Diljit Dosanjh’s Punjab’95 has been witnessing a consistent delay in its release as the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) is taking its time to clear the film. However, Honey Trehan’s directorial has received support from the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee’s (SGPC).
It was earlier reported that SGPC was to form a review panel to assess the biopic based on the life of Jaswant Singh Khalra. This came after CBFC handed out over 100 changes that included renaming the film and Khalra’s character with changes in pivotal sequences. As a result, a 10-member committee watched the Diljit Dosanjh-starrer in Chandigarh in November.
In the latest development, the team has sent a letter to producer Ronnie Screwvala, reiterating that the film authentically depicts the life and struggles of the human rights activist. Trehan’s directorial venture narrates the journey of Khalra, who investigated the extrajudicial killings of Sikh youths during the 1984–1995 insurgencies in Punjab.
In the letter, the review committee, comprising legal experts and Sikh scholars, has emphasized that revisiting the dark chapters of Punjab’s history is essential to honor the activist’s legacy. The letter underlines that the biopic, in its unaltered form, is a powerful tool to shed light on these human rights abuses and must not be diluted.
“A few days ago, we sent a letter to the producers to screen the film for [another set of] Sikh scholars. We will take the matter forward with the CBFC. I have watched the film and it doesn’t target anyone at all. It shows the truth of Punjab in an unadulterated fashion. It’s a heart-wrenching movie. When I watched it, I had tears in my eyes,” said Gurcharan Singh Grewal, General Secretary, SGPC while speaking to a leading daily.
The makers are now hopeful that the review panel’s endorsement will pave the way for an unedited release of the film that has been lying with the CBFC since 2022. The Akal Takht has also thrown its weight behind it
