After being caught in a lengthy review battle and removed from ZEE5 within 48 hours of its release, Diljit Dosanjh‘Satluj’ has remained in the news. Amid the ongoing controversy surrounding the film, the director Honey Trehan has now revealed that Diljit only paid Re 1 for the project, and did not accept his usual fee after learning about the life of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra. According to the film’s producer, the actor believes it would be “shameful” to charge money for portraying such a mysterious character.Trehan said that Diljit’s commitment to the film has not changed despite the challenges he has faced, including his license dispute with the film. Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) and its withdrawal from OTT. The filmmaker explained that he had always envisioned a Sikh actor playing Jaswant Singh Khalra, believing that the role needed someone who understood the community and his experiences.“If Diljit hadn’t been there, this film wouldn’t have happened. I wanted an actor who knew the world. I wanted to make Sardar because if I cast a Bollywood actor in the film, the story would suddenly be, ‘This actor is playing Sardar.’ It would have been unfair to Khalra Sahab’s journey and the people who were hurt by this story,” he said in an interview with The Print. Trehan also recalled his first meeting with Diljit in 2021, which was initially planned as a short 30-minute conversation. During the meeting, he shared his research and introduced actor Jaswant Singh Khalra to his life and work.According to the official, Diljit was immediately moved when he saw Khalra’s picture and made a decision on the spot. “He stood up from his seat, touched the script to his forehead and said, ‘Waheguru’, ‘How can I pay to play someone like Khalra? It will be embarrassing.’Trehan said that he insisted on paying the actor, but Diljit refused to accept the normal amount. “However, when the officer insisted, the singer only said that if he wanted to pay him for the contract, he would only pay him Re 1.”‘Satluj’ is based on the life of Jaswant Singh Khalra, a bank clerk who became one of the most prominent human rights activists in Punjab. His investigation into the burning of nearly 25,000 unidentified people in the state between 1984 and 1994 led to widespread national interest in the matter.According to a court order released by the filmmakers, Khalra was kidnapped and later killed in police custody in 1995.