Diljit Dosanjh is in the news again, this time because his new film Satluj was withdrawn less than 48 hours after being launched on OTT. While the bizarre incident has made Satluj one of the most talked-about films of 2026, Dosanjh, too, finds himself in the spotlight.
It seems to be turning into a regular trait for Dosanjh. Lately, a lot of what he does – on the screen as an actor, on the stage as a singer or off-screen and stage as a celebrity – has gone against notions of positive newsmaking, even if Dosanjh himself may or may not be directly responsible for the storm at hand.
Honey Trehan’s Satluj was already in the throes of controversy for a while now over its reportedly sensitive subject matter. The film saw a battle of around three years with the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) and there were demands for 127 cuts, reports said. What’s more, trying to ensure a release is said to be the reason why the makers chose to change the film’s title from Punjab 95 (some say Panjab 95) to Satluj.
Now, the decision to remove Satluj from OTT has only added to the element of intrigue about the film. Suddenly, every one wants to watch the grim film where Diljit Dosanjh plays slain human rights activist, Jaswant Singh Khalra.
DOSANJH, DEFIANCE AND SPOTLIGHT
For Dosanjh, Satluj isn’t the first film in recent years to land him in the spotlight of controversy. Only a few weeks ago, Imtiaz Ali’s Main Vaapas Aaunga made news for reasons that had less to do with the film or its box office run than debates around Dosanjh. Social media noted how the actor stayed away from promoting the film. This, in turn, triggered discussions over why he might have chosen to do so.
Around the time, Dosanjh had used the spelling “Panjab” instead of “Punjab” on social media while posting about the state. This was seen as a divisive gesture by many. Punjab is the conventional spelling introduced by the British while Panjab follows the original Persian-Urdu etymology, combining panj (five) and aab (water). The word means Land of Five Rivers, and bears direct reference to the Punjabi identity.
Which brings to mind Amar Singh Chamkila, another Imtiaz Ali film. The 2024 biopic cast Dosanjh as the titular Punjabi singer whose fiery songs, deemed rebellious, inspired lakhs of villagers in the state. The singer and his partner were ultimately gunned down.
Chamkila and Jaswant Singh Khalra’s lives have more in common than being Dosanjh’s career-best performances. These were Punjabi martyrs who defied the system. If Chamkila ignited passions through his music, activist Kalra jolted the system by highlighting how the Punjab police were allegedly involved in around 25,000 illegal killings and burial of corpses. These are subjects no top star normally wants to touch.
‘BIGGEST PUNJABI ARTIST ON THE PLANET’
Dosanjh’s choice of these roles would seem far from random. In numerous interviews, he has spoken about being a Punjabi first. On Jimmy Fallon’s show, he was introduced as the “biggest Punjabi artist on the planet“. Through roles such as Chamkila, Khalra or Nirvair (in Main Vaapas Aaunga), Dosanjh wants to craft an identity as an actor who highlights the travails of Punjab and Punjabis – during Partition and afterwards.
Almost on cue, volatile Punjabiyat seems to follow him wherever he goes. At his recent Calgary concert, a section of the crowd started chanting pro-Khalistan slogans. While he has never directly associated with the political chants so far, Dosanjh did make news over the incident.
Many on social media were quick to form a direct link between the divisive elements at the Calgary show and Dosanjh’s soaring popularity because of his recent citizenship issue. The singer-actor reportedly travels on a US passport 2022 onwards.
NOT AN INDIAN CITIZEN ANY MORE?
Several factors combine here, when the reported US citizenship issue crops up, which tends to impose an aura of defiance upon Dosanjh. His decision to cast Pakistani actor Hania Aamir as one of the female leads of Sardar Ji 3, for instance. Diljit Dosanjh was a co-producer besides starring in the film, and Aamir was cast in Sardar Ji 3 despite an appeal by Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) to boycott Pak artistes after the Pahalgam terror attacks.
FWICE’s ensuing ban on Diljit Dosanjh continues till date, although the actor did go ahead and complete Border 2 and Main Vaapas Aaunga. Sardar Ji 3 was never released in India, though it did good business across the world. The film earned more than Rs 70 crore and set an overseas record for the Punjabi film industry.
An incident at the 2023 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival is also often cited where, while performing on stage, Dosanjh asked some fans to lower an Indian flag. The singer reportedly said he wanted to foster unity in a diverse, international setting. Many felt he merely revealed his defiant nature, refusing to toe a blindly parochial line. Others debated whether he was just being divisive as an Indian.
Satluj would seem like Diljit Dosanjh’s latest attempt at starting a debate. Except that someone somewhere doesn’t seem interested in letting him do so.
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‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.indiatoday.in ’
