Diljit Dosanjh's Panjab '95 Release Delayed Indefinitely

Jalandhar: Four days after he released the trailer of his film, renowned singer-actor Diljit Dosanjh on January 20 (Monday) shared on his official social media account that the much-awaited film Panjab ‘95, based on the life of noted human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, will not be released on February 7. 

“We are very sorry and it pains us to inform you that the movie Panjab ‘95 will not release on 7th Feb due to circumstances beyond our control,” Dosanjh wrote on his Instagram account. 

The singer-actor had released the official trailer of the film on January 17 (Friday) with a banner that the film would be releasing internationally but not in India. 

Dosanjh had released the trailer of the film on all his social media accounts. However, the official trailer of Panjab ‘95 produced by Vancouver-based White Hill Studios was taken down from YouTube, India.

Dosanjh’s film trailer release coincided with the release of Bollywood actor and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP from Mandi Lok Sabha constituency Kangana Ranaut’s film Emergency, which despite having been released worldwide faced stiff protests from the Sikh Gurdwara Parbhandak Committee (SGPC) and Sikh organisations over allegations of misrepresentation of the Sikhs. 

Panjab ’95 has been in muddy waters for the past some time. Jaswant Khalra had documented the killings of 25,000 youths and had identified 2,000 police officials too, who had refused to cooperate in the extra judicial killings during militancy in Punjab.

Meanwhile, the update about the film’s delayed release invited sharp reaction and queries from fans, who had been waiting for its release for some time. Many users suggested, “Release it on OTT or Netflix.” 

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Another user wrote, “So predictable… it was bound to happen… how can they let truth be out.” 

“If they can release Emergency by Kangana Ranaut, why not Panjab ‘95,” asked another user.

Khalistani supporters halt the screening of Emergency in London

Earlier on January 19 (Sunday), some Khalistan supporters barged inside the Harrow Vue Cinema in London, UK and stopped the screening of Emergency, leading to cancellation of the film. 

Reacting to the protest in London and the ban on her film in Punjab, Ranaut released a video on social media on January 20, she said, “I have some pain in my heart. There was a time when people in the [film] industry would say that my films do exceptionally well in Punjab. But today my film is not even allowed to be released. Similarly, some attacks have taken place against some people in Canada and the UK. A select group of people have fanned fire against my film and it is you and me who are suffering. Watch my film and decide if my film unites or divides.”

Experts speak

Blaming politicisation of the system as a major reason behind the delay in the release of Panjab ‘95, human rights lawyer Jaspal Singh Manjhpur, who has been working to save political dissidents told The Wire: “[In] the last ten years [we] have witnessed rise in nationalism and a push to an ideology that suits government’s narrative. Anything that comes in the way of the government’s narrative faces a similar fate; like the way Panjab ‘95’s release has been stopped. The government’s agenda is to ensure that pro-BJP films are made through which they could hound the Congress.”

Manjhpur, however, emphasised that the release or delay of the film can never affect the sacrifice and selfless service of Jaswant Khalra.

“The idea is to present the political thinking of Khalra to the public. Most of Khalra’s videos, including his last address at a gurdwara in Ontario, Canada in the year 1995 are available on YouTube. Diljit’s film might release but it will be done only when the Punjab and the Union government would want it to [release for political gains]”, he said sarcastically. 

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Speaking to The Wire, Sikh scholar and renowned historian from Panjab University, Gurdarshan Singh Dhillon said that ever since the Indo-Pak partition of 1947, Sikhs have been facing a deep-rooted prejudice against them in the country. 

“It has been a settled policy of the state to hound the minorities, particularly the Sikhs. So, in the light of these facts, it is no surprise that a film like Panjab ’95 on human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, which exposes the Indian state is not being released,” said Dhillon, who is the author of the book India Commits Suicide, on Operation Bluestar and its aftermath. 

Dhillon also said that the film is important for those who follow the fundamentals of human rights but not for the government. “I am of the view that as a minority, we have to undergo this suffering because we are Sikhs. We have been victimised since long,” he added. 

While Jaswant Khalra’s wife Paramjit Kaur Khalra was not available for comments, even SGPC, which has been supporting the release of the film, avoided any response. 

SGPC secretary Partap Singh feigned ignorance about the film not being released and said, “I am not aware of this development, hence cannot comment.”

Notably, on October 3 last year, Paramjit Kaur had posted a statement on X  in which she mentioned that the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) issued 120 cuts to the film and asked the directors to change the name of Jasawant Singh Khalra, remove Gurbaani, the reference to extra judicial killing numbers, real dates, and names of the places like Tarn Taran district.  

Paramjit Kaur further wrote: “This is deeply disconcerting news to us because we feel that asking for these changes is not only a dishonour to the legacy of Shaheed Jaswant Singh Khalra, but also to all the people of Punjab and the Punjabi and the Sikh community worldwide. We appeal to the CBFC to not use rampant censorship to attempt to change proven facts depicted in the film.”

Meanwhile, as per a report by BBC Punjabi, SGPC member Gurcharan Singh Grewal said that they had given a memorandum to Sri Akal Takth Sahib for its views about the film in October last year. Later the Akal Takth formed a three-member committee comprising SGPC members Grewal and Gurbaksh Singh. 

Speaking to The Wire, Grewal said that last year they had written a letter to the film’s director and producer to show it to the SGPC committee. “Even we are surprised that the film’s release has been halted. I feel that the film should be released not just internationally but in India too. We are in touch with the film director and producer and will watch the film soon. Our committee is working on it. Hopefully, the film will be released soon.”

Renowned human rights advocate in Punjab and Haryana high court Rajwinder Singh Bains, who was the trial lawyer in Jaswant Khalra’s disappearance and murder case said that Panjab ‘95 is based on the judicial record of all the cases. 

“The script of the film is also written based on the judicial record and evidence. Everything shown in the film is part of the court records and nothing is fake in it. The only reason why the government is not allowing the film to release is that it will break the myth that former Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) K.P.S. Gill, who was the top cop during militancy days, was a national hero. For the government, it is a typical problem, where they have no answer, as there is nothing false in the film,” Bains said. 

Advocating the release of Panjab ‘95, Bains added, “I have seen the film. They have made it very well. Diljit Dosanjh is a good actor and he has done an amazing job. The film’s director and producer have shown courage by making this film. Now that it has been made, they should take a stand and show some spine and release it. They should not back out like this. The film should be released.”

Earlier, reminiscing Jaswant Khalra, the senior advocate said that during those days, Khalra went to Canada with his family and returned to India despite warnings that he might be killed. “While Khalra’s family went to Canada, he came back to Punjab. Someone from the ministry [government] had told him that he should not come back to India, else he would be killed. But he still came and was killed.”