Diljit Dosanjh’s long delayed film Panjab 95 is once again in headlines and this time for a gripping new poster shared by the actor, which shows his character hanging with hands tied. The film, directed by Honey Trehan, is based on the life of Jaswant Singh Khalra, a human rights activist who exposed the illegal cremations of thousands in Punjab during the 1980s and 90s.
While the buzz around the film grows with every post by Dosanjh, its release has been held up since December 2022 due to objections raised by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). The CBFC reportedly demanded 127 cuts from the makers edits that Trehan says would strip the film of its essence and only the trailer would remain.
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While speaking with NDTV, questioned the demand of removing ‘Punjab’ from the film’s title and not naming Indira Gandhi despite the story being rooted in Punjab and its political reality. “The story is set in Punjab. Why would any sensible person remove ‘Punjab’ from the title itself? They are Punjabi cops wearing a turban, and they tell me to call them ‘Police’ and not ‘Punjab Police’. Where is the logic?” he questioned.
He also added, “They also said don’t take Indira Gandhi’s name. Okay, so then what should I call her? There’s a film called Emergency that has been made on her whole life, and I can’t even have one person take her name in the film? Why such partiality?”
Despite the pressures, Trehan clarified that Panjab 95 is not a political attack, but a historical story about human rights and truth. “I have waited and been patient for two and a half years. If you can’t express through your art, then where is the democracy? I have no words. This is how it is right now. Beyond a point, it’s in nobody’s control,” he said.
Diljit Dosanjh was recently under fire since the trailer of Sardaar Ji 3 dropped, due to his collaboration with Pakistani actress Hania Aamir. Amid backlash from netizens and film bodies, including calls to ban all his upcoming projects in India. Due to the controversy and political tensions, the film was not released in India and premiered only overseas. The backlash comes amid the tensions between India and Pakistan post the Pahalgam attack.
Meanwhile, on the work front Diljit is also gearing up for his next big project Border 2. It also stars Sunny Deol, Varun Dhawan, and Ahan Shetty. The ensemble cast also includes Suniel Shetty, Rashmika Mandanna, Sonam Bajwa, Vinali Bhatnagar, Paramvir Cheema, Nishan Singh, Guneet Sandhu, Mouni Roy, and Sai Dibyajyoti Behera.
