Diljit Dosanjh starrer long-delayed film Punjab ’95 is finally gearing up for release in February 2025. Directed by Honey Trehan and produced by RSVP, the biographical drama tells the story of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra. Khalra bravely exposed the disappearances and killings of Sikh youths during Punjab’s insurgency in the 1980s and 1990s. However, the film’s path to release has been far from easy.
Punjab ’95 Faced Challenges In CBFC Certification Due To Sensitive Content
The film was first submitted to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) in December 2022. It soon ran into trouble due to its sensitive content. Initially, the CBFC demanded 85 cuts, which later increased to nearly 120. One major demand was changing the protagonist’s name from Jaswant Singh Khalra to avoid influencing public emotions. The CBFC also ruled that the film could not be promoted as being based on real events.
Director Honey Trehan and producer Ronnie Screwvala refused to comply with these demands. They argued that removing Khalra’s name would disrespect his legacy and the Sikh community. It would also turn the film from a biopic into fiction. The CBFC even proposed renaming the film to Sutlej, referencing the river that unites Punjab. However, the filmmakers firmly rejected this idea.
The battle over the film’s release went as far as the courts when Screwvala challenged the CBFC’s request for 22 cuts. Eventually, they opted for an out-of-court settlement but continued to oppose altering factual details. For example, the Revising Committee wanted the film to lower the reported number of over 25,000 deaths in Punjab, despite this figure being based on real testimonies and CBI court rulings.
Diljit Dosanjh Confirms February Release In Latest Post
Recently, Diljit Dosanjh shared powerful stills from the film on Instagram. In the images, he appears bloodied and dressed in torn clothes, portraying Khalra with raw intensity. He captioned the post, “Challenge the darkness.”
The film also stars Arjun Rampal and Suvinder Vicky. While the makers haven’t revealed the release platform yet, fans are eagerly waiting for more details.
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