'I broke down': Diljit Dosanjh reveals emotional impact of 'Satluj'
What's the story
Diljit Dosanjh's latest film, Satluj, has finally made its way to ZEE5 after a three-year-long certification battle. In an interview with Variety India, the actor opened up about his experience working on the film. He spoke about how director Honey Trehan's vision and his portrayal of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra changed him as an actor and person. The film was previously titled Punjab 95.
Director's influence
Dosanjh lauded Trehan's energy and enthusiasm
Dosanjh lauded Trehan's energy and enthusiasm, saying, "I haven't come across too many people with such immense enthusiasm and zest, especially from the first to the last shot of the day." "His energy never died even after pack-up." He also credited Trehan for his role in Udta Punjab (2016), saying, "When I began my career in Hindi cinema with Udta Punjab, it was Honey Trehan who had called me up and offered me an audition."
Actor's growth
On his bond with Trehan
Dosanjh sees Trehan as an elder brother who was among the first to believe in his talent. He said, "Working with Honey sir has been inspiring, and my relationship with him has grown over the years." "One of the many things that makes working with him so exciting and special is that it doesn't feel like we are working on a film. Every day on the set feels like a learning experience."
Challenging role
'Satluj' was physically and emotionally challenging
Dosanjh admitted that Satluj was one of the most challenging films of his career. He said, "It's honestly one of the hardest films I have ever made in my career. Emotionally and physically, it extracted everything out of all of us." "But ultimately, it was the nature of the subject matter which really clung on to me. I think this is perhaps the first film in my career which required me to recuperate after the shoot."
Character research
Dosanjh on his research for the role
The actor revealed that he spent a lot of time researching Khalra. He said, "There are a lot of documents, real accounts, and testimonies that were so difficult even to read. Most of these real-life incidents were heart-wrenching." "I was unable to process all of it. There were times during the research that I broke down because the reality was so strong and heavy." "I had to take a week off to process everything that I went through portraying Khalra."