How India's blocking of a film exposing real-life police abuses backfired

Key Points:

• The film "Satluj," a biopic about Sikh activist Jaswant Singh Khalra who exposed police extrajudicial killings in Punjab, was banned by Indian censors and removed from a streaming platform shortly after release, with no official explanation given.
• The movie highlights human rights abuses during the 1990s Sikh separatist conflict, a period marked by violence between militants and Indian security forces, and Khalra's subsequent disappearance and murder after uncovering police atrocities.
• The ban has sparked widespread defiance in Punjab, with Sikh leaders and activists organizing public screenings and sharing bootleg copies online, reflecting unresolved grievances over the historical events depicted.
• Indian authorities fear the film could reignite separatist sentiments amid tensions with overseas Sikh diaspora communities, viewing such narratives as potential security threats linked to international activism.
• For many viewers, especially families affected by the violence, the film serves as a vital act of preserving memory and seeking justice for victims whose cases remain unacknowledged by the government.