is actually based on true events.
After witnessing the murder of his friend and later the murder of the same friend’s mother, a banker, Jaswant Singh Khalra (Diljit Dosanjh) takes it upon himself to bring justice to the thousands of families who eagerly wait in hope for the return of their missing loved ones. Interestingly, it is the story of social activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, who risked and sacrificed his life to uncover the secrets behind the state-sanctioned extrajudicial cremations.
Khalra begins digging deeper through the dusty government records of woods supplied for cremation and the crematoriums. He obtains a list of 25,000 unclaimed bodies from just three districts that were laid to rest as ‘orphans’ while their families await.
Armed with his research, he appeals against the deaths which were a result of of fake encounters and custodial brutality. Here, the film cleverly does not associate itself with proving if the deaths were just or unjust. Khalra only wants the mortal remains to be handed over to their respective families. He does not question the Punjab Police for killing the people; he just asks for accountabilty over not letting their families know about their deaths. It also highlights how the few innocent, helpless policemen involved were caught and forced in the web.
The story gets darker as more and more truths are uncovered about how the people were killed and their bodies disposed. Jaswant, who is well aware of the dangers he is inviting by going against the police, treats it as his personal battle, showing unwavering dedication to his cause, even spreading awareness globally. At the other end of the story are police officers SSP Sugga (Suvinder Vicky), backed by DGP Inderpal Singh Bitta, who are unapologetically behind the killings under the guise of ‘ending terrorism.
One of the most haunting scenes in the film is when Sugga reaches the house of one of his own men, enjoys a meal prepared by his mother before framing and brutally slaying the entire family, including his old parents and seven-month-pregnant wife.
Amid the threats and ‘friendly advice’ to back down, Jaswant is abducted one day. The narrative then takes an investigative turn with CBI Officer Samudra Singh (Arjun Rampal) stepping in to look into the case. Meanwhile, Jaswant’s wife, Paramjit (Geetika Vidya Ohlyan) comes to the forefront to continue her husband’s fight.
What follows is a depiction of clear abuse of power as witnesses disappear, are found dead, or switch sides in court. Ultimately, the terrifying and brutal story of Jaswant’s disappearance finally comes forward.
Besides the cause and the strong story, the film is shouldered by powerful performances. Diljit delivers a resilient yet restrained performance as the innocent yet fearless Jaswant Singh Khalra, giving his legacy a fitting tribute. Arjum Rampal and the rest of the cast, too, do just what they are expected.
Satluj presents a chapter of history, which is often considered as one of the largest genocides in Indian history, in the most unapologetic and pure way. It truly deserves a watch despite making you uncomfortable in places, questioning what happens when democracy turns into a joke.
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