Ever since its silent release on OTT on July 3, followed by a worldwide ban, ‘Satluj’, dubbed ‘Panjab 95’, has been creating a stir on social media. The video, written by Diljit Dosanjhis a biopic on Jaswant Singh Khalra and has already been seen by many people across the world. One person he has not seen yet, is ‘Satluj’ the actor Varun Badola. In a recent interview, Varun, who essays the role of advocate Ravinder Jais in the film, said that he has no intention of watching the latest version.
Varun Badola on removing Satluj’s OTT
Just 48 hours after its release, ‘Satluj’ was removed from ZEE5, though it was still available globally on the platform. However, recent updates show that Honey Trehan The folder is no longer available for overseas viewing. Meanwhile, a film directed by Diljit was screened in Jammu for local audiences, and the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee has announced plans to hold screenings at gurdwaras as well.
Varun Badola refuses to watch the pirated version
In an Instagram post, Diljit encouraged fans to share the film on social media. Amidst this, Varun Badola, while talking to News18, talked about Satluj’s dismissal from OTT and said that he will not watch his fake version again. He said he had come across videos on Instagram and other platforms showing the film being shown in villages, but said he had some reservations about watching the movie. He said: “We continue to fight against terrorism. I understand that this is very different, but I cannot encourage people to steal from other people.”
Varun Badola recalls that he was not aware of the film’s release
Varun said he will wait and watch the film next time. Recalling how he did not know about the release of Satluj, the actor said that his friends first told him about his appearance and behavior in the film, which confused him, as he initially thought that he was talking about a different project. It was when he mentioned the name ‘Satluj’ that he realized, until then, he had not known that he had worked on a film with that name. He was with his family when the film aired on ZEE5, and he and his wife Rajeshwari planned to watch it later, but downloaded it before it finished. He clarified, “It’s not like I didn’t watch it because they wanted to make it and release it secretly. Every time Honey asked me to watch it, I never got there.”
Varun Badola calls the ban ‘daylight robbery’
The actor reacted strongly to the cancellation of the film, calling the cancellation of ‘Satluj’ “theft of broad daylight.” He also said that several films have faced bans in the past, saying, “Sometimes, the powers that be feel the need to improve education. Only they know why they decided to ban our film.” Varun also felt that the authorities should have looked at ‘Satluj’ before deciding to ban it. In particular, a petition was filed in the High Court of Punjab and Haryana against the “illegal” screening of the film in Punjab, after which the Inter-Departmental Committee reviewed the Diljit actor and decided that it should continue to be closed to the public in the country.
Varun Badola’s ‘Satluj’ also stars Arjun Rampal
The film also stars Arjun Rampal, Suvinder Vicky and Geetika Vidya in important roles. ‘Satluj’ was originally slated for release in 2023 but was delayed due to a ban by the CBFC.